FDA Aims to Ease Formula Shortage; New Monkeypox Cases; COVID Reinfection the Norm?

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The FDA and Abbott Nutrition reached an agreement allowing the company to reopen its Sturgis, Michigan baby formula manufacturing plant in the coming weeks; as part of the proposal, Abbott will take corrective actions to ensure it produces a safe product.

Additionally, FDA announced “increased flexibilities” on the importation of baby formula from foreign countries to help alleviate the shortage.

Empty baby formula shelves have ignited an emotionally charged debate on breastfeeding. (New York Times)

Four more people in the U.K. were diagnosed with monkeypox. (BBC News)

North Korea’s COVID surge continues, with suspected cases reaching 1.5 million, according to state media, and 56 deaths. (New York Times)

As of Tuesday at 8 a.m. EDT, the unofficial U.S. COVID toll was 82,688,179 cases and 1,001,217 deaths, increases of 156,882 and 345, respectively, versus this time yesterday.

A New York Times report says the FDA will authorize Pfizer/BioNTech’s COVID-19 booster shot for kids ages 5 to 11 years as early as today, though demand is expected to be low.

As COVID hospitalizations increase, New York City is preparing to raise its risk alert to “high,” and officials issued a recommendation that people mask indoors. (NBC New York)

Meanwhile, Europe dropped its mask mandate for airports and flights. (CNBC)

How many times can you catch COVID? Experts are predicting that with new variants, many will be infected multiple times a year. (New York Times)

The FDA authorized the first over-the-counter COVID test that can also detect both influenza and respiratory syncytial virus, though customers have to mail in their nasal swab for analysis.

Americans can now order a third round of free COVID tests from the federal government as cases rise nationally. (NPR)

More than a year after the Biden administration allocated billions of dollars to states to tackle health disparities, many are still sitting on the funds, according to a Kaiser Health News investigation.

Patients with sickle cell disease spend up to $1.7 million on disease-related costs over their lifetime, according to an analysis in Blood Advances.

Roughly 3.4 million people in the U.S. will be diagnosed with skin cancer in 2022. (Washington Post)

Starbucks announced that it will reimburse travel costs for its employees who have to travel more than 100 miles to obtain an abortion. (Reuters)