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On Thursday of this week, vaccine advisors to the Food and Drug Administration voted unanimously to approve emergency authorization of a third booster shot of the Moderna vaccine. The approved booster vaccine is half the dosage of the first 100 microgram dose given to individuals. The committee…

As the Delta variant surges, at-home rapid COVID-19 tests are becoming more popular. With this increased popularity comes questions about the tests' accuracy. Although there are many different types/brands of rapid tests, they all test for the presence of antigens. Following the specific…

'Ghost Guns' refer to guns that lack a serial number, and are put together using parts that can all be separately ordered online. It is a loophole that many gun purchasers who cannot pass a background check will use to gain access to a firearm. Not only do these guns get into the wrong hands, but…

Although it is clear to most that wildfires devastate lands, homes and livelihoods, what is not as obvious to most is the devastating release of carbon dioxide (CO2) into the air. CO2 emissions doubled this summer compared to last, leading to devastating repercussions. The interesting…

There was a high of 7759 cases of hate crimes in the U.S. in 2020, which is the highest since 2008 when it was a high of 7783 cases. About 64% of the 7759 cases were motivated by discrimination of race, ethnicity, or ancestry. However, advocacy groups and experts believe that the number is higher…

Though most Californians are used to living in a perpetual drought, recent measures show that within the drought there are regional inequalities as well. Specifically, in more Northern towns such as Mendocino, it can cost people around $5 to take a 5 minute shower, where in larger Southern…

In both L.A. and Chicago school districts, all staff members will be required to be fully vaccinated by October 15th, 2021. The schools plan to have limited exemptions to this mandate. Despite vaccine mandates, the districts will continue to require masking in school buildings. This requirement…

Whether employers are able to require vaccination from their employees is a polarizing matter among both front-line healthcare workers and those expecting to return back to in-person work.  According to the Washington Post-Kaiser Family Foundation poll, nearly 4 in 10 healthcare workers said they…

In some ways, California has learned from the long-lasting 2012-2016 drought that caused water-use restrictions. This year, water managers in Southern California are confident that they will be able to meet water demand. That said, precipitation is only about half of average in the northern…

In an effort to reopen schools, governor Newsom has proposed a $2 billion plan to incentivize them to create reopening plans by February 1st. So far some Texas, Florida, and New York  schools have reintroduced classroom instruction. But teachers unions in California have called this deadline…

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has verified the efficacy of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine and has recommended that the FDA grant emergency use authorization. The FDA is expected to vote on this in the coming days. Read the full article here.

Taiwan has gone 200 consecutive days without local transmission of COVID-19. Despite other countries seeing record-high surges in new cases, Taiwans quick and early response proved to be effective in curbing the spread of the virus. By having ongoing mask mandates, early interventions, and intense…

A new Canadian study dubbed, “The New Leaf Project,” gave 50 recently homeless people a lump sum of 7,500 Canadian dollars (nearly $5,700), and then followed the cash recipients' life over 12-18 months in order to compare their outcomes to a control group who didn't receive any payment. As of now,…

Many potential Covid-19 vaccines utilize oil from sharks called squalene. It is taken from shark livers and typically used as a moisturizing ingredient in cosmetics and as an immune system booster in flu and malaria vaccines. Conservationists warn that if the coronavirus vaccine with squalene is…