US proposes once-a-year COVID shots

U.S. health officials want to make COVID-19 vaccinations more like the annual flu shot. The Food and Drug Administration has proposed a simplified approach so that most adults and children would get a once-a-year shot.

The proposal comes as boosters have become a hard sell. The FDA is asking a panel of outside vaccine experts to weigh in on the new approach. The agency suggests most Americans have enough protection to move to a once-a-year shots.

Grand Forks health officials confirmed 79 new cases of COVID for the week ending January 26th. Weekly new case counts have remained in the double digit range since before the first of the year.

Although leveling off flu activity remains high. State Health officials identified 422 cases of influenza this past week – pushing the seasonal tally to 9,739. A total of 1044 of those are from Grand Forks County.