U.S. Life Expectancy Falls Again; Federal Vax Mandate Restored; Gun Violence Orphans

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For the second consecutive year, life expectancy in the U.S. decreased. (NPR)

By a 2-1 vote, a federal appeals court reinstated the Biden administration’s COVID vaccination mandate for government employees. (Reuters)

Worldwide food prices continue their rise to unprecedented heights as a result of production and shipping disruptions caused by the war in Ukraine. (AP)

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) tested positive for COVID-19 and has entered isolation. (The Hill)

As of Friday at 8 a.m. EDT, the U.S. is averaging 30,200 cases and 536 deaths per day.

In the U.S., COVID-19 continues the pattern of disproportionately affecting minority communities. (CNN)

The Omicron variant has a different symptom pattern from Delta, including faster recovery and a reduced likelihood of a change or loss in sense of smell or taste. (The Guardian)

Revisiting the deadliest week — so far — since the emergence of the Omicron variant. (NBC News)

New York City Health Commissioner Ashwin Vasan has been assigned a police security detail after anti-mask protesters reportedly threatened his life. (New York Daily News)

The Agriculture Department will give state and Tribal governments almost $10 million to control and prevent chronic wasting disease in wild and farm-raised cervid (deer, elk, etc.).

Everyday in the U.S., gun violence turns 41 children into orphans. (Washington Post)

Revealing a very personal story, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said she would not enforce a 1931 state anti-abortion law if the Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade. (RawStory)

In the COVID-19 hotspot of Shanghai, a city health worker beat a dog to death after the pet’s owner tested positive. (CNN)

Meanwhile, three city officials in Shanghai were fired because of their “slack response” to the most recent surge in COVID-19 cases in China’s largest city. (AP)

The Alabama House of Representatives approved legislation that would criminalize certain types of healthcare for transgender youth. (Reuters)

An outbreak of bird flu poses a grisly question with no easy answers: How to kill millions of potentially exposed poultry? (AP via ABC News)