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Reports of COVID-19 in emergency room visits from adolescents have nearly doubled over the past week, new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data shows, reaching levels not seen in a year. Measured as a share of all emergency room visits in children ages 12 to 15 years old, the figures published late Thursday by the CDC show weekly COVID-19 averages have accelerated to 2.43% through August 21. (Tin, 8/25)

In the United States, a slow but steady rise in COVID activity continued over the past week according to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), while at the global level, the World Health Organization (WHO) said today that indicators are up in three of six regions. Much of the activity is occurring against the backdrop of newer XBB variants that contain the F456L mutation, though health officials say they are closely watching the heavily mutated BA.2.86 virus, which is circulating but with an impact that's unclear. (Schnirring, 8/25)

"People 65-plus and people who are immunocompromised should strongly consider masking during flu, RSV, COVID season while in indoor public spaces," said Dr. Céline Gounder, a CBS News medical contributor and editor-at-large for public health at Â鶹ŮÓÅ Health News. "And for everyone else — it all depends on what their risk tolerance is." (Moniuszko, 8/25)

COVID cases are still on the rise, but an updated vaccine could be more than a month away. That leaves some concerned people in a predicament: get boosted now, or wait? (Martichoux, 8/26)

Lucien Dhooge, 63, likes to get his flu shot early every year before being around college students at the University of Washington Tacoma, where he teaches law and ethics. This year, he decided to get the new vaccine for respiratory syncytial virus at the same time, so he made an appointment earlier this month for both shots at his local Walgreens in Gig Harbor, Wash. But when he arrived at the pharmacy, he was told that the R.S.V. vaccine wasn’t covered by his insurance provider, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield. The out-of-pocket cost? About $330. (Smith, 8/25)

The risk of death from SARS-CoV-2 Omicron infection was four times higher than that from influenza in late 2022 and early 2023 in France, a Harvard Medical School researcher reports today in Epidemiology & Infection. (Van Beusekom, 8/25)

The steepest declines were in staff responsiveness and cleanliness, possibly reflecting pandemic staffing shortages and the effects of COVID-19 prevention measures (eg, healthcare workers having to don personal protective equipment). Communication about medicines, care transition, overall hospital rating, communication with nurses, hospital recommendations, and communication with doctors were moderately affected. (Van Beusekom, 8/25)

Alnylam Pharmaceuticals said on Friday it plans to appeal a ruling by the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware on two patents asserted against Moderna for the latter's COVID-19 vaccine Spikevax. Cambridge, Massachusetts-based Alnylam sued both Moderna and Pfizer Inc (PFE.N) in Delaware last year, seeking royalties for the lipid nanoparticle (LNP) technology their vaccines use to deliver genetic material known as mRNA. (8/25)

Scientists and educators are searching for ways to improve air quality in the nation’s often dilapidated school buildings. (Mandavilli, 8/27)