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<ul class="summary-list"><li>President Joe Biden tested positive for COVID-19, the White House said.</li><li>Biden was set to speak at the UnidosUS conference in Las Vegas on Wednesday.</li></ul><a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/biden-virtual-roll-vote-explainer-democratic-nomination-drop-out-election-2024-7">President Joe Biden</a> tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday, according to the White House."Earlier today following his first event in Las Vegas, President Biden tested positive for COVID-19. He is vaccinated and boosted and he is experiencing mild symptoms. He will be returning to Delaware where he will self-isolate and will continue to carry out all of his duties fully during that time," Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement provided to Business Insider. "The White House will provide regular updates on the President's status as he continues to carry out the full duties of the office while in isolation."The White House also provided a note from Biden's doctor that said the president tested after having a runny nose, cough, and general malaise. The note said Biden was experiencing mild symptoms and that his respiratory rate, temperature, and blood oxygen levels were normal. It also said he had received a first dose of Paxlovid.Biden, 81, has been in Nevada since Monday night and was set to speak at a conference for UnidosUS in Las Vegas on Wednesday.Janet Murguía, CEO of UnidosUS, told conference attendees that Biden tested positive for COVID-19 after the president was an hour and a half late to his planned speaking event, according to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/07/17/politics/joe-biden-tests-positive-covid-19/index.html">CNN</a>."I was just on the phone with President Biden. And he shared his deep disappointment at not being able to join us this afternoon. The president has been at many events, as we all know, and he just tested positive for COVID," Murguía said at the conference.Biden departed Nevada, a key battleground state for the election in November, on Air Force One on Wednesday, telling reporters at the scene, "I feel good," according to the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-covid-las-vegas-ff29bb071f18b993d20dedccbe2c8fbf">Associated Press</a>.

Biden tests positive for COVID-19

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Baiju Bhatt, the cofounder of trading app Robinhood, has a new space startup.</li><li>Aetherflux aims to launch a constellation of satellites to transmit solar power to Earth using infrared lasers.</li></ul>When Baiju Bhatt co-founded the stock trading app <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/robinhood-collapse-what-happened-retail-investing-meme-stocks-future-finance-2022-2">Robinhood</a> in 2013 with his college best friend, Vlad Tenev, the aim was to "democratize finance for all."Robinhood's no-fee, gamified approach to investing made capital markets more accessible than ever before, leading to an IPO in 2021.After over a decade at the company, Bhatt stood down as Robinhood's chief creative officer in March to pursue what was described at the time as "other entrepreneurial interests."In October, Bhatt announced he was launching Aetherflux, a Silicon Valley-based space startup.Aetherflux aims to create a constellation of satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO) that will collect solar power and beam it down to receptors on Earth using infrared lasers.Just as <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/inside-starlink-spacex-satellite-internet-business-constellation-fleet-elon-musk-mars">Elon Musk's Starlink</a> constellation has transformed communications, Bhatt hopes Aetherflux will revolutionize energy, he told Business Insider in an interview.The receptors will be just 10 meters in diameter, Bhatt said, meaning they can be placed virtually anywhere and theoretically provide power to remote locations that would otherwise be too expensive or dangerous to reach."If we succeed, we unlock a renewable energy source for humanity that can be delivered virtually anywhere," he wrote in a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/allow-me-re-introduce-myself-baiju-bhatt-nu1ic/?trackingId=xecx1MNjQxGa6fapJvT2fA%3D%3D">LinkedIn post</a> announcing Aetherflux.If it works, far more solar power can be captured in orbit than through the atmosphere at ground level, and there would be no nighttime or weather disruptions to the power source. It would also free up land used for solar farms on Earth.Aetherflux plans to start by powering military operations in remote locations or remote mining operations, Bhatt said.<div type="image" title="A profile of Baiju Bhatt smiling in a black t-shirt in front of a beige background." height="3553" width="5324" msid="114432481" hostid="261" sizebytes="611312"></div>Bhatt hopes that a single receptor will one day be able to capture enough power for a small neighborhood of homes. He added that they'd need around 100 satellites to provide continuous power to one location.The idea of space-based solar power has existed for decades, but theories have generally rested on large constructions being sent into orbit and using microwaves to transmit energy.In January 2023, the California Institute of Technology launched a solar space-power demonstrator satellite into orbit for a yearlong mission to test out a range of potential approaches.Caltech's president, Thomas F. Rosenbaum, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.caltech.edu/about/news/space-solar-power-project-ends-first-in-space-mission-with-successes-and-lessons">said the project</a> had shown them that solar power beamed from space "is still a future prospect" but that it "should be an achievable future."Aetherflux wants to do things differently by using infrared lasers and a modular approach.The science has already been demonstrated; it's just going to be an engineering and economic feat to prove it can be done from space, Bhatt said.To begin with, Aetherflux plans to send a single satellite into orbit by the first quarter of 2026 to demonstrate that solar energy transmission is possible.<h2 id="f76e6857-d783-49d8-94bf-ab950b9759df">The right time to be in space</h2>Though the career jump from finance to the space industry may seem unusual, Bhatt said space has been his "lifelong calling."NASA was a part of Bhatt's childhood. His father moved to the US from India to pursue physics and got a job at NASA's Langley Research Center in the 1990s studying atmospheric sciences.With a bachelor's in physics and a master's in mathematics, both from Stanford, Bhatt thought he'd be a physicist too. So, Robinhood was a "bit of a detour," he told BI.He is still a board member but has stepped back from day-to-day operations.One lesson Bhatt said he learned from running the trading app was how powerful capitalism could be in accelerating innovation."If you can take a problem that's been stagnating and you can create a capitalist system around it where people can make money doing something, you'll see the rate of progress really speed up," he said.<div type="image" title="Baiju Bhatt (right) and Vlad Tenev, founders of the online brokerage Robinhood." height="4160" width="6240" msid="114432476" hostid="261" sizebytes="601100"></div>After meeting with people working on power for DARPA at the beginning of this year and seeing the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-spacex-starship-launch-five-huge-deal-space-travel-2024-10">timeline Starship is on</a>, Bhatt decided that the best opportunities were now in space.Since 2009, the sum of private investments in space startups has soared from essentially nothing to $327.3 billion, according to the latest "<a target="_blank" href="https://spacecapital.docsend.com/view/9d69zpfz4ddms3ry">Space Investment Quarterly</a>" report published by venture capital and angel-investment firm Space Angels.The industry's value is expected to continue booming. <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/aerospace-and-defense/our-insights/space-the-1-point-8-trillion-dollar-opportunity-for-global-economic-growth">McKinsey</a> estimates that the global space economy will be worth $1.8 trillion by 2035, accounting for inflation, up from $630 billion in 2023."It's hard to find something more exciting and impactful than space," said Matthew Weinzierl, a professor of the economics of space at Harvard Business School and coauthor of the upcoming book "Space to Grow.""This really is a new frontier, one where technological innovation can create new markets and solve real problems, often in ways we haven't thought of before," he said.Weinzierl said that in the past two decades, the US government has created pathways for commercial players, enabling market forces to take hold."Prices to orbit have dropped, launch availability has soared, and a wave of entrepreneurs are finding new ways to create value," he said.<div type="image" title="SpaceX's Super Heavy booster as it returned to its launch site, with the sun rising in the background." height="1031" width="1920" msid="114432482" hostid="261" sizebytes="52022"></div>With so many more commercially available products, space has <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/starship-launch-success-elon-musk-vision-cheap-space-travel-closer-2024-3#:~:text=%22With%20Starship%2C%20SpaceX%20is%20poised,in%20an%20email%20on%20Thursday.">never been cheaper</a>.Aetherflux is an example of how companies are using off-the-shelf solutions to speed up development. Its satellites are purchased readymade from satellite bus provider <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/palmer-luckey-anduril-apex-defense-tech-space-satellite-surveillance-2024-10">Apex</a>, the high-powered lasers it plans to use are commercially available, and it'll be using <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/spacex-launch">SpaceX</a> as a launch partner for its 2026 mission."The part that we're building is the actual optical design, the control systems, and the power transmission link, as well as the ground station," said Bhatt.<h2 id="5dda5318-030a-431a-91ff-f205b537a068">The future of Aetherflux</h2>When he spoke with BI, Bhatt had just moved into a lab facility in the Bay Area. With a team of 10 employees, he will begin iterating ground tests, developing the system design, and working with regulators.He's self-funding the project "completely," he told BI. As one of Robinhood's cofounders, Bhatt's net worth spiked after its IPO in 2021. He is worth around $1.7 billion, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.forbes.com/profile/baiju-bhatt/">Forbes reports.</a>Although access to space has become more routine and affordable, Weinzierl said there is still a lot of uncertainty around the industry. Some of the ideas and businesses being developed today won't survive, but they'll be "the foundation that tomorrow's entrepreneurs will learn from and build on," he said.A self-proclaimed science nerd, Bhatt named his startup after a 19th-century theory about a pervasive medium called the aether, which physicists believed light traveled through."Einstein came along in 1905 and was basically like, nah, that stuff's all wrong. Light is the same in every reference frame," said Bhatt.So Aetherflux is named after a disproven scientific theory? Yes, Bhatt agreed with amusement. But he's "laser-focused" on the first mission and adamant that Aetherflux won't fall into the same bracket as its namesake."Space is hard," he admitted, "but we're committed to demonstrating this and making it happen."

Robinhood's cofounder has joined the rapidly growing commercial space race, and wants to beam solar power from satellites to earth

As many as 290 cases of <keyword id="21545939" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="KP-2" source="keywords">KP.2</keyword> and 34 cases of <keyword id="21748081" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="KP-1" source="keywords">KP.1</keyword>, both sub-lineages of COVID-19 that are responsible for surge in cases in Singapore, have been found in India, according to official data. However, a source in the Union health ministry told PTI that they are all sub variants of <keyword id="20115417" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="JN1" source="keywords">JN1</keyword> and there is no associated increase in hospitalisation and severe cases. "So there is no reason for concern or panic. The mutations will keep happening at a rapid pace and this is the natural behaviour of viruses like SARS-CoV2," the source said. The source further said that the INSACOG surveillance is sensitive and is able to pick up the emergence of any new variant and samples are also picked from hospitals in a structured manner to detect any change in the severity of disease due to virus. Data compiled by the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG) showed that 34 cases of KP.1 have been found across seven states and UTs with 23 cases registered from West Bengal. The other states are Goa (1), Gujarat (2), Haryana (1), Maharashtra (4) Rajasthan (2) and Uttarakhand (1). As many as 290 cases of KP.2 have been registered with Maharashtra reporting the highest number at 148, according to the data. The other states and Union territories are Delhi (1), Goa (12), Gujarat (23), Haryana (3), Karnataka (4), Madhya Pradesh (1), Odisha (17), Rajasthan (21), Uttar Pradesh (8), Uttarakhand (16) and West Bengal (36). Singapore is seeing a new COVID-19 wave as the authorities recorded more than 25,900 cases from May 5 to 11 with KP.1 and KP.2 accounting for over two-thirds of cases in Singapore. Globally, the predominant COVID-19 variants are still JN.1 and its sub-lineages, including KP.1 and KP.2. KP.1 and KP.2 belong to a group of COVID-19 variants scientists have nicknamed 'FLiRT', after the technical names of their mutations. The strains in FLiRT are all descendants of the JN.1 variant, an offshoot of the Omicron variant. KP.2 was classified by the World Health Organization as a Variant Under Monitoring.

290 cases of COVID-19 variant KP.2, 34 cases of KP.1 detected in India: INSACOG data

As of March 2024, <keyword id="21574670" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="foreign-portfolio-investment" source="keywords">foreign portfolio investment</keyword> (<keyword id="725142" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="FPI" source="Orion">FPI</keyword>) ownership in <keyword id="20868945" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="NSE-listed-companies" source="keywords">NSE-listed companies</keyword> have fallen below 18%, marking a notable shift in investments pattern in the Indian markets. Notably, this has happened for the first time in over 11 years. FPI in India's NSE-listed companies has experienced significant fluctuations over the past two decades, reflecting global economic trends and geopolitical events, according to NSE report. Between 2002 and 2015, the <keyword id="22083141" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="FPI-ownership" source="keywords">FPI ownership</keyword> in the country showed a gradual upward trend, except for a temporary dip during the 2007-08 financial crisis. The subsequent years saw the FPI's share dip marginally, due to global uncertainties such as the US-China trade war and Brexit. Despite a brief resurgence in 2018-19, FPI ownership plunged yet again in the first half of 2020, due to the onset of the <keyword id="19955291" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="COVID-19-pandemic" source="keywords">COVID-19 pandemic</keyword>. However, the situation reversed quickly as global liquidity injections improved risk appetite, leading to a temporary increase in FPI share in late 2020. But since then, FPI participation has been on a downward trajectory, driven by recurring waves of COVID-19, a slowdown in China, the Russia-Ukraine war, and concerns over global economic stability. These factors, coupled with rapid monetary tightening by central banks, notably the US Federal Reserve, have further dampened foreign investor confidence. Consequently, by the end of FY24, FPI ownership in the NSE-listed space dropped to below 18%, marking its lowest point in over 47 quarters. However, individual investor participation in the NSE-listed universe has remained relatively stable over the past decade, staying between 8% and 10%. While direct individual ownership has shown resilience, the rise in systematic investment plans (SIPs) also indicates a shift towards indirect ownership. Despite a minor decline in FY21, the <keyword id="19956399" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sip" source="keywords" medley.seotitle="systematic-investment-plan" medley.uid="systematic-investment-plan" medley.msid="19377158" medley.seopath="s/systematic-investment-plan" medley.containers="mutual-fund,investopedia" medley.title="Systematic Investment Plan">SIP</keyword> route has become increasingly popular among <keyword id="19972907" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="retail-investors" source="keywords">retail investors</keyword>, reflecting growing confidence in long-term equity investments. The direct individual ownership trend highlights a maturing market where investors are more inclined towards indirect participation through <keyword id="6357979" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="mutual-funds" source="Orion" topicspecial.url="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/mutual-funds">mutual funds</keyword> and other investment vehicles. This shift also underscores the growing sophistication of retail investors who seek diversified exposure to the <keyword id="19911354" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="equity-market" source="keywords">equity market</keyword>. The ownership landscape has also changed significantly among promoters over the years. From 2001 to 2009, promoter ownership rose sharply, reaching a 19-year high of 57.6% in March 2009. But this increase was followed by a gradual decline as the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) mandated a minimum free float requirement of 25% in 2010. The reduction in promoter ownership was primarily driven by a decline in government stakes, as the government aimed to enhance public participation in Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) and generate resources for economic development. Meanwhile, private promoter ownership, including both Indian and foreign entities, saw an increase of approximately 11.6% between June 2010 and December 2021. In recent years, promoter share has shown signs of a slight increase, particularly due to a rise in government holdings, except for a minor dip in FY23. This resurgence in promoter ownership reflects the ongoing adjustments in the market dynamics and regulatory landscape. Domestic mutual funds (DMFs) have also seen a substantial rise in ownership of NSE-listed companies from 2014 to 2019, driven by increasing SIP inflows. Despite a temporary drop in FY21 due to economic uncertainties and high redemption pressures during the COVID-19 pandemic, mutual fund participation has rebounded strongly in the past few years.

FPI ownership in NSE-listed companies drops below 18% in FY24

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Restaurants are scaling back 'ghost kitchen' operations due to added stress and customer complaints.</li><li>Brands like Wendy's and Kroger are shutting down their ghost kitchens, the Times reported.</li></ul><a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ghost-kitchen-restaurants-delivery-only-2020-2">Ghost kitchens</a> — once celebrated as an efficient innovation for the food industry — have instead been haunted by their own anonymity.Ghost kitchens are restaurants with no storefront and no seating that customers never see and which only do delivery. It seemed like a good idea during the COVID-19 pandemic. Restaurants and so-called virtual brands invested heavily in them.But demand decreased as the pandemic subsided and reliance on multiple layers of faceless technology gave rise to complaints about quality. Ultimately, customers never connected to many of the brands. And, now, many restaurants and virtual brands say the stress is not worth the payoff, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/12/business/ghost-kitchens-restaurants-pandemic.html">according to The New York Times</a>.Several influencers and celebrities have used ghost kitchens to produce their own lines of food, like YouTuber Jimmy Donaldson, known online as Mr. Beast, who created MrBeast Burger in December 2020."Stranger Things" actor Noah Schnapp also opened a chicken tender chain called TenderFix in March 2023, which worked out of about 1,000 IHOP kitchens to prepare its food. It's also unclear if TenderFix is still in operation. The company's social media pages have not been updated in at about a year and its website is no longer available.Large brands like Wendy's and Kroger are scaling back on their ghost kitchen operations after the kitchens struggled to keep up with orders and received customer complaints, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/12/business/ghost-kitchens-restaurants-pandemic.html">according to the Times</a>.Brinker International, which owns Chili's and numerous other restaurant chains, opened two virtual restaurants during the pandemic called It's Just Wings and Maggiano's Italian Classics, which used the Chili's locations to prepare their food. But last year, as more customers started to return to dining in person, the company found it difficult to juggle both. So Brinker closed Maggiano's and reduced the scale of It's Just Wings in 2023, according to the Times."Everyone thought if you have the labor and the equipment, it would be easy to run virtual brands, but the reality is, most of the delivery times for virtual brands transact during busy times for the regular restaurant," Brinker CEO Kevin Hochman told the Times. "It was too much to have a busy dinner rush with an influx of virtual orders coming in, too."And as quality issues and late delivery times worsen, some ghost kitchens are starting to see legal challenges. In August 2023, Donaldson sued his ghost kitchen partner, Virtual Dining Concepts, claiming in court documents that some customers complained they had received raw meat. For now, Virtual Dining Concepts is still operating MrBeast Burger."One father of two felt as though he had 'let his children down' by ordering MrBeast Burgers when he received terrible quality food in unbranded packaging that he was able to trace back to a 7-11," the lawsuit says.Cracker Barrel also opened its own virtual restaurant using CloudKitchens, another ghost kitchen group, according to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.restaurantbusinessonline.com/operations/what-cracker-barrel-has-learned-its-first-ghost-kitchen">Restaurant Business</a>.CloudKitchens, which Uber cofounder Travis Kalanick owns, is <a target="_blank" href="https://www.classaction.org/news/class-action-cloudkitchens-misleads-eaters-into-believing-their-food-comes-from-real-restaurants-not-ghost-kitchens">facing a class action lawsuit</a> that claims the company misrepresented the true origin of the food that customers are ordering on food delivery apps like Grubhub and Doordash.Still, some chains like Denny's are fully embracing the cloud kitchen model, the Times reported. The company owns three virtual brands, Banda Burrito, The Meltdown, and Burger Den.Denny's President and CEO, Kelli Valade, told the outlet that it is able to meet higher customer demand than most other chains because Denny's locations are open 24 hours a day.

The rapid rise and fall of ghost kitchens

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Forget friendship bracelets — some Swifties are calling Covid-19 their new concert souvenirs.</li><li>Some fans who got COVID-10 after attending her Eras Tour are calling it a "gift" from "Mother."</li></ul>It's been years since the pandemic times of COVID-19 lockdowns and the era of mandated masking. But while the virus is still circulating, some Swifties have become wildly optimistic about what it means to catch an infection at one of their idol's concerts. So much so that some Swifties on social media are playfully dubbing the COVID-19 infection they think they got from her concerts a "souvenir" and a "gift" from "Mother."A post on X from a Spanish Taylor Swift fan account asked followers: "Did you go to <a target="_blank" class="css-1jxf684 r-bcqeeo r-1ttztb7 r-qvutc0 r-poiln3 r-1loqt21" href="https://x.com/hashtag/MadridTStheErasTour?src=hashtag_click">#MadridTStheErasTour</a> and take COVID, a virus, or a cold with you as a souvenir? I open a survey."Of the nearly 10,800 votes, 35% voted yes. People in the poll's comments section described their symptoms and showed their positive COVID-19 tests — but also raved about how they thought it was worth it. The poll has been viewed nearly 144,000 times at press time.One X user <a target="_blank" href="https://x.com/RaquellvsRhett/status/1797947023641247766">commented</a>: "Going to Taylor's concert has meant losing my voice, losing my mental health and, well, my health in general, I'm more dead than alive (but I would go to the concert a thousand more times)."Earlier in February, an Australian concertgoer posted a TikTok of herself dressed up in her concert outfit and glam makeup. The video then cut straight to her holding up a positive COVID-19 test kit in bed. She captioned the post: "The Eras Tour souvenir no ones talking about. if youre heading to the sydney shows this weekend, wash your hands regularly!"However, other X users have voiced their disbelief at Swifties calling the virus a souvenir.One X user <a target="_blank" href="https://x.com/pot8um/status/1799513266265166174?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1799513266265166174%7Ctwgr%5E823e04af52763fad2f3a84db8d34b05f9516778a%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fmuse.insider.com%2Fstory%2F666a622b074e87bb00f6cf0e">wrote:</a> "Taylor Swift's concert attendees are calling their Covid infections 'souvenirs' and 'gifts' from 'Mother,' and I'm supposed to NOT wanna launch myself into the sun???"Concerts have gained notoriety as COVID-19 superspreader events. In 2021, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsweek.com/over-2200-people-catch-covid-after-spain-music-festivals-catalonia-1616207">over 2,200 people caught the virus</a> after going to music festivals in northeast Spain.And while the virus is treated more like the common flu now, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/august-flu-vs-covid-infection-rate-2023-8">COVID-19 is still circulating</a> — and people are getting infected across the US.Virus-spreading or not, Swift's Eras Tour has been widely successful, propelling the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tortured-poets-department-taylor-swift-new-album-earnings-eras-tour-2024-4">singer-songwriter to billionaire status</a>. Swift is now in the UK for her next leg of the tour. Swift's representative didn't immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

The COVID-19 infection you caught at a Taylor Swift concert is not a gift from 'Mother'

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Dogs could be our best friends when it comes to flagging COVID-19 infections.</li><li>New research finds they can diagnose COVID quickly, even at levels too low for tests. </li></ul>If you're tired of sticking swabs up your nose to test for <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.insider.com/august-flu-vs-covid-infection-rate-2023-8">COVID-19</a>, rest assured that a much friendlier (and furrier) option may be on the horizon.New research suggests COVID-sniffing dogs are as effective or even better at detecting infections compared to currently-available tests in at-home kits and clinics — so much so they could replace <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/coronavirus-test-rapid-antigen-test-lateral-flow-pcr-explained-2021-1">PCR tests as the "gold standard" for diagnosis</a>, according to researchers from the University of California Santa Barbara.Scientists already know that dogs can probably <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/323620">sniff out various types of cancer</a> — colon, prostate, breast skin — and may be able to <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.insider.com/guides/pets/can-dogs-sense-pregnancy">sense pregnancy</a>. At first, there was little research on whether they could detect COVID, too, but a new research review has found a large body of evidence suggesting how helpful dogs can be in diagnosing the infectious illness. The authors of the new review, published last month in the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/jom-2023-0104/html">Journal of Osteopathic Medicine</a>, looked at 29 studies — including more than 30,000 samples across 31 countries. They said they found extensive evidence that trained dogs can accurately identify positive cases of COVID-19 through smell, which could be a less-invasive and more environmentally-friendly testing strategy than relying on plastic kits and disposable swabs. In some cases, dogs were able to identify COVID-19 infections in patients who had a viral load too low for other tests to work, the review found.The specially-trained canines could also diagnose quicker than other testing methods, after just a quick sniff of a person, and could also flag the virus in sweat samples in a process that takes only minutes. Dogs have incredibly sensitive noses that make them uniquely suited to sniffing out disease, according to Tommy Dickey, co-author of the paper, professor emeritus at UC Santa Barbara, and a certified <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.insider.com/guides/health/mental-health/emotional-support-animal">therapy dog</a> handler."They can detect the equivalent of one drop of an odorous substance in 10.5 Olympic-sized swimming pools," Dickey said in a press release. "For perspective, this is about three orders of magnitude better than with scientific instrumentation."And when it comes to snooting out COVID, all dogs are good dogs, according to the review. While scent dogs like hounds would be ideal, studies found that weeks of training could turn dogs of different ages, breeds, and backgrounds into virus-detecting pros. Diagnostics could even be a career option for rehabilitating troubled pups, as one study found a so-called "problem" pit bull from an abusive home got a fresh start as a COVID detector. Still, there are some logistical challenges to training and deploying the dogs on a large scale before we can toss out our test kits in favor of <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.insider.com/guides/health/mental-health/benefits-of-having-a-dog">four-legged friends</a>, according to the researchers."There's quite a bit of research, but it's still considered by many as a kind of a curiosity," Dickey said.

Dogs can smell COVID-19 — and may be better at diagnosing it than a COVID test

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="11996157" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="walgreens" source="Orion">Walgreens</keyword> and CVS will now limit the number of at-home COVID tests customers can purchase at a time.</li><li>Both companies cited increased demand for the tests as the <keyword id="12616995" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="omicron-variant" source="Orion">Omicron variant</keyword> spreads nationwide.</li></ul>Walgreens and CVS will limit the number of at-home COVID tests customers can purchase amid a wave of Omicron cases nationwide. A Walgreens spokesperson told Insider on Tuesday that due to the "incredible demand" for at-home tests, the company will limit customers to four at-home test kits per purchase in stores and online "in an effort to help improve inventory while we continue to work diligently with our supplier partners to best meet customer demands."<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2021/12/21/walgreens-limits-at-home-covid-tests-to-four-per-customer-due-to-demand-surge-amid-omicron-fears.html">CNBC's Spencer Kimball</a> was the first to report that Walgreens would limit purchases. A CVS spokesperson told Insider Tuesday afternoon that the company has also decided to institute a limit on test purchases — CVS customers can now buy up to six test kits per purchase.Due to the increased demand for tests, and to prioritize having tests on store shelves, kits also may be temporarily out of stock online, the spokesperson said.Rite Aid spokesperson Jeffrey Olson told Insider that the pharmacy chain isn't currently limiting <keyword id="11996463" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="rapid-test" source="Orion">rapid test</keyword> purchases, but that it is seeing "increasingly high demand" heading into the holiday season. "In many areas, demand is simply outpacing supply from manufacturers," Olson said. "As we receive shipments, Rite Aid is quickly making rapid at-home testing kits available in stores and at riteaid.com." Olson also urged customers to take advantage of drive-thru testing at Rite Aid locations nationwide.The new limits on at-home tests comes amid a surge in new COVID cases nationwide.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Monday that the Omicron variant now accounts for <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/omicron-variant-now-most-common-coronavirus-variant-in-us-cdc-2021-12">73% of recent confirmed cases</a> in the US — in some areas of the country, including parts of the Northeast, more than 90% of confirmed cases are Omicron. On Monday, New York State <a href="https://newyork.cbslocal.com/2021/12/19/new-york-state-covid-19-positivity-rate-omicron-variant-bill-de-blasio-covid-vaccine/">set a new record for positive COVID cases</a> for the third day in a row, reporting 22,478 cases statewide. President Joe Biden is expected to announce Tuesday that his administration will purchase and distribute 500 million at-home tests, <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2021/12/21/omicron-us-to-deploy-troops-to-hospitals-purchase-500-million-covid-tests.html">CNBC reported.</a> But the tests won't come until January, missing the busy holiday travel season that experts warn <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/who-director-recommends-canceling-postponing-holiday-events-coronavirus-surge-2021-12">could lead to a rise in new cases</a>.

Walgreens and CVS will limit the number of at-home COVID tests customers can buy at a time as Omicron cases surge

<ul class="summary-list"><li>On Saturday, insurance companies were slated to start reimbursing at-home COVID-19 test kits — 8 tests per customer per month.</li><li>We checked out how it worked in California and New York and found many pharmacies didn't have any tests in stock.</li></ul>On Saturday, the US government began requiring private insurance companies to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-get-free-rapid-covid-tests-covered-by-insurance-2022-1">cover the cost of 8</a> home COVID-19 test kits per person per month. But that doesn't mean you can necessarily pop down to your nearest pharmacy and get 8 free tests to go.We visited two pharmacies in New York and four in California on Saturday, and got different results at every place we went.We were unable to get any tests paid for upfront through our insurer, and ended up having to submit requests for reimbursement through the mail. <h2>"Preferred" pharmacies aren't supposed to charge upfront, but we were out of luck </h2>When the <a href="https://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2022/01/10/biden-harris-administration-requires-insurance-companies-group-health-plans-to-cover-cost-at-home-covid-19-tests-increasing-access-free-tests.html">Department of Health and Human Services announced the new requirement on Monday</a>, it stressed that the new rule "incentivizes insurers to cover these costs up front," so that consumers don't have to pay for their tests out of pocket. Instead, insurers are setting up some programs that allow people to get the over-the-counter tests directly through "preferred" pharmacies "with no out-of-pocket costs.""Most consumers with private health coverage can go online or to a pharmacy or store, buy a test, and either get it paid for up front by their health plan, or get reimbursed for the cost by submitting a claim to their plan," HHS said. The reality is that insurance companies may only have one "preferred" retailer at which you can receive free test kits with no out of pocket costs. Or, they may have none. For example, United Healthcare, the largest insurance company in the US, <a href="https://www.uhc.com/health-and-wellness/health-topics/covid-19/coverage-and-resources/covid-19-at-home-testing-coverage">only reimburses tests upfront at Walmart Pharmacies</a>. If you don't live near a Walmart Pharmacy, or decide to shop somewhere else, you have to pay for the test kit upfront, save your receipt, and submit it for reimbursement. The maximum allowed reimbursement is $12 per test ($24 for a 2-pack). But at two Walmart Pharmacies in California, the pharmacists weren't aware that a reimbursement program for United-insured customers existed. One of the pharmacists said the store's COVID-19 <keyword id="11996463" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="rapid-test" source="Orion">rapid test</keyword>s had been sold out for weeks. The other store hadn't received any rapid test shipments in days. Anthem, another large US insurer, is <a href="https://www.anthem.com/coronavirus/individual-and-family/">allowing some members to order tests kits directly through their website</a>, at no cost. But as for the federal reimbursement program, the company says its still "finalizing" the plans.<h2>Save your receipt</h2><div type="image" title="photo of abbot binax now test kit with receipt on top. insurance is supposed to reimburse 8 tests a month, but it appears not to be an on-the-spot system." height="451" width="600" msid="88924395" hostid="261"></div>Just one pharmacy that Insider visited on Saturday had heard of the federal reimbursement program.At a local, independent pharmacy in Brooklyn, the pharmacist said he was aware that the program was starting today, but had recieved no guidance or information about it, and was planning to inquire with insurance companies next week as to whether any might cover the tests upfront for their members at his store.A Duane Reade/Walgreens in New York recommended saving your receipt and <a href="https://www.uhc.com/health-and-wellness/health-topics/covid-19/coverage-and-resources/covid-19-at-home-testing-coverage">submitting it to insurance</a>.At a Walgreens in Orange County, California, the pharmacist recommended calling your insurance company. (The pharmacy had posted a sign saying at-home <keyword id="8950222" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="covid-19-tests" source="Orion">COVID-19 tests</keyword> were out-of-stock, but a worker managed to find a handful of FlowFlex tests behind the counter. The tests are in such short supply that customers were limited to two per person.)An employee at a CVS in Orange County wasn't sure how to reimburse at-home tests, either. The store had a supply of 300 rapids tests as of 8 a.m. local time this morning, she said, but the tests had sold out within the hour. The store also hadn't received a shipment of Abbott's BinaxNOW, one of the most widely available rapid tests in the US, in roughly a month, the employee said. <h2>The real way to get a free test kit</h2><div type="image" title="walmart covid test" height="3024" width="4032" msid="88924396" hostid="261"></div>If you don't live near a "preferred" pharmacy and don't want to pay out of pocket for a test kit, there is a federal website coming online next Wednesday, <a href="https://www.covidtests.gov/">COVIDtest.gov</a>, which will send people free test kits through the mail.Households will be able to order up to 4 COVID-19 tests kits each, but beware they may take 1-2 weeks to be delivered, so it's best to order ahead.

We tried to get free at-home COVID tests on the first day they became available. We were not successful.

The <keyword id="8858345" type="General" weightage="60" keywordseo="sars-cov-2" source="Orion">SARS-CoV-2</keyword> virus is found in the lungs of certain individuals for up to 18 months after the infection, according to a study. One to two weeks after contracting COVID, the SARS-CoV-2 virus generally becomes undetectable in the upper respiratory tract. A team from the Institut Pasteur in collaboration with a French public research institute, the Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA), conducted the study on lung cells in an animal model. The results, published in the journal Nature Immunology, show not only that SARS-CoV-2 is found in the lungs of certain individuals for up to 18 months after infection, but also that its persistence appears to be linked to a failure of innate immunity, the first line of defense against pathogens. Some viruses persist in the body in a discreet and undetectable manner after causing an infection. They remain in what are known as 'viral reservoirs', the researchers said. This is the case for HIV, which remains latent in certain immune cells and can reactivate at any time. It could also be the case for the SARS-CoV-2 virus which causes <keyword id="8763838" type="General" weightage="90" keywordseo="covid-19" source="Orion">COVID-19</keyword>, they said. "We observed that inflammation persisted for long periods in primates that had been infected by SARS-CoV-2. We therefore suspected that it could be due to the presence of the virus in the body," said Michaela Muller-Trutwin, Head of the Institut Pasteur's HIV, Inflammation and Persistence Unit. The study analysed biological samples from animal models that had been infected by the virus. Initial results from the study indicate that viruses were found in the lungs of some individuals six to 18 months after infection, even though the virus was undetectable in the upper respiratory tract or blood. The researchers also found that the amount of persistent virus in the lungs was lower for the Omicron strain than for the original SARS-CoV-2 strain. "We were really surprised to find viruses in certain immune cells - alveolar macrophages - after such a long period and when regular PCR tests were negative," said Nicolas Huot, first author of the study and researcher in the Institut Pasteur's HIV, Inflammation and Persistence Unit. "What's more, we cultured these viruses and were able to observe, using the tools we developed to study HIV, that they were still capable of replicating," Huot said. To understand the role of innate immunity in controlling these viral reservoirs, the scientists then turned their attention to NK (natural killer) cells. "The cellular response of innate immunity, which is the body's first line of defense, has been little studied in SARS-CoV-2 infections until now," said Muller-Trutwin. "Yet it has long been known that NK cells play an important role in controlling viral infections," the researcher said. The study shows that in some animals, macrophages infected with SARS-CoV-2 become resistant to destruction by NK cells, while in others, NK cells are able to adapt to infection (known as adaptive NK cells) and destroy resistant cells, in this case macrophages. The study sheds light on a mechanism that may explain the presence of viral reservoirs. While individuals with little or no long-term virus had adaptive NK cell production, individuals with higher levels of virus had not only an absence of adaptive NK cells, but also a reduction in NK cell activity, the researchers added.

Covid virus can persist in lungs for up to two years: Study

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The <keyword id="11899468" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="fda" source="Orion">FDA</keyword> urged Americans to check the packaging of rapid tests to avoid false results.</li><li>The tests had "not been authorized, cleared, or approved by the FDA for distribution or use in the United States", the FDA said.</li></ul>Americans should carefully check the packaging of <keyword id="11893994" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="covid-19" source="Orion">COVID-19</keyword> rapid tests to ensure they're not using unauthorized products that could show false results, the Food and Drug Administration has said.Some rapid antigen tests being sold in the US haven't been authorized, the FDA <a href="https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/safety-communications/do-not-use-certain-acon-flowflex-covid-19-tests-fda-safety-communication" target="_blank" rel="noopener">warned Tuesday</a>.The use of unauthorized tests could result in people wrongly believing that they are virus-free and risk getting sick, or inadvertently spreading COVID-19.The tests could also incorrectly indicate that people have COVID-19, leading to individuals assuming their symptoms – which could be indicative of a different illness – don't need further investigation. The false positives could also cause some individuals to isolate with infected people and contract the disease through contact with them. People should avoid certain ACON Laboratories' <a href="https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/safety-communications/do-not-use-certain-acon-flowflex-covid-19-tests-fda-safety-communication" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Flowflex SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Rapid Test (Self-Testing)</a> tests, specifically those that are packaged in a dark blue box, the FDA said. It also warned that the <a href="https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/safety-communications/do-not-use-sd-biosensor-standard-q-covid-19-ag-home-tests-fda-safety-communication" target="_blank" rel="noopener">SD Biosensor Inc. STANDARD Q COVID-19 Ag Home Tests</a> should not be used, while certain <a href="https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/safety-communications/do-not-use-certain-celltrion-diatrust-covid-19-tests-fda-safety-communication" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Celltrion USA Inc. DiaTrust COVID-19 Ag Rapid Tests</a> – specifically those that come in in green and white packaging – should also be avoided."This test has not been authorized, cleared, or approved by the FDA for distribution or use in the United States," it said in all three cases. It added that it was concerned about the risk of false results when using the unauthorized test.People can still use the authorized versions of the tests, but should check the packaging first to ensure they are using approved products, the FDA said. Images of the unauthorized products are published on its <a href="https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/safety-communications/2022-safety-communications">website</a>.All three companies have issued a recall for any unauthorized test distributed in the US, it said. There hadn't been any reports of injuries or death from using the unauthorized tests, it added.US President Joe Biden <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2022/03/01/remarks-of-president-joe-biden-state-of-the-union-address-as-delivered/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said Tuesday in his State of the Union Address</a> that COVID-19 testing formed a part of an overarching plan for America to "stay on guard" to combat the virus. "We have made hundreds of millions of tests available for you to order for free," he said. "You can order more from covidtests.gov starting next week," he said.

Check your COVID-19 rapid test packaging carefully to ensure you're using authorized products and avoid the risk of false results, FDA warns

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The FDA recalled 2 million <keyword id="12514939" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="ellume" source="Orion">Ellume</keyword> at-home <keyword id="11893994" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="covid-19" source="Orion">COVID-19</keyword> tests, about fives times more units that were in the company's original recall from October.</li><li>The tests can give people false-positive results for the <keyword id="11893194" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="coronavirus" source="Orion">coronavirus</keyword>. </li></ul>The <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/fda-plans-to-allow-people-mix-match-covid-booster-shots-2021-10">Food and Drug Administration</a> has vastly expanded the recall of Ellume at <keyword id="11898442" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="home" source="Orion">home</keyword> COVID-19 testing kits over false postive results, now classifying it as its most serious type of recall.The number of recalled tests has grown to more than 2.2 million, up from the 427,000 tests that were included in the company's voluntary recall issued in <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/at-home-covid-test-recall-false-positives-amazon-cvs-target-2021-10">October.</a> The <a href="https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/medical-device-recalls/ellume-recalls-covid-19-home-test-potential-false-positive-sars-cov-2-test-results">FDA reclassified the recall</a> on Wednesday, stating that "use of these tests may cause serious adverse health consequences or death."False-positive COVID-19 tests can be dangerous, according to the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/insiders-top-healthcare-stories-for-november-1-2021-10">FDA</a>. Those who are sick and receive a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/isolate-before-after-covid-19-test-be-sure-of-results-2021-1">false positive</a> test for coronavirus can put themselves further at risk for not receiving proper treatment for their actual illness. False-positive results can also lead to the further spread of COVID-19 when presumed positive people quarantine together, isolation from friends and family, disregard for the recommended precautions against COVID-19, and adverse side effects from any treatment they receive for COVID-19, the FDA states with the recall.So far there have been 35 recorded false-positive tests sent to the FDA and no recorded deaths. Negative tests results do not appear to be affected by the manufacturing issue."Ellume has investigated the issue, identified the root cause, implemented additional controls, and we are already producing and shipping new product to the U.S.," a spokesperson told Insider in a statement. "The Ellume team offers its sincere apologies for the stress or difficulties people may have experienced due to a false-positive result."Ellume was the first company authorized by the FDA to sell COVID-19 testing kits in stores. The <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-get-use-home-rapid-coronavirus-tests-2020-12">rapid test kits</a> provide results within 15 minutes and do not require a prescription. In clinical studies, Ellume tests were 96% accurate, according to data from the company. The recalled tests were manufactured from February 24 to August 11, 2021, and shipped to retailers between April 13 and August 26, 2021. At the start of the voluntary recall on October 1, Ellume reached out to its customers who tested positive before September 17 to notify them that their results could have been incorrect. All affected tests have been removed from pharmacy shelves and online stores, but purchasers of Ellume tests can see if their device was included in the recall by visiting <a href="https://www.ellumecovidtest.com/return">Ellume's recall website.</a>In August, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/cvs-low-on-covid-tests-limiting-the-number-customers-buy-2021-8">CVS had to limit the sale</a> of Ellume's tests due to demand caused by the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/fauci-immigrants-not-to-blame-for-covid-19-spread-us-2021-10"> surge</a> of the Delta variant.

You Searched For "rapid covid 19 testing" and got 12 results

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