CDC to Revamp Mask Guidance? Booster Uptake Stalls; States Diverge on Abortion Bans

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Rumblings suggest the CDC may relax its indoor masking guidelines for states as early as next week, basing the recommendations on a new formula that includes severe cases. (NBC News)

Only 28% of the U.S. population has been fully vaccinated and received a booster dose, according to a CNN analysis, and new vaccinations have hit an all-time low. (CNN)

Certain medical devices, like fall detectors, may face technical difficulties after 3G networks are officially retired. (CNN)

Remember Deborah Birx, MD? Her new memoir — Silent Invasion: The Untold Story of The Trump Administration, COVID-19, and Preventing the Next Pandemic Before It’s Too Late — hits the stands in late April. (AP)

The number of excess deaths during the pandemic — which include those not directly attributed to COVID-19 — has officially surpassed 1 million, according CDC data. (Washington Post)

As of 8 a.m. ET on Wednesday, the unofficial COVID-19 toll in the U.S. was 78,039,888 cases and 925,560 deaths, increases of 120,836 and 3,507, respectively, from the same time yesterday.

The short shelf-life of AstraZeneca’s COVID vaccine is hampering its rollout to poorer countries. (Reuters)

For some good news: the World Health Organization said the number of new global COVID cases dropped by 19%, with deaths remaining stable over the past week. (AP)

A Democratic California state lawmaker has proposed a bill that would deem doctors guilty of unprofessional conduct for spreading COVID misinformation, possibly punishable by the state’s medical board. (AP)

Over in Missouri, the Republican-led House is trying to push through legislation to defund broader access to Medicaid. (AP)

The Republican-led Arizona Senate banned abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy, by a 16-13 vote, with no exceptions for incest or rape. (Tucson.com)

Meanwhile, Arkansas’ Senate (also majority Republican) rejected an abortion ban modeled after the Texas law. (Kansas City Star)

Eyes are turning toward the doctor and coach of a 15-year-old Russian figure skater who tested positive for the banned heart drug trimetazidine at the Beijing Winter Olympics. (Reuters)

Another $30 billion: that’s how much the Biden administration is apparently telling Congress it will need in order to keep fighting COVID. (AP)

Perhaps that’s because the U.S. government said testing unvaccinated federal employees could cost up to $22 million a month. (Reuters)

Poultry farms are nervously watching for a possible bird flu outbreak following an Indiana infection that resulted in 29,000 turkeys being killed to prevent the spread. (NBC News)