Nearly 1 in 10 new COVID-19 cases in the U.S. are from the BA.2.86 variant, the CDC says, nearly triple what the agency estimated the highly mutated variant's prevalence was two weeks ago.
The Massachusetts Coalition for Health Equity also demanded free access to COVID-19 testing and high-quality masks, public education about the risks of long COVID, and protections enabling disabled people to insist that their caregivers wear masks.
Additionally, about 3.5 million children have also gotten the updated shot, according to the survey, which is a sample size of the U.S. population, the CDC says.
The Mass General Brigham health system does not plan to require masking for patients and visitors during the coming cold-weather months, though the organization may mandate staff to wear masks in some circumstances.