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<ul class="summary-list"><li>I've done a sober month before, but I like "Damp January" more than "Dry January."</li><li>Leading a "damp" lifestyle makes it easier to be consistent year-round.</li></ul>Years ago, I went sober for a full month as an experiment. I experienced all the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.insider.com/quit-alcohol-things-that-happen-to-your-brain-body-2022-1">perks of not drinking</a>: happier moods, higher energy levels, and more money in my bank account.But as good as it felt to abstain from alcohol, it was hard to keep up in the long term when holidays, weddings, and other booze-centered events came up. After a few months, I found myself slipping back into old habits, and drinking more than I would have liked.I'm not alone in feeling that abstaining in full can be hard. While <a target="_blank" href="https://www.insider.com/dry-january-tips-first-timers-2022-12">Dry January</a> has soared in popularity over the years and inspired some people to<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/i-quit-drinking-alcohol-for-a-year-dry-january-2023-1"> go sober </a>beyond the month, many <a target="_blank" href="https://www.insider.com/when-most-people-fail-dry-january-how-to-avoid-recover-2022-1">quit by day six</a>.So last year, after another tipsy holiday season, I tried "Damp January," where I would consciously curb my drinking rather than cut it out completely.While not as drastic, it helped me become much more mindful of imbibing a lot less than I used to — and I've been able to keep it up all year round. Here are four things I do to keep up the habit.<h2>1. Alternate cocktails with mocktails</h2><div type="image" title="A kombucha flight I shared on vacation." height="2878" width="2917" msid="106598208" hostid="261" sizebytes="331542"></div>I've learned through experience (college Mike's Hard Lemonade hangovers) that almost nothing good ever happens after the third drink. Science backs this up: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.theguardian.com/science/brain-flapping/2016/nov/29/drink-and-be-merry-why-alcohol-makes-us-feel-good-then-doesnt">alcohol has a biphasic effect</a>, meaning you can feel euphoric after the first drink or two but start to get tired, cranky, or depressed as you keep going.But when I'm out, my brain just wants that extra beer, even though I know the consequences. So, my workaround has been alternating real drinks with non-alcoholic ones when I go out.Because more bars and breweries offer great alcohol alternatives now, I can easily have a Pilsner for my first beverage, then swap for a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.insider.com/beer-lover-dry-january-damp-january-best-alcohol-free-beers-2023-1">booze-free alternative </a>like Athletic Brewing as my second. It's been a very handy trick for when I'm going out: I can join in on a round of shots or cocktails, then nurse a Phony Negroni for the rest of the night.<h2>2. Stock up on non-alcoholic options at home</h2><div type="image" title="My fridge currently stocked with N/A beer, hop water, plain seltzer, and a kombucha." height="2584" width="4011" msid="106598209" hostid="261" sizebytes="418744"></div>I've lost count of how many <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/dry-january-best-non-alcoholic-beverages-photos-2022-12">new non-alcoholic options</a> there are on the market, from N/A beer and bottled mocktails to "hop water," which tastes like a mix between flavored seltzer and a hoppy IPA minus the booze.I also have lots of the classic liquor-free staples, like regular seltzer, tea, and kombucha if I'm feeling fancy. I just try to avoid sweet drinks, as it's<a target="_blank" href="https://www.insider.com/why-sugar-cravings-dry-january-how-to-deal-2022-1"> </a>very common to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.insider.com/why-sugar-cravings-dry-january-how-to-deal-2022-1">crave sugar</a> when cutting back on alcohol.I make sure to keep these regularly stocked in my fridge so that when I feel like having a fun little treat to sip on (which is all the time if I'm honest), it's easy to reach for something that's not alcohol.Plus, I have tasty alternatives on hand for my friends who are sober or aren't drinking that night.<h2>3. Journal how many drinks I have every day</h2><div type="image" title="Two journals" height="2851" width="4019" msid="106598210" hostid="261" sizebytes="847218"></div>I've been journaling every day since 2017. In the past year, I also started tracking other things, like how many drinks I have in a day (and how off I feel during and after).Because I have real data, I can get a broader snapshot of how much I cumulatively drink in a week or month. Otherwise, if I rely on my memory alone, I can assume I only had about two drinks in a week when it was really closer to six or eight.My partner and I hail from two of the most alcohol-centric cultures in the world: Eastern Europe and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.tmj4.com/news/local-news/this-wisconsin-city-was-ranked-the-drunkest-in-america-again">Wisconsin</a>. Whether we're doing vodka shots with my Ukrainian family or at a Packers game in someone's home, I know I'll be feeling rough once the holiday season ends — and my journal entries from our Christmas trip this year proved it.After our trip, I felt even more motivated to continue my "damp" journey.<h2>4. Prioritize activities that don't center drinking</h2><div type="image" title="The pancakes at Sunday in Brooklyn" height="2052" width="2736" msid="106598211" hostid="261" sizebytes="270824"></div>Unsurprisingly, I drink more with people who insist on ordering another round. So I've started to lean into friendships and activities that don't center on getting smashed.I might stop at a bar with my choir or running group, but usually I'm pretty beat after the main activity and feel no need to go beyond one drink. I've also been <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/realized-protein-intake-was-low-when-began-weightlifting-2023-12">working out more </a>than I ever have, which means I have more of an incentive to say no to that second martini.But what makes it easiest is having people in my life who feel similarly about alcohol. At this point, at least half of my friends are either sober or even "damper" than myself, which makes it easy to hang out without feeling like we need a bottle of merlot to enjoy each other's company. (Just a decadent dessert.)

I've been doing 'Damp January' instead of 'Dry January.' It's a better way to change my drinking habits.

<ul class="summary-list"><li>I'm 32 and a working mom of a 3-year-old girl. </li><li>I realized that after just two glasses of wine, I felt the effects the morning after. </li></ul>Gone are the days of my 20s when going out to a late-night bar for Negronis and Mind Erasers with friends was routine and left little damage in terms of a <a href="https://www.insider.com/guides/health/conditions-symptoms/signs-of-alcoholism">hangover the next morning</a>.But now, at 32, I'm up at the crack of dawn feeding our many pets, <a href="https://www.insider.com/how-multiracial-family-celebrates-lunar-new-year-2023-1">making my daughter's lunch,</a> and getting her ready for preschool before diving into my own workday. Now, having just one or two glasses of wine can make me feel like I've been hit by a bus for the entirety of the next day, and that's simply something I can no longer afford.At the end of last year, I was clinging to my wine glass, refilling, trudging through bedtime routines, and tumbling to the finish line on a long list of work projects. To put it plainly, I was neglecting my family and well-being for the short-lived relief: a little buzz to take the edge off.But I started to feel the accumulation of cashing in each day with alcohol. My face felt bloated, my wedding ring felt a little tight, and I felt like a jerk, rushing through my daughter's storybooks at night, preoccupied with thoughts of the cocktail I'd make as soon as she fell asleep.I <a href="https://www.insider.com/how-much-money-saved-during-dry-january-giving-up-alcohol-2022-1">needed to change something up</a>. <h2>I decided to try Dry January</h2>So, with much trepidation, I dove into Dry January for the first time in my life, removing my end-of-day crutch that I'd been leaning onto for a little too long.I'm not going to tell you that it was easy. Quite the contrary, the first few days were uncomfortable, to say the least. Removing alcohol removes a layer of distraction, and you may find yourself up against a clarity or a barrage of thoughts that you haven't wanted to face. And with this newfound clarity and the removal of my numbing device, my partner and I had some honest and difficult conversations that we frankly needed to have. I'm also not saying I will never have a glass of champagne on a special occasion again, but successfully participating in Dry January has made me really rethink and re-evaluate what my daily alcohol intake was doing for me — or what it wasn't doing for me — and the moments and time with my family it was actually taking away.With the help of <a href="https://www.mihealthcoachny.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Marisa Iglesias</a>, a New York-based health coach, I'm learning that sometimes we just want a drink — and that non-alcoholic drinks or a kombucha offer the same refreshing feeling without the hangover when served in a fancy flute. I'm also finding out that more of my friends are sober-curious, indulging in non-alcoholic drinks, which is giving me further encouragement and a sense of community on this journey. I've found that sobriety, or my sober-curious path, is so worth it. I feel more present and able to play with my daughter when she invites me to chase her, running in our backyard. Without nursing a drink in my hand, I can tumble with her in her bounce house, soak in her 3-year-old laughter, and relish in the moment, where, just as the sun is melting the sky into orange and pink, she sighs and says, "Mama, I love you."

Dry January was my entryway to sobriety. It's making me a better parent.

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The US' third Ford-class carrier is delayed and now may not be delivered until 2030.</li><li>Navy officials attributed the delay to supply chain issues and lingering effects from COVID-19. </li></ul>The US Navy's third Ford-class aircraft carrier is facing delays that might push its delivery to 2030.The holdup, which Navy leaders said is due to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/biggest-us-navy-shipbuilding-projects-are-delayed-by-years-2024-4">supply chain issues and lingering effects of COVID-19</a>, is the latest problem in the Ford program and comes at a time when some rivals are outpacing American shipbuilding efforts.After a 45-day review ordered by Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro back in January, Navy leaders determined USS Enterprise (CVN-80) would be delayed from 18 to 26 months after its planned delivery date of March 2028. The supercarrier will now deliver in September 2029 at the absolute earliest — and May 2030 at the latest.This assessment, which notes potentially more extensive delays than were <a target="_blank" href="https://news.usni.org/2024/03/15/aircraft-carrier-enterprise-delivery-delayed-by-18-months-says-navy">shown</a> in the Navy's Fiscal Year 2025 budget documents, comes after reporting last fall indicated the Enterprise was <a target="_blank" href="https://www.defensenews.com/naval/2023/10/26/us-navy-mulls-timing-of-new-double-carrier-award-amid-enterprise-delay/">delayed</a> about a year.The 45-day review also found that the majority of the Navy's biggest programs, from its Block IV Virginia-class submarines to the Constellation-class guided missile frigates, were all facing delays of one to three years at current production performance.<div type="image" title="The aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford transits the Strait of Gibraltar, Jan. 5, 2024." height="4022" width="6033" msid="109173826" hostid="261" sizebytes="1426914"></div>Hon. Nick Guertin, the Navy's acquisition executive, attributed the shipbuilding delays to "common issues from lingering COVID impacts across the national workforce and supply chain landscape with industry reticent to invest." He told reporters at a recent roundtable evening, a transcript of which was provided to BI, that issues with supply chains and materials were the main cause of Enterprise's delays.The following Ford-class carrier, USS Doris Miller (CVN-81), is currently on schedule thanks to the Navy buying both the Enterprise and Miller at the same time. "What we saw with 81 [Miller] was that the two-ship buy is providing some significant benefits there" Vice Adm. Downey said. Whether that will continue to be the case remains to be seen.Downey also said modifications to the dry dock at Newport News Shipbuilding's yard that enable two aircraft carriers to be built in the same dock at the same time were preventing the Enterprise from running into even more delays and helping the Miller stay on track.<div type="image" title="A T-45C Goshawk training aircraft attached to Training Air Wing (TAW) 1, lands aboard the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) during flight operations, Sept. 12, 2020." height="2588" width="3882" msid="109173827" hostid="261" sizebytes="233160"></div>The <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/navy-carrier-uss-gerald-ford-deploys-after-years-of-delays-2023-4">Ford program is no stranger to problems</a> and delays. The first-in-class ship, USS Gerald R. Ford, saw years of delays and ballooning costs thanks to problems, though that was largely due to to the integration of new technologies. The Ford, which entered service in 2017 but didn't set sail on its maiden voyage — not even a full deployment — until 2022, had a price tag of more than $13 billion, putting its cost above the Navy's original estimate by several billion dollars.A key challenge with the first-in-class Ford was <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/top-admiral-navy-too-much-new-tech-aircraft-carrier-ford-2021-8">adding 23 new technologies aboard the ship</a>, which retired Adm. Michael Gilday, former chief of naval operations, said in 2021 had "increased the risk" of delays and cost issues "right from the get-go."While it appears the Navy has learned lessons from the Ford's development, COVID-19 and its impact on shipbuilding and labor may have exacerbated already existing issues, leading to the delays the Enterprise is facing today.<div type="image" title="Navy aircraft carrier Gerald R. Ford Olso Norway" height="1333" width="2000" msid="109173828" hostid="261" sizebytes="114730"></div>News of the Enterprise's delay comes at a precarious time for the US Navy. With China <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-needs-bigger-navy-match-up-against-china-retired-admiral-2024-1">rapidly surpassing American shipbuilding</a> in quantity and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-army-training-to-counter-aggressive-insidious-china-top-general-2024-2">tensions in the Indo-Pacific region</a>, there are concerns among leadership in Washington, DC about what conflict between the two powers would look like.China's naval capabilities have been on the rise since the mid-1990s, and it is now, according to the Department of Defense, "the largest navy in the world with a battle force of over 370 platforms." It's expected to reach 395 by 2025 and 435 by 2030.All of these numbers overshadow US naval capacity. Notably, the Navy has increasingly prioritized the development of unmanned systems in the force, a movement also occurring across other branches of the military.Other Chinese military capabilities, such as the People's Liberation Army's Rocket Force and its arsenal of so-called <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/china-growing-df-26-missile-arsenal-more-than-carrier-killers-2023-10">"carrier killer" anti-ship missiles</a>, raise questions about the role carriers could and would play in a naval conflict. China has been increasingly building out these capabilities to threaten US warships in the Pacific.

The US Navy's grappling with another Ford-class supercarrier delay that could run into the next decade

<ul class="summary-list"><li>After drinking regularly for a decade, I committed to an alcohol-free month in January 2022.</li><li>Dry January wasn't as hard as I thought it would be, but that's because I had systems in place.</li></ul>After a decade of frequent drinking, I finally decided to commit to <a href="https://www.insider.com/when-most-people-fail-dry-january-how-to-avoid-recover-2022-1">Dry January</a> in 2022. I wanted to interrupt my near-daily beer habit, sleep better, lose bloat, improve my workouts, wake up fresh, and just conquer a new challenge.I succeeded, completing Annie Grace's <a href="https://learn.thisnakedmind.com/the-alcohol-experiment-registration">30-day live Alcohol Experiment</a> and banking my longest <a href="https://www.insider.com/quit-alcohol-things-that-happen-to-your-brain-body-2022-1">alcohol-free streak</a> since, well, probably getting mono in college. It wasn't easy, but it wasn't as daunting as I'd feared either. At times it was quite rewarding and even fun.But my success wasn't down to luck or grit or stellar self-control. I credit it to the systems I had in place before I began. Here's my advice for first-time teetotalers in 2024.<h2>Identify your why</h2>If you're doing <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-do-dry-january-sobriety-tips-advice-2023-12?r=US&amp;IR=T">Dry January</a> only because a friend asked you to or as punishment for overindulging over the holidays, you're going to have a hard time sticking to it once your friend gives up and your hangover wears off.Nick Allen, the CEO of the mindful-drinking app Sunnyside, recommends <a href="https://affiliate.insider.com?amazonTrackingID=biauto-60755-20&amp;h=4d4ab6097bb96f6b2a16acb11dbe9197991c2dfc4f63762038e901f60aa73bb0&amp;postID=638f5ef9ba75566e0f294c53&amp;postSlug=dry-january-tips-first-timers-2022-12&amp;site=in&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.sunnyside.co%2Fblog%2Funderstanding-your-why-for-cutting-back-on-drinking">drilling down on your "why"</a> before getting started. If it's "I hate hangovers," ask yourself why again. If it's "I value productivity," ask yourself why again, and so on.You can also write down what you hope to gain: A deeper connection to loved ones? The confidence of knowing you can keep a commitment to yourself? A sharper mind at work? A chance to try new activities instead of defaulting to "let's get drinks"?For me, a big selling point was the chance to simply experience life — from dinners out to movie nights in — without booze. If after a month I decided those events were better with alcohol, there was always February.<h2>Find a community</h2>The Alcohol Experiment included free daily videos and journal prompts and, for about $50, access to an online community of people starting the experiment at the same time.This community and the program's structure were my secret weapons: Rather than <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/5-signs-youre-white-knuckling-anxiety-steps-to-regain-control-2023-12?r=US&amp;IR=T">white-knuckling</a> my way through the month feeling deprived, I was encouraged to dive into the alcohol-free lifestyle with excitement and curiosity.You learn about the science of addiction in a shame-free space, confront whether alcohol is really giving you what it promises, and work out triggers from ski vacations to bad days at work with other experimenters in real time.There are all kinds of similar programs, including Sober Sis' 21-day reset and Club Soda, and apps like Try Dry to support your experience. Many are free.<h2>Be vocal about your commitment</h2>I declared my commitment to my partner, friends, family, and coworkers. I posted about my favorite alcohol-free beers on Instagram and pitched story after story about <a href="https://www.insider.com/how-much-money-saved-during-dry-january-giving-up-alcohol-2022-1">Dry January</a>.Some research suggests people who post more about their goals on social media are more likely to accomplish them, though it's unclear whether that's because they post about only achievable goals or the posting holds them accountable.For me, it was the latter. I knew that if I'd given a sober month a shot in just my own head, I would have let myself off the hook. But I had too much pride to even consider it when so many others were on board.<div type="image" title="The shop stocks a range of alcohol-free drinks." height="3024" width="4032" msid="96682846" hostid="261"></div><h2>Try alternatives</h2>Alcohol-free drinks were instrumental in my success. There are countless surprisingly satisfying zero-proof beers you can find on the online marketplace Better Rhodes, in an alcohol-free shop, or even in regular bars (most, I found, at least carry Heineken's nonalcoholic beer).These beers also tend to be much lower in calories — and far less likely to leave you craving three more, since they lack alcohol's addictive qualities — than boozy brews.With these alternatives, you can keep the rituals you like around booze — sipping while cooking, unwinding with coworkers, watching a game — without the hangover.Alternative activities can be key too.Allen recommends making plans for Saturday morning, such as a hike, a yoga class, or early coffee with a friend, if you're one of the many people tempted to drink on Friday nights.He told me that "shifting the reward center in your mind" from wanting to drink in order to relax to not wanting to ruin something you're looking forward to the next morning "makes a really big difference."<h2>Best nonalcoholic drinks and spirits</h2><div type="image" title="TOST_BI_Wide_750_mL_2" height="681" width="908" msid="96717568" hostid="261"></div>Nonalcoholic beverages are a great option if you want to enjoy a drink but skip the alcohol. Try subbing in some of our favorite <a href="https://www.insider.com/guides/health/best-non-alcoholic-drinks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">nonalcoholic drinks and spirits</a>, several of which are low-calorie or low-sugar. <ul><li>Best nonalcoholic beer: Athletic Brewing Co. Run Wild (12-pack) - <a href="https://affiliate.insider.com?amazonTrackingID=biauto-60755-20&amp;h=b91c40711171f5a4d4289a2a508b3fe276d214b8ec255c5f21d8ba825d860648&amp;postID=638f5ef9ba75566e0f294c53&amp;postSlug=dry-january-tips-first-timers-2022-12&amp;site=in&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2FB08PDP72BS" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored">See at Amazon</a></li><li>Best nonalcoholic spirits: CleanCo Clean T (23.7 fl. oz.) - <a href="https://affiliate.insider.com?amazonTrackingID=biauto-60755-20&amp;h=f526e0e0b05dd8991f5a72520a530e936d5ef999cefacff3ec06cc70ca6a7b8d&amp;postID=638f5ef9ba75566e0f294c53&amp;postSlug=dry-january-tips-first-timers-2022-12&amp;site=in&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2FB09FJXPV2K" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored">See at Amazon</a></li><li>Best premixed mocktails: Curious Craft Drinks (4-pack) - <a href="https://affiliate.insider.com?amazonTrackingID=biauto-60755-20&amp;h=81dcd946dc2d753ba7063e9e9bc108ce3b61c5fae514ed543b477479c1f94158&amp;postID=638f5ef9ba75566e0f294c53&amp;postSlug=dry-january-tips-first-timers-2022-12&amp;site=in&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fcuriouselixirs.com%2Fproducts%2Fcurious-cocktail-club-monthly-variety-pack%3Fvariant%3D21202036424781" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored">See at Curious Elixirs</a></li></ul><h2>Be patient as your body adjusts</h2>If you've been drinking regularly for years, the touted delights of sobriety — boundless energy, presence, joy — aren't going to set in immediately. You may have trouble sleeping as your body adjusts to unwinding without a depressant, <a href="https://www.insider.com/why-sugar-cravings-dry-january-how-to-deal-2022-1">feel famished</a> as your body makes up for the alcohol calories lost, and get cranky or sad as you stop numbing your emotions.You <a href="https://www.insider.com/why-am-i-not-losing-weight-stopped-drinking-dry-january-2022-1#your-body-doesnt-treat-alcohol-and-food-calories-the-same-way-2">may even gain weight</a>, in part because the body metabolizes alcohol differently from food.Be patient. Alcohol can stay in your system for weeks. Once your body finds some equilibrium, it's worth it.(Side note: If you're worried you may be physically addicted to alcohol, withdrawal can be dangerous and <a href="https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/national-helpline">requires medical support</a>.)<h2>Don't let a slipup derail your entire month</h2>Grace calls an unplanned drinking moment a "data point" to learn from and discourages people from feeling as if they have to start again at Day One. Quitting drinking, she says, "is not a linear process."So if you do throw a few back, she recommends getting curious, not judgy. What triggered you to drink? Did it feel and taste as good as you anticipated? Was it worth it the next day? Journal about it, and make a more informed decision next time.And keep in mind there are benefits to drinking less. <a href="https://www.statnews.com/2019/04/11/harm-reduction-substance-use-disorder/">Research suggests</a> that simply reducing your drinking has benefits, and Sunnyside has found that doing so can set you up to maintain a more moderate lifestyle in February and beyond."Think of this as a lifetime investment in your health," Allen said. "If you take that philosophy, then one drink in January doesn't feel like as much of a big deal."

I tried Dry January and didn't drink for 30 days straight for the first time in years thanks to these 6 strategies

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The next generation of COVID-19 vaccines may only be available to high-risk Americans as funding dries up, Politico reported. </li><li>"There's a great deal of concern that we're going to be caught shorthanded," a person close to the situation told Politico. </li></ul>The next generation of COVID-19 vaccines may only be available to high-risk Americans as funding for the federal response to the pandemic is running out, <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2022/05/13/white-house-vaccines-covid-funding-impasse-00032319">according to a new report from Politico</a>. According to Politico reporter Adam Cancryn, the White House is considering rationing future versions of the COVID-19 vaccine — such as one that could be soon available to target the Omicron variant — as cash supplies dwindle.<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2022/05/09/us-will-limit-covid-vaccines-to-high-risk-people-this-fall-if-congress-doesnt-approve-more-funding.html">According to a report from CNBC,</a> the US currently does not have enough money to purchase a new round of vaccines, therapeutics, or testing methods to combat a potential future variant. "There's a great deal of concern that we're going to be caught shorthanded," a source told Politico. A representative for the Biden Administration did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment. The report says that as early as 2023, the White House could shift funding responsibilities to the private sector, with insurance companies covering the cost instead. But that could leave millions vulnerable if vaccines aren't fully covered for the uninsured. Congress has been debating an additional $10 billion in funding for COVID-19 — but Republicans haven't supported the measure, putting the new injection of cash in peril. Politico reported that GOP lawmakers are skeptical of the need for more funding for the virus.In fact, according to the report, Republicans are waiting to see if Biden will end COVID-era border restrictions — which would allow more immigration at the country's southern border — before agreeing to another funding package. Even so, if Congress does pass the new funding package, it will only be enough to keep some of the essential COVID-19 programs up and running, as at least half of the funds are owed to Pfizer for supplying 20 million doses of its antiviral treatment, a person familiar with the situation told Politico.

The latest COVID-19 vaccines may only be available to highest-risk Americans as funding dries up, Politico reports

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Sober bars are opening across the US, charging the same price for drinks as their boozy counterparts.</li><li>Owners say the growing popularity of Dry January is great for business.</li></ul>Many Americans are taking a break from alcohol this month, <a href="https://www.insider.com/dry-january-sober-tiktokers-quitting-alcohol-viral-videos-2023-1">igniting a national conversation</a> about sobriety and healthy living. But at sober bars across the country, alcohol-free cocktails are year-round staples and Dry January is more than just a trend. Mixed drinks at many <a href="https://www.insider.com/review-hekate-zero-alcohol-sober-bar-nyc-2023-1">sober bars cropping up in major cities throughout the US</a> are nearly indistinguishable from their boozy counterparts — colorful, well-presented, and packed with interesting flavor. In most cases, a good non-alcoholic cocktail runs about the same price as a liquor-based drink, which sober bar owners told Insider is proving not to be an issue for customers. "The demographics are absolutely OK with paying a similar price point," Joshua James, owner of Ocean Beach Cafe, a sober bar in San Francisco, told Insider. "They're just so stoked to see something on the menu — they're so stoked to be included." <a href="https://www.insider.com/review-hekate-zero-alcohol-sober-bar-nyc-2023-1"></a>Most sober bars offer selections of alcohol alternatives that go beyond the typical <a href="https://www.insider.com/beer-lover-dry-january-damp-january-best-alcohol-free-beers-2023-1">non-alcoholic beer</a>, finding a niche serving non-alcoholic wine, spirits, and especially cocktails. "You don't really get together over water," James said. "There's something huge about a pretty drink in a nice glass."<h2>The growing non-alcoholic cocktail movement</h2><div type="image" title="Person pouring seltzer water into a glass with mint leaves and lime" height="1414" width="1885" msid="97208945" hostid="261" sizebytes="162424"></div>Each sober bar puts its own spin on the idea of an alcohol-free cocktail, business owners told Insider. While some stick to standard recipes, using ingredients like non-alcoholic spirits to create one-to-one replicas of classic cocktails, others take the opportunity to experiment and create unique drinks that stand completely on their own merit. At Sans Bar, a sober bar in Austin, owner Chris Marshall told Insider his favorite drink recently has been the "sans-hattan," a non-alcoholic recreation of the Manhattan. Using an alcohol-free bourbon, non-alcoholic bitters, and zero-proof vermouth, he said the drink brings the same mature palate as the original. "You can charge for a cocktail because you're giving people an elevated offering," he said. Marshall was a pioneer of the sober bar business, opening Sans Bar in 2017. He, like many others in the market, was inspired to create a space for a largely underserved demographic. Marshall said he "just realized a lot of people were struggling to have a social life without alcohol." In the years since his bar opened, Marshall said he has seen substantial improvements in the non-alcoholic drinks industry. The emergence of non-alcoholic spirits has been a huge leap forward in a movement to normalize an alcohol-free lifestyle, he said. Consumers have picked up on the growing non-alcoholic beverage market, too. Non-alcoholic spirit sales nearly doubled in 2022, <a href="https://nielseniq.com/global/en/insights/education/2022/non-alcoholic-beverage-trends-in-the-us/#:~:text=As%20of%20August%202022%3A,88.4%25%20from%20a%20year%20ago" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to Nielsen IQ data</a>, far surpassing the sales increases of non-alcoholic wine and beer. "People are really quick to call this a trend," Marshall said. "And it's not. I think this is a movement." <h2>Better ingredients boost non-alcoholic alternatives</h2><div type="image" title="Kentucky Mai Tai NA drink" height="1625" width="2168" msid="97208946" hostid="261" sizebytes="60838"></div>The growth of new non-alcoholic ingredients has been a benefit for some traditional bars, too. At Oak at Fourteenth, a restaurant and bar in Boulder, Colorado, equal effort and care are afforded to creating both mocktails and cocktails. "You should be able to enjoy yourself," Kyle Letson, a mixologist at the restaurant, told Insider. "Not feel put-out." Owners of sober bars told Insider they only see further growth in the industry, as trends like Dry January and sober-curious lifestyles take a stronger hold.For business owners who have been around a few years, the increase in foot traffic this January has been palpable. James told Insider that customers drive great distances to visit Ocean Beach Cafe every day.Those just starting out like Robert Ashford — owner of Volstead by Unity, a sober bar and restaurant in Philadelphia that opened last year — said now feels like the perfect time to be offering a sober space to anyone looking to abstain from alcohol or make changes to their drinking habits."More people are starting to have more knowledge of what zero-proof spirits actually mean," Ashford said. "I think we're seeing this play out in real-time."

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