Explainer-What are the FLiRT COVID variants and are they more contagious? The moniker FLiRT is an acronym for the locations of the mutations the variants share on the virus' spike protein. HOW ARE THE FLIRT VARIANTS DIFFERENT FROM PREVIOUS VARIANTS? The FLiRT variants, which also include KP.2's "parental" lineage JN.1, have three key mutations on their spike protein that could help them evade antibodies, according to Johns Hopkins University. Yahoo News

...

Myths incorrectly connecting COVID vaccine to heart defects may be spreading

The American Heart Association warns that false information about COVID vaccination and heart defects attributed to the Association may be spreading. The misinformation is inaccurately and incorrectly connected to a recent scientific paper on cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic (CKM) syndrome.

HHS advances plan to produce 4.8 million H5N1 vaccine doses Officials have identified a fill-and-finish opening on a production line at a vaccine company partner and said the activity won't disrupt the supply of seasonal flu vaccine. CIDRAP

...

Dawn O'Connell, JD, said health officials have identified a manufacturing line at one of its manufacturing partners for fill-and-finish steps, without disrupting production of seasonal flu vaccine. Currently, the vaccine is in bulk form and will be produced in multidose vials.

...

Wastewater testing specifically for bird flu virus will scale up nationally in coming weeks Specific testing for H5 flu virus in wastewater is scaling up nationwide through a partnership between universities, Verily, and philanthropies. Megan Molteni STAT

...

Study shows vaccination lowers risk of long COVID COVID-19 patients vaccinated against the novel coronavirus were less likely to have symptoms of post-COVID condition (PCC), or long COVID, according to a new study in Nature Communications. CIDRAP

...

In other long-COVID research news, a study in the International Journal of Infectious Diseases describes new estimates of long-COVID incidence and clinical study trends in a number of regions.

Avian flu is in cows in the US - is it inching closer to humans? The H5N1 strain of avian flu has been around since 1996, but until now its been largely confined to animals. But it has now jumped to cattle in America and some think it means we are inching towards eventual human-to-human infection, with potentially serious consequences. BBC News

... the (spread of the virus between states seems to be down to the movement of infected cows across state lines. ...

Reporting and surveillance of cattle movement in the US is poor compared with the UK and Europe where the BSE outbreaks of the mid-nineties led to all cows having to be tagged.

...

Australia reports first human avian flu infection Australia reported its first human case of avian influenza on Wednesday in a child who authorities said had been infected in India but made a full recovery, while a different highly contagious strain was found on an egg farm. Peter Hobson Reuters

...

Michigan farmworker diagnosed with bird flu, becoming 2nd US case tied to dairy cows A Michigan farmworker has been diagnosed with bird flu in what is the second human case associated with an outbreak in U.S. dairy cows. AP News

The male worker had been in contact with cows at a farm with infected animals. He experienced mild eye symptoms and has recovered, U.S. and Michigan health officials said in announcing the case Wednesday.

...

COVID, other misinformation varies by topic, country on social media The UK maintained a relatively stable proportion between questionable and reliable retweets, while Germany had the highest rates of misinformation. CIDRAP

https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/covid-other-misinformation-varies-topic-country-social-media