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Public Health

Six states that had imposed statewide mask mandates earlier in the pandemic are easing the rules as COVID-19 cases fall nationally, The New York Times reported Feb. 7.

The nation's flu vaccination rate has increased slightly over the past two seasons, though this growth has been slower than in past years, likely due to pandemic disruptions, a Feb. 7 report from ValuePenguin found.

The CDC plans to update its COVID-19 vaccine guidance for immunocompromised people, recommending that they receive a booster dose three months after completing their initial series, down from the current five-month interval, The Washington Post reported Feb. 4. 

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The Utah Department of Public Healthis delaying the use of COVID-19 rapid tests at state-run testing facilities over concerns of false negative results, Fox affiliate Fox 13 Salt Lake City reported Feb. 6.

A version of Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine tailored to target the omicron variant generated similar levels of immunity in monkeys as the current booster formulation, according to preliminary research from the National Institutes of Health.

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