In my little civilian lifetime, I’d never seen the federal government step up the way it did during the first COVID vaccine roll-out. When I pulled up to my local mall to get my first shot, a swift-moving line extended through the parking lot. A cadre of staff and nurses ran an efficient operation in a hollowed-out Sears, while National Guard troops monitored the flow of people and the post-injection waiting area.
Like so many Americans, I’ve received boosters, at-home test kits and even Paxlovid with no insurance card presented and no money exchanged. But that’s changing soon. The national public health emergency, first declared in early 2020 in response to the pandemic, is set to expire May 11– and publicly funded vaccines, tests and treatments will end along with it.
Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna, who have been selling bivalent boosters to the government for about $30 a dose, each say they plan to raise prices to around $120 per dose once they enter the commercial market. Your out-of-pocket costs for shots, tests and treatments will depend on your insurance, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. Find out how much you could be on the hook for.
If you’ve ever listened to your local NPR affiliate station during a fund drive, you’ve probably heard the phrase “driveway moment.” A driveway moment is when you’ve arrived at home, but you linger in the driver’s seat for a few sweet minutes to hear the rest of the story or interview coming out of your radio. A special time to round out the end of your commute before you head inside. Just you and Ari Shapiro.
Of course, opportunities for such moments became a lot more scarce when pandemic lockdowns eliminated commutes for many Americans (no driveway moment without the drive) And plenty of us continue to work remotely. Some have even reported missing their commutes.
Management researchers Matthew Piszczek and Kristie McAlpine looked into how workers feel about commuting, and how the trek to and from work affects our sense of wellbeing. They argue that commutes are a source of "liminal space”-- a time free of both home and work roles that provides an opportunity to recover from work and mentally switch gears. However, if driving or taking transit is stressful or you can’t stop thinking about work, you miss out on the value of that liminal space.
There’s plenty of mystique around the health effects of chocolate. Over the centuries, cocoa has been touted as an aphrodisiac and a health elixir. In recent years, studies have shown compounds in cocoa called flavonols can help improve blood flow and lower blood pressure.
In a recent study, 20,000 participants over the age of 60 consumed high levels of cocoa flavonols in capsule form, every day for several years; or were given a placebo. The study showed a 27% reduction in the rate of death from cardiovascular disease. Still, the FDA reviewed a petition to market chocolate’s heart health benefits and only agreed to a very conditional – not to mention confusing – claim for products with a certain high percentage of the heart-healthy flavonols. Sadly that wouldn’t apply to most candies. learn more about what kind of chocolate is -- or isn't -- good for your heart.
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