A worrisome new variant is on the rise

October 9, 2022
by RJ Hamster

YOUR WEEKLY CHECKUP

This week: A new Omicron subvariant prompts a warning from the FDA; the remarkable story of a face transplant; trendy bedtime stories for adults; the healing power of onions; a language barrier for COVID patients; what’s in your belly button.

NG STAFF

A new variant is rising—and could pose a threat to the immunocompromised

Although the Omicron subvariant BA.5 is currently causing most new COVID-19 cases in the United States, the number of cases caused by another Omicron subvariant—BA.4.6—has prompted the FDA to issue a warning: The only monoclonal antibody authorized for immunocompromised individuals may be completely ineffective against it.

TRACKING COVID IN THE U.S.

WHAT COMES AFTER OMICRON? The virus hasn’t stopped evolving. Hundreds of new variants are emerging +

PHOTOGRAPH BY LYNN JOHNSON

‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ FROM THE ARCHIVES‌ ‌ ‌

How a transplanted face transformed Katie Stubblefield’s life

At 18, Katie Stubblefield lost her face. At 21, she became the youngest person in the U.S. to undergo the still experimental surgery. Follow her incredible story.

SUBSCRIBER EXCLUSIVE

BUILDING A NEW FACE: See how trailblazing science fixed one woman’s wounded face +

PHOTO STORY: An unprecedented look at a face transplant +

PHOTOGRAPH BY LYNN JOHNSON, NAT GEO IMAGE COLLECTION

We’re not getting enough sleep. Could bedtime stories be the cure?

Some 70 million Americans struggle with chronic sleep problems, according to the CDC. To remedy this, many adults are bringing back a childhood staple: the bedtime story. There are more than 2,500 meditation apps on the market offering nighttime relaxation help, as well as dozens of podcasts and online video channels that exist simply to lull adults into a deep slumber.

BEDTIME RITUALS, FOR ADULTS

MAGNUS WENNMAN

While we sleep, our mind goes on an amazing journey

Our floodlit society has made sleep deprivation a lifestyle. But we know more than ever about how we rest—and how it keeps us healthy.

SUBSCRIBER EXCLUSIVE

R.H. GILES, WELLCOME CENTER

A 19th century health practice with modern implications

Doctors used to swear by the slow recovery period known as convalescence. Some experts say embracing it again could offer benefits for an array of illnesses.

RECOVERY TIME

CHIOT’S RUN/FLICKR/CREATIVE COMMONS 2.0

‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ FROM THE ARCHIVES‌ ‌ ‌

The vegetable that was once used to treat gunshot wounds

Onions are fine-tuned biological fighting machines, and they’ve got a lot going for them: Their juices are known antibiotics, and are also used to ameliorate multiple conditions, from allergies and asthma to diabetes.

WHAT THE SCIENCE SAYS

PIONEERING NEW THERAPIES: Treating hard-to-heal wounds like never before +

CORONAVIRUS UPDATE

PHOTOGRAPH BY MARIO TAMA, GETTY IMAGES

For speakers of rare languages, COVID care was a struggle to navigate

As the pandemic raged, Indigenous immigrants from Latin America grappled with unique linguistic challenges and limited interpretation support in U.S. hospitals.

READ THE STORY

What comes after Omicron? New variants are emerging.

Which COVID-19 bivalent booster should I get, and when? What you need to know. (USA Today)

Once known for vaccine skeptics, this town now tells them ‘You’re not welcome’ (New York Times)

One of the best tools for predicting COVID-19 outbreaks? Sewage.

MORE HEALTH NEWS

IMAGES COURTESY OF BELLY BUTTON DIVERSITY

‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ FROM THE ARCHIVES‌ ‌ ‌

What lives in your belly button? A ‘rainforest’ of species

Given the belly button’s status as one of the body’s most rarely scrubbed crannies, it offered researchers a chance to study as close to a pristine microbial landscape as is possible on the modern human. “It’s quite beautiful,” says one researcher.

READ ON

These LSD-based drugs seem to help mice with anxiety and depression—without the trip (NPR)

Price of new ALS treatment will be $158,000 per year, maker says (New York Times)

New model says Type 1 diabetes cases worldwide could double by 2040 (Washington Post)

Why near-sightedness is on the rise among children (BBC)

When you eat may dictate how hungry you are, study says (CNN)

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The Verse of the Day

RJ Hamster

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A worrisome new variant is on the rise

A worrisome new variant is on the rise

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