Coronavirus vaccine and COVID variant updates for 01-28-2022

<p>The European Medicines Agency has recommended Pfizer's coronavirus antiviral drug be authorized for use in the European Union. That’s the first time the agency’s recommended a pill for COVID. They said approving Paxlovid could help the infected avoid more serious disease and hospitalization. The drug’s been cleared in the U.S. and Britain, but the problem is supplies are extremely limited.</p><p>School districts continue to struggle with what the proper policies should be. Orange County Public Schools in Florida have made it clear to parents who worry about their child being exposed to COVID and want to keep them home, that it will no longer allow excused absences for COVID concerns. The district said managing assignments for large numbers of absent students is a strain on the teachers.&nbsp;</p><p>It’s brought up a question of medical ethics. A Boston hospital is defending itself after a man's family says he was denied a new, much needed heart for not getting vaccinated. The 31-year-old father of two has atrial fibrillation, which has also been cited as a vaccine side effect, thus his concern. There are more than 100,000 candidates on waitlists for organ transplants and about half on waiting lists won’t get an organ within five years.</p><p>Did you get your free at home rapid tests yet? If you did, here’s some tips to make sure they’re accurate. You can’t expose them to extreme hot or cold temperatures. You have to read and follow the instructions, because they were developed for use in medical settings by trained personnel. And you have to read the results at just the right time. Waiting too soon could give you a false-negative. Waiting too late could give you a false-positive. And lastly, don’t believe them. If you tested negative but you’re feeling sicker than you ever have, seek medical attention.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Does the public think the pandemic is over? An Associated Press poll shows only 15% will consider it over only when COVID is largely eliminated. 83% think it’s over when it’s mostly a mild illn