The Biden administration said Tuesday that it is rolling out the newest Covid-19 booster and anticipates that going forward, Americans can expect to get annual updates to the shot just like they do for the flu vaccine.

“This week, we begin a new phase in our COVID-19 response. We are launching a new vaccine – our first in almost two years – with a new approach. For most Americans, that means one COVID-19 shot, once a year, each fall,” President Joe Biden said in a statement.

His remarks show that the administration is now validating a change in the nation’s Covid response policy, which officials have telegraphed for several months.

At a White House press briefing earlier Tuesday Anthony Fauci, Biden’s chief medical adviser, had suggested that the policy change was coming soon.

“It is becoming increasingly clear that, looking forward with the Covid-19 pandemic, in the absence of a dramatically different variant, we likely are moving toward a path with a vaccination cadence similar to that of the annual influenza vaccine, with annual updated Covid-19 shots matched to the currently circulating strains for most of the population,” said Fauci, who heads the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

Fauci’s comments are based on data from vaccine manufacturers Pfizer and Moderna supporting their booster shot candidates, which the FDA and the CDC endorsed last week — Moderna’s for those 12 and older and Pfizer-BioNTech’s for those 18 and older. Independent advisers to those agencies said last week that data suggest those vaccines — updated to target both the original coronavirus and the BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants — could broaden individuals’ immune response to other variants, which could prove helpful if the virus continues to mutate from the Omicron lineage as it has since late 2021.

Caveats: But that single yearly shot prediction hinges on the lack of “any new variant curve balls,” White House coronavirus response coordinator Ashish Jha said earlier Tuesday.

“The wild card of a way-out, out-of-left-field variant coming, if that happens, all bets are off and we change,” Fauci added.

But given the history of Omicron’s evolution since it emerged in November, Fauci said, the boosters that were previously authorized from the original-formula vaccines “have done pretty well in reconstituting the waning immunity” of the population, even as the strains have evolved.

“If we continue to have an evolution of what we used to call, and still do call, an influenza adrift — not a major change, but just sort of drifting along the BA.5 sublineage. I believe that that would fit in well with what we’re talking about, the likelihood that we’ll get into a cadence that, on a yearly basis for most people, we’ll be able to cover what is out there as the dominant variant,” he said.

An annual cadence, however, may not hold for older individuals, as well as those who are immunocompromised, Fauci added, who may need more frequent shots.

What’s next: Federal officials are urging Americans to get their booster shots as soon as they are eligible. Anyone 12 and older may receive an updated vaccine if it’s been at least two months since they last received a dose.

The CDC advises that people who have recently had a Covid infection may delay their next vaccine dose, if eligible, by three months from symptom onset or positive test result.

In Virginia and some other states, St. James Smokehouse’s smoked salmon is being recalled over potential exposure to a bacteria that could make you seriously sick.

The voluntary recall applies to 4-ounce packages of Scotch Reserve Scottish Smoked Salmon that were sold between February and June.

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The salmon could be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes — which can cause serious or deadly infections in young children, older people or others with weakened immune systems, according to a news release from the Food and Drug Administration.

It can also be dangerous for pregnant women who may have miscarriages or stillbirths.

Healthy people may have short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea.

No illnesses have been reported, as of Sept. 2.

The impacted product’s lot number is # 123172 and UPC code is 060022710356. The lot number and the UPC code can be found on the sticker on the back of the product.

Consumers should either trash the recalled products or take them back to the store for a full refund.

The product was sold in Virginia, Alabama, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts, Washington State and Wisconsin.

The product was recalled after the Washington State Department of Agriculture found bacteria in the salmon during a routine sampling.

The recall alert said customers can call 305-461-0231 during normal business hours.

Source

The heaviest rain is moving out of the D.C. area as residents brace for potential flooding Tuesday after a recent stretch of dry weather.

And the forecast calls for another round of storms later in the day.

• Flood warning for parts of Maryland until 11:30 a.m.
• Flood watch for most of the region lasts until 2 p.m.
• Flood threat lingers until the afternoon.
• Risk of evening storms

The National Weather Service issued a flood watch for most of the D.C. region until 2 p.m.

A flood warning was also issued for parts of central Maryland and north central Maryland until 11:30 a.m. Some of the counties impacted include Howard, Montgomery, Carroll and Frederick. During a warning, flooding is imminent or occurring.

As rain continues to move Northeast, StormTeam4 Meteorologist Chad Merrill said flash flooding is likely in some areas north of the District on Tuesday morning.

“There will be short-term rises on streams and creeks, but we are not seeing a risk so far this morning for any river flooding,” Merrill said. “Most of this is likely due to the recent dry stretch of weather.”

But the steady rain should wrap up by 11 a.m.

Merrill said drivers should watch for pockets of water on roadways.

Listen to WTOP Traffic on the 8’s or online for the latest on the roads.

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Temperatures will rise to the mid 80s as the day goes on.

Low pressure pushing across the region is responsible for spouts of heavy rain, Merrill said.

The showers and storms were expected to drop up to 3 inches of rain, with some isolated areas receiving 4 inches. By 6 a.m., 2 inches had already fallen in some areas.

By the afternoon, there should be some sunshine peaking through the clouds.

Tuesday evening could bring more challenges to commuters — scattered thunderstorms re expected.

The wet weather should wrap up Tuesday night, but return on Wednesday as a front from Pennsylvania pushes south toward the District. Flooding isn’t expected though, Merrill said.

Dry weather returns Thursday and it should be comfortable through Saturday.

Rain totals

Rainfall reports across the region as of around 6 a.m., according to Merrill:

• Leesburg in Loudoun County, Virginia: 2.16 inches
• Ijamsville in Frederick County, Maryland: 2.04 inches
• Gaithersburg in Montgomery County, Maryland: 1.84 inches
• Germantown in Montgomery County, Maryland: 1.72 inches
• Sykesville in Carroll County, Maryland: 1.32 inches
• D.C.: 0.22-0.39 inches

The weather in context

The rain comes after a dry stretch of weather in August.

Rain totals in August were 0.83 inches below average coming in at 2.42 inches, while the average is 3.25 inches at Reagan National. Totals were far below last year which ranked as the fourth wettest August on record with 9.07 inches.

But its been weeks since the last time the region had significant rainfall, Merrill told WTOP. The most recent appreciable rain in D.C. (with more than half an inch) was on Aug. 10 with just 0.52 inch.

Since Aug. 15, things have been pretty dry.

The risk for flooding is often determined by what the weather is like before the rain, particularly this time of year, Merrill said.

“If we would have seen a super wet August, especially focused during the month’s second half, then widespread flooding would likely be occurring across the region here this morning,” Merrill said.

The wettest month of the year on average in D.C. is July, followed by June, May and September. September ranks just 0.01 inch below May’s average rainfall of 3.94 inches.

Though it’s been relatively dry in recent weeks, Merrill said this past July was the 13th wettest in D.C. since 1870 with 7.61 inches.

Forecast

Tuesday: Cloudy with heavy showers. Flooding possible. Highs: Low 80s.

Wednesday: Early showers, then mostly cloudy. Highs: Upper 80s.

Thursday: Partly sunny. Highs: Around 80.

Friday: Mostly sunny. Low humidity. Highs: Low 80s.

Current weather

The rapid decline in the use of cash during the pandemic has eased as consumers return to their preferred method of paying for things, a report suggests.

Many people were forced into trying alternative ways of spending owing to Covid restrictions, banking trade body UK Finance said.

But it added that their preferred method had not changed radically.

Cash use is still forecast to drop, accounting for 6% of payments by 2031.

“Rather than the UK becoming a cash-free society over the next decade, the UK will transition to an economy where cash is less important than it once was but remains valued and preferred by many,” the report said.

Covid impact

The trend of the last decade has been the significant rise in the prevalence of card – and particularly contactless – payments. Debit or credit cards were used in 57% of all payments in the UK last year.

In comparison, the use of notes and coins has dropped from 55% of payments in 2011 to 15% last year.

During the pandemic, the number of payments made in total fell. In particular, cash use slumped during lockdowns and as retailers encouraged friction-free payments.

Now, the UK Finance report suggests that long-term trends will continue as if there has been no pandemic impact.

While 42% of consumers only made one transaction or fewer in cash each month, Adrian Buckle, head of research at UK Finance, said that many people were returning to their first preference when paying.

“Payment trends generally tend to change slowly, as we all form habits about the way we pay for things and these don’t change easily,” he said.

Natalie Ceeney, who leads work into access to cash, said: “It’s now widely recognised that those who rely on cash tend to be older, poorer or more vulnerable, many of whom simply can’t ‘go digital’.

“I’m really pleased that, after many years of campaigning on the issue, the industry is working hard to put in solutions and we should finally have legislation to protect access to cash in the next few months.”

Budgets squeezed

Another factor in the use of cash is the rising cost of living.

Mr Buckle said cash became slightly more popular during the financial crisis at the start of the last decade but, like then, it had relatively little impact on the longer term decline.

The Post Office recently reported that its counters handled £801m in personal cash withdrawals in July, the most since records began five years ago.

It said customers’ use of cash to budget and the popularity of staycations were behind the increase.

In May, Salford University student Kira Hayward told the BBC that she turned to social media for inspiration to help her cope with rising costs by taking cash out of her bank account.

She puts it in different labelled envelopes to ensure she has money for food and bills.

“I went on Instagram and YouTube and I saw these physical budget binders,” she said. “I take the money out of the bank and I budget for things like my shopping. If I know I have £80 in my personal shopping for the month I know I can’t go over that.”

However, the UK Finance report suggested that young people were becoming adept at budgeting using smartphone apps and were keeping a keen eye on their bank balance digitally.

Mr Buckle said they would log into accounts several times a day. Instead of using cash to budget, many would consider any cash withdrawals as money already “spent” as it had already reduced the bank balance they saw on the screen.

The report also questioned the assumption that younger people were more reliant than others on Buy Now, Pay Later products. The trade body’s limited research suggested about one in eight people had used these services, but they were most likely to be aged between 35 and 44.