988 becomes the new 3-digit suicide prevention hotline on July 16 ...

Next week, states will roll out 988 as the new National Suicide Prevention Lifeline number, similar to how people can call 911 for emergencies.

All phone service providers will be required to connect callers who dial 988 to the lifeline starting July 16. The existing lifeline uses a 10-digit number, 1-800-273-8255.

"On July 16, our country enters a new era of crisis services," said Maureen Iselin, a spokesperson for the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention, at a news conference Thursday on how states can prepare.

The rollout has been in the works for years, and many mental health professionals say it will help expand much-needed services and make them more accessible to people seeking help. But some experts have said their states aren't ready for the launch.

Here's what you need to know:

How does 988 work?

What to know: After dialing or texting 988, you'll be connected with a trained mental health professional at a local or regional crisis center. If your local center cannot connect you to a counselor, national backup centers can pick up the call. The lifeline is administered by the nonprofit Vibrant Emotional Health.

That's how it has worked for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline number, and the setup will continue after 988 is launched.

What experts say: The shortened, more accessible lifeline marks "a transformative moment in terms of thinking about approaching crisis care," said Miriam Delphin-Rittmon, an assistant secretary at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, on Thursday.

The launch also comes amid what experts have called a mental health crisis in the U.S. amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

SUICIDE PREVENTION LIFELINE SHIFTS TO 988:LGBTQ advocates hope for 'culturally competent' training

Are states prepared?

What to know: For many advocates, 988 represents an opportunity to expand services but also a challenge because of possible added pressure on already strained mental health crisis response systems. Some advocates have questioned whether states will be ready for the increased call volume projected after the switch to the 988 model.

In the first year of 988's implementation, the number of contacts for the lifeline is expected to increase to 7.6 million – a twofold increase compared with the 3.3 million calls, texts or chats in 2020, according to a report in December 2021 from SAHMSA.

What experts say: Delphin-Rittmon acknowledged that some crisis response centers are worried about the size of workforces in their states and about resources for this launch. She said she has been working with state representatives on funding and to "assess their overall readiness." .

The launch of 988 provides "an opportunity to expose gaps and weaknesses in our system," which would allow centers to see where additional investments may be needed, said Angela Kimball, national director of advocacy and public policy at the National Alliance on Mental Illness.

"Will it work perfectly?" she said. "No. Because changing crisis response won't happen overnight."

ARE STATES PREPARED? A closer look at whether states are prepared for 988

What does funding look like?

What to know: President Joe Biden's administration has "significantly increased funds towards the lifeline," Delphin-Rittmon said, with a $432 million initial investment into the 988 transition.

Since then, $177 million from the federal government has gone to "strengthen and expand the lifeline infrastructure," and nearly $105 million has gone to grant funding directly to states and territories, she said.

What experts say: Kimball said funding is still an obstacle for many states.

"This is really a struggle across the country," she said. "While Congress has allocated some one-time funding and funds for the national lifeline, they have not financed 988 as an entire crisis response system across the country. And so really, it is up to states to step up to the plate and create the funding streams."

Kimball said some states have passed significant budget increases for mental health initiatives, but "a lot of states have allocated insufficient resources."

"That's going to take people standing up and demanding that elected officials invest."

Contributing: Ryan Miller, USA TODAY

Contact News Now Reporter Christine Fernando at cfernando@usatoday.com or follow her on Twitter at @christinetfern.

US heat wave: Dangerously high temperatures will last through the ...

CNN —

More than 85% of Americans are bracing for temperatures above 90 degrees Fahrenheit through the weekend, with millions in the south-central US expected to experience readings in the triple digits.

More than 100 million people are under various heat alerts Thursday in more than two dozen states from parts of the American West to New England, a suffocating cocoon that experts believe will become increasingly common due to the effects of climate change.

“Widespread high temperatures in the mid-to-upper 90s and low 100s will encompass a majority of the country on Thursday and Friday,” the National Weather Service warned Wednesday.

The areas at the highest risk for the dangerously hot temperatures span the Southwest, central and south-central US along with the coastal mid-Atlantic region and the Northeast, the weather service noted.

Dallas County, Texas, reported its first heat-related death of the year – a 66-year-old woman – according to a Thursday news release from Dallas County Health and Human Services. The agency is not identifying the woman, but did say she had underlying health conditions.

The distressing heat wave – which has exacerbated a flash drought in the southern and central Plains – has pushed state and local leaders to issue heat emergencies and offer resources to residents to mitigate the high temperatures.

The mayor of Washington, DC, on Thursday announced a heat emergency – triggered when the district sees a temperature of 95 degrees or higher – that will last until Monday morning.

“Stay hydrated, limit sun exposure, and check on seniors, neighbors & pets,” Mayor Muriel Bowser said on Twitter.

Philadelphia declared a heat health emergency for Thursday due to the expected oppressive heat, activating emergency programs likes special field teams that conduct home visits and outreach for people experiencing homelessness, the department of health said in a news release.

Similarly in New York, residents are encouraged to stay indoors in the upcoming days as the heat continues to sweep across the state to avoid “dangerous conditions that can lead to heat stress and illness,” according to Jackie Bray, the commissioner of the state’s homeland security and emergency services division.

Temperatures over 90 degrees are expected to remain in New York City, Philadelphia and Boston through the weekend – if not longer.

The excessive heat across the US has been matched by deadly conditions in Europe, where records have been smashed and the European Forest Fire Information System put 19 European countries on “extreme danger” alerts for wildfires.

A construction worker drinks water in temperatures that have reached well above triple digits in Palm Springs, California, on Wednesday. David Swanson/Reuters

Heat index values indicate danger

Meanwhile, triple-digit heat will continue to bake parts of California, Texas, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri and Tennessee on Thursday – meaning 1 in 5 Americans will endure dangerous conditions after what has already been a historic week in terms of topping heat records, said CNN meteorologist Robert Shackelford.

The heat is expected to persist through the weekend in many places, and more than 85% of the population – or 275 million Americans – could see high temperatures above 90 degrees over the next week. More than 60 million people could see high temperatures at or above 100 degrees over the next seven days.

Heat index values – the temperature it feels like when heat is combined with humidity – could top 100 degrees in a number of states through this weekend, particularly in the Midwest, the Southeast and on the East Coast.

Large swaths of the South – including parts of eastern Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Mississippi and Alabama – and the central East Coast from South Carolina to New Jersey will see some of the most pronounced danger (seen in these maps in dark orange) from the heat on Thursday.

CNN CNN CNN CNN CNN Heat index forecasts indicate danger for large parts of US Prev Next

That danger becomes more apparent in parts of the Midwest this weekend, in parts of southern Illinois, Missouri and Iowa, before shifting back to the East Coast on Sunday.

Forecast heat index values indicate much of the rest of the US should exercise extreme caution.

Triple-digit heat records across multiple states

While much of the western US has been gripped by an extended, unrelenting drought, the recent heat and lack of adequate rain has catalyzed a “flash drought” in other parts of the country.

The US Drought Monitor last week announced states including Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri and Massachusetts were experiencing a flash drought, which the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration defines as the “rapid onset or intensification of drought.”

It grew even worse this week in the central and southern Plains, the Drought Monitor said in its weekly update Thursday: More than 84% of Texas is in severe or worse drought conditions, the highest percentage in over a decade, while the area of Oklahoma experiencing drought doubled in size.

Arkansas went from less than 1% of the state seeing severe drought to more than a quarter of the state. Missouri similarly went from 2% to a third of the state experiencing severe drought.

Meanwhile, triple-digit records were set Tuesday and Wednesday in multiple locations across Texas, Arkansas and Oklahoma, where Tulsa EMS reported responding to nearly 250 heat-related emergency calls so far this year.

“Those numbers are what we would expect to see in mid- to late-August,” Adam Paluka, spokesperson for the Emergency Medical Services Authority, said Wednesday. “So we’re four to six weeks ahead of where we would normally see those mid-200 call numbers.”

“It’s very concerning,” he added, “especially because the amount of patients that are being transported indicates that some of those calls are heatstroke, which can be deadly.”

In Abilene, Texas, temperatures on Wednesday reached 110 degrees, breaking a 1936 record on that date. Another record of 104 degrees was set in San Antonio, Texas, surpassing the 101 degrees last experienced in 1996.

And as of Tuesday, the Austin area reached at least 100 degrees on 38 out of the last 44 days, according to the weather service.

“We’re asking people to conserve power so that the systems continue to operate,” Austin Mayor Steve Adler said Wednesday. “We’re asking everybody to do that so that we can get through this together.”

The Electric Reliability Council of Texas, which operates about 90% of Texas’ power grid, said it set another record Wednesday for power demand – surpassing a record set a day prior.

Also, Wednesday, a record high of 103 degrees in Fayetteville, Arkansas, topped the 102 degrees seen on that date in 2012.

Another Arkansas city, Mountain Home, saw 107 degrees Wednesday afternoon, according to the National Weather Service.

“This would shatter the old record high of 102 degrees for this date set back in 2012. Official record reports are not sent out until midnight but it sure looks like a new record high,” the weather service wrote Wednesday evening.

Several US communities set or tied new daily records for high low temperatures this week, according to the National Weather Service. In Needles, California, the low temperature never got below 95 degrees Wednesday, tying a record set in 1901.

In Texas, the low temperature was 86 degrees Tuesday in Galveston, and Wichita Falls never got below 84 degrees on the same day. Elsewhere in the state, Houston and Laredo both had low temperatures of 81 degrees Wednesday. All of these were new daily records.

In Arkansas, the cities of Little Rock and Pine Bluff set low temperature records at 82 degrees Wednesday.

Extreme heat causes businesses to alter operations

The extreme heat is causing Texas farmers to sell off their cattle at a rate not seen in more than a decade, according to a livestock economist.

“A lot of ranchers rely on ponds and tanks that capture rainfall,” said David Anderson with Texas A&M University. “I’ve heard a lot of stories about ranchers running out of water.”

The weather conditions also are causing grass to die off, severely thinning the pastures where cattle graze. That leaves many ranchers no choice but to send cattle they can’t feed to slaughter, which has a ripple effect on the beef supply in future years.

It’s so hot in Oklahoma that the Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden postponed a Thursday event “due to extreme temperatures,” the zoo posted on its Facebook page.

The zoo’s after hours Sip and Stroll event would not have a significant impact on the animals, but the zoo postponed the event to protect guests and team members from the extreme temperatures, zoo spokesperson Candice Rennels told CNN.

Confronting the heat

To help residents brace through the heat, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu announced that at least 12 community centers will open to anyone who wants to cool off. Additionally, more than 50 splash pads will be available at city parks and playgrounds, she said, as she declared a heat emergency through Thursday.

Meanwhile, some local officials have taken the step to hire chief heat officers to help navigate the response to the extreme heat.

Jane Gilbert, chief heat officer for Miami-Dade County, told CNN’s Don Lemon on Tuesday that Miami now has nearly double the days with a heat index – what the air feels like – over 90 degrees than it did in the 1970s.

“That is not only concerning to people’s health but their pocketbooks. Our outdoor workers can’t work as long, they lose work time. People can’t afford this AC, the higher electricity cost. It’s both a health and an economic crisis.”

David Hondula, director of the Office of Heat Response and Mitigation for Phoenix, echoed that sentiment, saying, “The heat can affect everyone, we’re all at risk.”

High temperatures are one of the top weather-related causes of death in the US, according to Kimberly McMahon, public weather services program manager with the National Weather Service.

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How to block phone numbers, robocalls from iPhone, Android, landline

Kim Komando

Special to USA TODAY

Corrections & Clarifications: A previous version of this column neglected to note that calling *77 on your mobile phone may instead connect you with law enforcement.

“Hello! Please don’t hang up… did you know that you could save a bundle on…?

It's a robocall, another automated telemarketer. Nowadays, robocalls make up 50 percent of all phone calls. In 2018 alone, robocallers spammed us with 26.3 billion calls. And it’s only going to get worse: Robocalls are going to become more constant in coming years.

The moment you hear that electronic voice, everything stops. Your pulse quickens; your blood pressure rises. It doesn't matter what you were doing before. Maybe you were laughing at a joke. Maybe you were enjoying lunch. Perhaps you were watching your kid's Little League game.

None of that matters now. You picked up that call, and you regret it. You want to shriek: Don’t call me again. I don’t care who you are. Just go away! Your words would fall on deaf ears. There is no one on the other end, and if you breathe a word, your voice may be recorded for future use.

It’s time to end those robocalls for good. Luckily, you have a whole arsenal of smartphone tools at your disposal. You block numbers, turn on Do Not Disturb mode, use your carrier's tools, or use third–party apps to end this telephonic pestilence.

Here are seven pointers for minimizing, or eradicating those unwanted calls.

1. Reject Anonymous Calls Automatically

Many robocalls come up as “anonymous” on your caller ID, while most businesses and human beings come up as identifiable phone numbers. Chances are, you could terminate all anonymous calls without missing anything important.

Depending on your service, you may have access to Anonymous Call Rejection. Try this on your landline. Make sure your caller ID is activated. Enter the magic number *77, and you will hear three beeps. Hang up, and any call that hides its number will be rejected.

This service varies by carrier, and some carriers charge extra. But it’s a helpful tool for scammers or robocallers who slip through the Do Not Call Registry.

Note: In some jurisdictions, dialing *77 on your mobile phone may connect you with law enforcement. Tap or click here for a list, or check with local or state law enforcement before trying *77.

MORE TIPS YOU NEED FOR YOUR PHONE:

2. Join the National Do Not Call Registry List

Millions rejoiced when the FTC created the National Do Not Call Registry – and in a perfect world, signing up would stop telemarketers from calling you. Technically, it's illegal for telemarketers to call you if you are on this list.

But the world isn’t perfect. Scammers don't follow the rules, nor do they care about this list. It's still smart to register your number as an added layer of protection against unwanted calls. Just go to the website donotcall.gov and enter the landline or cellphone number you want on the list.

You can also call 1-888-382-1222 from any phone you want on the list. That's all it takes, and your number stays on the list until you ask for it to be removed or you give up the number.

Once you sign up, the Do Not Call list takes you off for-profit business call lists, but it isn't immediate. Telemarketers update their listings only periodically, so the FTC says it can take up to 31 days.

Also, political organizations, charities and survey takers are still permitted to call you. Businesses you've bought something from or made a payment to in the last 18 months have a right to call. When they call, however, firmly tell them to take you off their list and they have to honor your request, although they might still try to talk you into reconsidering.

Misdialing on mobile:Dialing *77 on mobile may reach 911 instead

3. Use Carrier Tools to Block Unwanted Calls

The four major carriers have tools to identify, filter and prevent suspected nuisance numbers from calling or texting your phone. Most require an extra monthly fee to activate the caller ID service, but network-level blocking is free of charge across all the carriers.

AT&T

AT&T subscribers can use a free iOS and Android app called AT&T Call Protect. It has automatic fraud blocking and suspected spam warnings. You can manually block unwanted calls.

Verizon

Verizon recently announced a free call-blocking service that debuts in March. Verizon previously offered a "Caller Filter" service for $2.99 per month per line.

Verizon also has identified 300 million spam and scam phone numbers that it will block through free spam alerting and call-blocking tools also coming in March.

T-Mobile

T-Mobile provides two free ways to combat robocallers and spam calls.

First is Scam ID, an automatic system that identifies spam numbers when your phone rings. T-Mobile automatically does this on its network, and there's no app to install or service to turn on.

The second free method is Scam Block. Unlike Scam ID, which simply identifies known spam numbers, Scam Block gives you an option to block those numbers. To turn this on, dial #662# on your T-Mobile handset. To turn it off, dial #632#.

Similar to Verizon's Caller Name ID, T-Mobile has its own paid "Name ID" service, which identifies and provides caller information like the name, location and type of organization. You can block them as needed. This is included in T-Mobile ONE Plus plans. For other T-Mobile plans, it costs $4 a month per line.

Sprint

Sprint customers can sign up for its "Premium Caller ID" service to protect themselves from robocalls and caller ID spoofers.

This service is $2.99 a month, and it provides a threat level indicator to give customers an idea of how suspicious a call is. It does this by flagging calls with real-time data trends gathered across the U.S.

This service doesn't automatically block known spam calls. Based on the threat level, you can choose to answer the call, block the number or report it to prevent future calls.

They're everywhere:Robocalls aren't stopping and this time they're in Chinese

4. Use the Best Apps to Block Robocalls

Another way to stop nuisance calls on your smartphone is via call–blocking apps. These apps can identify who is calling you and block unwanted calls that show up on a crowd-sourced spam and robocaller list.

Here are the top call blocking apps:

Nomorobo

Nomorobo is an iOS and Android app that offers real–time protection from a growing list of robocallers, telemarketers and phone scammers.

Nomorobo lets the phone ring once, then tries to identify the caller. If the number is on the app’s robocaller list, the app will automatically block the call for you.

Nomorobo is free to use for 30 days, and then it costs $1.99 per month or $19.99 for an entire year. To sign up, you will need to provide Nomorobo with information. List the type of phone you have – wireless or landline – and select your carrier. Note: Not all major cell carriers support Nomorobo.

Truecaller

The Truecaller app for iOS and Android lets you find out who's behind that unknown number. Copy and paste the number into the app’s search bar. Truecaller will search the unknown number to find out who it is. With a community-based spam list from over 250 million users, it's a great resource to avoid answering an unwanted robocall.

Another great feature of Truecaller is its ability to block spam calls. When a pesky telemarketer calls, there will be a big warning in red, telling you that it's a spam call. Just swipe up when this happens to automatically block that caller and add them to the spam list.

The Truecaller app is free for both download and use. However, there is a professional version that can be bought as an in-app purchase for $1.99 per month.

Hiya – Caller ID & Block

The Hiya – Caller ID & Block app is perfect for identifying calls that you want to accept and blocking calls and texts you want to avoid. The Hiya app is available for free on both Apple and Android gadgets with no ads, and it is simple to use. If you had to choose one, this is the best choice, in my opinion.

It allows you to block calls, blacklist unwanted phone numbers and text messages, reverse phone search incoming call information and receive spam alerts. The app is powered by a database of hundreds of millions of phone numbers confirmed to be spam by other users.

Call Control – Call Blocker

The Call Control – Call Blocker app automatically blocks spam calls and calls from other numbers you don't want to hear from. You can block entire area codes (like 888) if you're getting tons of calls you don't want from a particular location. The Call Control app is free and available for both Apple and Android gadgets.

Worried about missing out on important calls? Call Control gives you your own personal Whitelist and Contacts Protection to make sure people you know get through.

The app's users actively report their spammers so its catalog is always up to date.

Call Control will automatically block active spammers, and the reverse lookup allows you to track them to their source. You can add numbers to the Community Blacklist and choose to block specific numbers that won't leave you alone.

What you need to know:How to keep from getting scammed by robocalls

5. Some Phones Block Robocalls Automatically

Did you know that some smartphones already have built–in spam and robocall protection in place? Samsung's flagship Galaxy and Note smartphones have a native feature called Smart Call that automatically screens and flags suspicious numbers.

Google's Android smartphones like the Pixels and the old Nexus and Android One have built-in spam call protection. With this feature, users with Caller ID enabled will get a warning if a suspected spam call or robocall is received.

Aside from ignoring the call, the user has the option to either block the number or whitelist it if the spam flagging is deemed an error. Any blocked number can be unblocked at any time. An option to report the call to Google is available.

Don't pick up:The one thing you should do to stop robocalls

6. Block Individual Phone Numbers

Here's a feature that's available on any iPhone and Android – the ability to block specific numbers. Although this cannot possibly stop every robocall and spammer number, you can at least block the recurring ones.

iPhone

On an iPhone, open your Phone app, go to your Recents tab, then tap the circular information icon on the right side of the number you want to block. On the next page, tap "Block this Caller" to put the number on your block list.

Android

On Android, you can likewise open your Phone app, navigate to the Recents section, do a long press on the suspicious number then select "Block/report spam." (This may vary, depending on the manufacturer and model of your Android phone.)

Out of control:98 million robocalls hit Americans every day. The FCC's fines aren't stopping them.

7. Set Your Phone on Do Not Disturb

To block every number except your most trusted contacts or favorites, you can turn on your iPhone or Android phone's built-in Do Not Disturb Mode. It's an extreme solution but it will definitely stop all unwanted calls, including robocalls, telemarketing calls and spam calls.

Keep in mind that you will undoubtedly miss some legitimate calls when this mode is on, but unknown callers will always have the option to leave a voice message. You can add any number to your contacts list to let them through in the future.

iPhone

To customize your Do Not Disturb preferences on an iPhone, go to Settings >> Do Not Disturb. Here, you can turn the mode on, set a Do Not Disturb schedule and set your allowed calls to either all your saved contacts or just your Favorites list. To quickly activate Do Not Disturb, go to your iPhone's Control Center (swipe down from the upper-right corner on iPhone X, swipe up from the bottom for other iPhones) and toggle the Do Not Disturb switch (the icon looks like a moon).

Android

On Android, go to Settings >> Sound (or Sound & Notification in other phones) >> then Tap Do Not Disturb to customize your Do Not Disturb settings.

To activate Do Not Disturb, simply swipe down from the top of your display to access the Quick Menu then tap the Do Not Disturb icon to turn it on. (This may vary, depending on the manufacturer and model of your Android phone.)

8. Common Sense Prevails

This is the simplest solution, and many people try this low–tech approach to robocalls. If you receive a call from an unknown number or one that doesn't show up on caller ID, don't answer. If it's an important call, the person will leave a message and you can get back to them. Millions of people are unencumbered by robocalls, and they don’t give these pests a second thought.

But be advised: If you answer the phone and the caller (often a recording) asks you to hit a button to stop receiving calls, just hang up. Scammers often use these tricks to identify and target live respondents. Once they know the number is active, you may receive more calls in the future.

What digital lifestyle questions do you have? Call my national radio show and click here to find it on your local radio station. You can listen to the Kim Komando Show on your phone, tablet or computer. From buying advice to digital life issues, click here for my free podcasts.

988: Suicide prevention three-digit number gains FCC approval

A three-digit suicide prevention hotline number will soon make seeking emergency mental health help more like calling 911, federal regulators announced Thursday.

When the months-long process is completed, U.S. residents will be able to call 988 for help in a mental health emergency, just as 911 connects people in need to first-responders for other emergencies.

Currently, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline uses a 10-digit number, 800-273-TALK (8255). That number routes callers to one of 163 crisis centers, where counselors answered 2.2 million calls last year.

“The three-digit number is really going to be a breakthrough in terms of reaching people in a crisis,” said Dwight Holton, CEO of Lines for Life, a suicide prevention nonprofit. “No one is embarrassed to call 911 for a fire or an emergency. No one should be embarrassed to call 988 for a mental health emergency."

It's not a hotline, it's a 'warmline': It gives mental health help before a crisis heats up

A Thursday release from the Federal Communications Commission says formal rule-making on the 988 number has begun — it's a process that started with a congressional statute in 2018 and was the subject of an FCC report released in August.

So far, the FCC has only proposed requiring all telephone service providers to accommodate the 988 number within 18 months. The next step is a comment period on the implementation, including the project's time frame.

Last year, a USA TODAY investigation reported that more than 47,000 Americans killed themselves in 2017, citing a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report. Since 1999, the suicide rate has climbed 33 percent.

Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the U.S. and is often called a public health emergency.

"There’s been so much more put into every one of those causes of death than suicide. ... If you didn’t do anything for heart disease and you didn’t do anything for cancer, then you'd see those rates rise, too." John Draper, director of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, told USA TODAY last year.

Public health experts say suicide is preventable.

Crisis Text Line provides free, 24/7, confidential support via text message to people in crisis when they dial 741741. National Suicide Hotline: 1-800-273-8255

Contributing: Anne Godlasky and Alia E. Dastagir, USA TODAY; The Associated Press

When is today's Mega Millions drawing? Here's time and jackpot info.

People all across the country held their breath Tuesday night as numbers were drawn for one of the biggest Mega Millions jackpots ever. The sum has now topped an astounding $1 billion after no winning set of numbers was drawn last night, making it the third largest in the history of the game.

There will soon be another chance for people feeling lucky to lay claim to the prize. Here’s everything you need to know about Mega Millions’ next drawing – from how it works to how much you can win.

When is the next drawing for Mega Millions?

Mega Millions numbers will be drawn again this Friday, July 29, 2022 at 11 p.m. ET. You can play in 45 states, plus the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

If you happen to live in a state where you can’t purchase a ticket, you can still play if you have a ticket purchased in another state. You do have to return to that state to collect your winnings though.

What if you win?:If you win the Mega Millions jackpot, here's what you need to do first

Thinking about to retire early? Here's why you should plan like you're retiring early – even if you aren't going to

Did anyone win Mega Millions last night?

No one won the main jackpot prize last night, meaning it’s still up for grabs with the right mega millions winning numbers on Friday.

There are, however nine different ways to win at least some cash ranging from the grand total all the way down to $2.

How much do you win if you get 3 numbers in Mega Millions? How about 2?

If you match three numbers you win $10, whether one of those numbers is the Mega Ball or not. If you have three numbers and a Mega Ball number, you win $200. Two numbers will win you nothing unless one of those numbers is the Mega Ball in which case you can claim $4.

The mega millions numbers are drawn with five white balls, each with the possibility of a number between 1 and 70. The final gold ‘Mega Ball’ is drawn from a set of balls numbered between 1 and 25.

The complete guide to winnings is:

5 matching numbers + Mega Ball : Jackpot.

5 matching numbers: $1 million.

4 matching numbers + Mega Ball: $10,000.

4 matching numbers: $500.

3 matching numbers + Mega Ball: $200.

3 matching numbers: $10.

2 matching numbers + Mega Ball: $10.

1 matching number + Mega Ball: $4.

Mega Ball matching $2.

How likely is it to win Mega Millions?:Odds not so good to win the big one

Your financial questions:After Fed's rate hike, we answer your top questions about the economy

What is the 'Megaplier'?

Most states have an optional lottery feature called the 'Megaplier' which can be purchased for $1. If you opt into this, it means that any winnings you claim for prizes that are not the jackpot can be multiplied by the 'Megaplier' number drawn. The 'Megaplier' is drawn from a pool of 15 balls numbered between two and five and signifies the amount your prize can be multiplied by.

On Tuesday, for example the 'Megaplier' number was 3x. So, if you won $200 and were playing with the 'Megaplier' feature, you would have won $600.

What were the Mega Millions winning numbers?

On Tuesday (July 26, 2022), the winning number for the mega millions jackpot was:

7 29 60 63 66 (Mega Ball: 15)

What is the jackpot for the Mega Millions?

The jackpot has now reached $1.025 billion. If you win you can either claim your prize in a lump-sum amount immediately, which slashes the sum to $602.5 million or receive the jackpot incrementally, with annual payments over the next 29 years.

Powerball winning numbers drawing for Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2022

One ticket in Wednesday night’s Powerball drawing that was sold in Pennsylvania matched all six numbers to win the $206.9 million jackpot, according to the Powerball website.

The lucky winner can also select the cash option which was $122,361,080.04.

The winning ticket was sold at the Sheetz convenience store on North Center Avenue in New Stanton, Pennsylvania− about 30 miles southeast of Pittsburgh.

Here are the Powerball winning numbers for Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2022:

9 - 21 - 56 - 57 - 66 and Powerball 11 Powerplay was 2x

The jackpot had been estimated at $202 million but rose based on actual sales.

The Powerball was last won in June when a lottery player from Middlebury, Vermont took home a $366.7 million jackpot.

The jackpot will now reset to $20 million for Saturday night’s drawing.

Meanwhile, the Mega Millions jackpot is at $36 million with a cash option of $21.4 million for Friday's drawing, according to the Mega Millions website. Last week, an Illinois lottery player won a $1.337 billion Mega Millions jackpot.

Until recently, lottery winners in New Jersey were required to be identified, but now winners will be able to stay anonymous under a new law that was signed by Gov. Phil Murphy.

How do I play Powerball?

Powerball drawings are held three times a week - Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 10:59 p.m. Monday drawings were added in 2021.

The cost is $2 per ticket, but you can add the Power Play for $1, which will increase the amount of your potential prize up to five times the original prize (except for the jackpot and Match 5). There is also a 10x Power Play possibility when the jackpot is less than $150 million.

Each player selects five numbers from 1 to 69 for the white balls and one number from 1 to 26 for the red Powerball. However, you can also have the lottery machine generate a quick pick ticket with random numbers for you.

Prizes vary from $4 for the matching the Powerball to $1 million for matching all five white balls (except in California) to the jackpot for matching all six balls. You can check all the prize payouts on the Powerball website here.

Where can I play Powerball?

You can play the game in 45 states plus the Washington DC, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Many grocery stores, gas stations and convenience stores sell lottery tickets. Some states allow Powerball tickets to be purchased online, but beware of scam websites. Check with your state lottery for more details about online sales before purchasing tickets online.

You don't need to be a U.S. citizen or a resident a particular state where you purchase your ticket.

Powerball, Mega Millions:These are the luckiest states for jackpot winners

How can I watch Powerball drawing?

The Powerball drawing is broadcast live on the lottery website at 10:59 p.m. ET on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. You can watch the drawing by clicking here.

The drawing may be broadcast on a local television station in your market as well.

What are my odds of winning?

Playing the Powerball can be exciting, but just don't go spending those millions before you win.

The odds of winning the jackpot are 292,201,338-to-1.

The odds to match all five white balls are 11,688,053-to-1.

Unlucky? Here are 13 crazy things more likely to happen than winning the lottery

What does cash option mean?

The major lotteries in the United States offer two jackpot payout options: annuity and cash.

The annuity option is paid out over time. There is an immediate payment and then 29 annual payments after that, increasing by 5% each year.

The cash option is significantly lower than the advertised jackpot, but it is paid in a lump sum. You don't have to wait decades for all the money.

What was biggest Powerball jackpot?

Here are the Top 10 jackpots since the Powerball lottery began in 1992:

What was largest U.S. lottery jackpot ever?

Here's a look at the top jackpots were won in the United States, between the Powerball and the Mega Millions lotteries:

988: States prepare for summer launch of new suicide prevention ...

CNN —

This summer, every state will be rolling out 988 as the new National Suicide Prevention Lifeline number to call for mental health crises – similar to how people can call 911 for medical emergencies.

But in some states, questions remain around funding the transition, staffing call centers and having response teams ready.

The transition to 988 is “not optional,” according to the US Department of Health and Human Services’ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

No more than half of states have enacted or introduced legislation in preparation for 988’s debut, scheduled for July 16, according to data from the National Academy for State Health Policy.

“Beginning July 16 of this year, all 988 calls will be routed to the national suicide hotline, so there isn’t a need for state legislation to make that critical step happen,” Jodi Manz, project director of behavioral health, aging and disability at the health policy group, wrote in an email Tuesday. “State legislation is more about how to fund and organize this work within existing mental health systems, and imposing telecoms fees may not be ideal or well received in some states, so there is likely continuing conversation where that is the case.”

How to get help: In the US, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. The International Association for Suicide Prevention and Befrienders Worldwide also provide contact information for crisis centers around the world.

As of May, at least 13 states – Alabama, Colorado, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Minnesota, Nebraska, Nevada, New York, Oregon, Texas, Virginia and Washington – have enacted legislation to fund and implement 988; lawmakers in many others remain in legislative sessions, so “that will likely increase,” Manz said.

At least 11 states – California, Florida, Idaho, Kansas, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Vermont and Washington – have introduced new or additional legislation, according to data from the group.

“Since states are in different places in terms of their current crisis systems, they may not need major change that would require legislation, and/or they may be using federal dollars for initial investments,” Manz wrote.

“The back end routing to the suicide hotline when someone dials 988, no matter where that person is, will happen with or without state legislative action,” she wrote, adding that states and the federal government recognize that the ongoing infrastructure components needed to support 988 “will take time to build,” similar to how 911 was built out over time.

So, “many states are taking time to study how to do this as well,” Manz wrote.

‘States must transition to 988 as a universal number’

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline has been in operation since 2005 and is funded by the HHS’s Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Callers currently reach the critical 24/7 national hotline by phoning the 10-digit number: 1-800-273-8255 (TALK).

In 2020, the US Federal Communications Commission’s five leaders unanimously voted to finalize 988 as the three-digit number Americans can dial to be connected to the existing lifeline’s network of trained counselors.

That year, the National Suicide Hotline Designation Act of 2020 became law, amending the Communications Act of 1934 to designate 988 as “the universal telephone number for the purpose of the national suicide prevention and mental health crisis hotline system operating through the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline and through the Veterans Crisis Line, and for other purposes.”

Starting July 16, the FCC will establish 988 as an easy-to-remember three-digit dialing code for suicide prevention and mental health crises. Calls to that number will be redirected to 1-800-273-8255, which will stay operational during and after the 988 transition.

“We want you to know that if you are suffering severe stress and emotional trauma, if you aren’t sure where to go, even if it’s not at a point of suicide, we want you to call. We want you to reach out. That is the purpose of the 988 lifeline that is hopefully going to go live mid-July across the country,” HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra said in Washington state Friday.

“No longer will people have to call a 10-digit phone number to try to get help. What 911 is for local emergencies, we hope 988 will become people under emotional and mental stress,” Becerra said. “And it is important that we launch right.”

Last year, the FCC unanimously voted to require text messages sent to 988 be routed to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline as part of the launch, as well.

“States must transition to 988 as a universal number for mental health crisis, and Congress has provided support to states to do so by allowing them to implement state mechanisms for funding and by providing technical assistance opportunities and direct funding to states,” Manz wrote.

“Because this number is universal across the nation, states must adjust their existing call center systems to align to 988,” Manz wrote. “The lift is different in different states, though it’s important to note that states have been developing crisis services across a continuum for years. The call centers represent the beginning of that continuum.”

SAMHSA has awarded nearly $105 million in grants to states and territories for the transition to 988 and to support call centers. Last year, SAMHSA also announced $177 million to support strengthening and expanding the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline network operations and infrastructure, administered by the organization Vibrant Emotional Health.

The intersection of opioid crisis and mental health

As the launch approaches, local health departments appear to welcome the three-digit number, said Lori Tremmel Freeman, chief executive officer of the National Association of County and City Health Officials.

“I think it’ll be welcomed by our state and local health departments,” Freeman said, adding that many of the states that have made early preparations for the transition to 988, such as West Virginia and Massachusetts, have seen increases in mental health concerns tied to the opioid epidemic.

Some of the states that have been the hardest hit by drug overdoses – which also include Indiana, Kentucky and New York – were among the earliest to introduce legislation to implement and fund 988 in preparation for the July rollout or to receive a federal grant for the transition to 988.

“West Virginia is interesting coming out of the gate. They’ve just been so hard-hit by the opioid crisis, which, of course, leads to mental health challenges but that also can be a precursor to the opioid epidemic itself,” Freeman said. “So it makes sense that they will be one of the first ones to step forward. I think we’ll see other states do it quickly, as well.”

Suicide is the second leading cause of death in the United States for people ages 10 to 34, according to the American Psychiatric Association, and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention describes it as a “serious public health problem.” The intersection of the opioid epidemic and the nation’s mental health crisis has also become a grim and growing public health concern.

Among high school students, for instance, the misuse of prescription opioid drugs is associated with increases in the risk for suicide-related behaviors.

A study published last year found that about 1 of every 3 high school students who said they were misusing prescription opioids reported that they had attempted suicide. The study used data from more than 13,600 US high schoolers’ responses to the CDC’s 2019 Youth Risk Behavior Survey.

Overall, suicide rates in the United States increased 30% between 2000 and 2018, according to the CDC, and then declined in 2019 and 2020. Nearly 46,000 people died by suicide in 2020.

To lower those numbers, the launch of 988 serves as “a first step towards a transformed crisis care system in much the same way as emergency medical services have expanded” in the United States, John Draper, executive director of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline and executive vice president of national networks for Vibrant Emotional Health, wrote in an email Monday.

“SAMHSA is first focused on strengthening and expanding the existing Lifeline network, providing life-saving service to all who call, text or chat via 988,” Draper said. “Longer-term, SAMHSA recognizes that linking those in crisis to community-based providers – who can deliver a full range of crisis care services – is essential to meeting behavioral health crisis needs across the nation.”

Call centers seek more counselors

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is looking to hire more counselors in its call centers as it rolls out 988.

“This is a great time to be a crisis counselor,” Draper said Tuesday.

“Our centers are looking for people who are willing to step up and do this work, and our training programs are excellent in terms of preparing people to do this important work. So we’ve been working with both our states and our centers to prepare for this big day for actually quite some time,” Draper said.

People who are interested in learning more can visit the SAMHSA website.

Call centers “are looking for empathetic volunteers, employees, and interns to serve as crisis counselors answering phone, chats and texts, as well as managers with advanced degrees,” the website says.

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Staff hired as part of the expansion could be offered remote work options and do not necessarily have to be licensed mental health professionals. They can have bachelor’s degrees or previous experience as peer support workers, and some might consider apprenticeship opportunities, Dr. John Palmieri, acting director of 988 at the US Department of Health and Human Services’ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, said Tuesday.

“This is not a situation where we’re only looking for licensed mental health professionals,” he said.

Palmieri and his colleagues have been “looking at some of those ways that we can increase pipeline development, career engagement, for individuals,” he said, adding that they are also thinking about the importance of retention of current staff and decreasing burnout because providing crisis care can be “challenging work.”

Many crisis centers have operated with volunteers for many years, and they can convert volunteers to paid staff, Draper said.

“So already, there’s a work force ready to be paid and actually do full-time work,” Draper said. “We can really start to build career pathways for people in crisis care that we’ve never had before.”

Winning Powerball numbers for Monday, Oct. 31, 2022. No winner ...

INDIANAPOLIS – The only thing better than a full-size candy bar on Halloween would be a winning ticket to a full-size Powerball jackpot.

The winning numbers for Monday night's drawing were 13, 19, 36, 39, 59, and the Powerball is 13. The Power Play was 3X. But nobody matched all six numbers to win the jackpot.

Ten tickets matched all five numbers except for the Powerball to win $1 million. Three pairs of winning tickets were purchased in California, Ohio and Texas. The other winning tickets were bought in Florida, Indiana, Michigan and New York.

Three tickets matched all five numbers except for the Powerball and added the Power Play for $2 million. They were sold in Florida, New York and Oklahoma.

Double Play numbers are 9, 14, 52, 57, 62, and the Powerball is 24.

No one matched all six numbers, and no tickets matched all five numbers except for the Powerball worth $500,000.

Massive lottery jackpots have become more common in recent years as lottery officials have adjusted game rules and ticket prices to pump up the top prizes. The most recent tweak came in August, when Powerball officials added an additional drawing day – from two a week to three – to build larger prizes and boost sales.

Although the advertised top prize Wednesday will be an estimated $1.2 billion, that is for winners who receive their winnings through an annuity paid over 29 years. Winners almost always opt for cash, which for Wednesday night’s drawing will be an estimated $596 million.

No one has hit all six numbers since Aug. 3, meaning there have now been 38 consecutive draws without a jackpot winner – a testament to how slim the odds are of winning the jackpot: 1 in 292.2 million.

Powerball is played in 45 states, as well as Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

How many numbers in Powerball do you need to win a prize?

You only need to match one number in Powerball to win a prize. But, that number must be the Powerball worth $4.

What do I win if I get 2 numbers on Powerball?

Matching two numbers won't win anything in Powerball unless one of the numbers is the Powerball. A ticket matching one of the five numbers and the Powerball is also worth $4.

Powerball's last jackpot winner

This year's Powerball jackpot wins, according to powerball.com:

$632.6 million – Jan. 5; California, Wisconsin

$185.3 million – Feb. 14; Connecticut

$473.1 million – April 27; Arizona

$366.7 million – June 29; Vermont

$206.9 million – Aug. 3; Pennsylvania

Powerball winning numbers:Winning Powerball numbers for Saturday, Oct. 29, 2022. No winner, Halloween jackpot hits $1B

Chris Sims is a digital producer at Midwest DOT. Follow him on Twitter: @ChrisFSims.

Treacherous heat paired with high humidity is likely to affect millions ...

CNN —

Scorching heat compounded by suffocating humidity is expected to persist through the end of the month in many parts of the US, where millions will likely endure temperatures in the triple digits.

More than 98 million Americans from the West to New England were under either heat warnings or advisories as of Friday morning.

“Temperatures well above normal for this time of year will envelop the northeast over the next few days, peaking on Sunday — when several high temperature records are forecast to be broken.,” the National Weather Service (NWS) tweeted Friday.

On Friday, highs will soar into the 100s in parts of the Southwest, Central Plains and Mississippi River Valley, the NWS’ Weather Prediction Center said. Temperatures also will hit the mid-90s Friday in parts of the Ohio Valley, Mid-Atlantic and Northeast.

But repressive humidity will push the heat index – what the air feels like – even higher in some of these areas Friday and through the weekend, including possible heat index values of 105-110 degrees Friday afternoon in St. Louis and Kansas City, and similar numbers in the Northeast in two days, forecasters warned.

Dallas recorded its first heat-related death of the year, a 66-year-old woman who had underlying health conditions, the County Health and Human Services agency said Thursday.

In Arizona, officials in Maricopa County, reported at least 29 people died from heat-related issues since March – the majority of whom were outdoors. It compares with 16 reported deaths during the same period in 2021, the county’s public health department said. Dozens of other deaths are under investigation in the county for heat-related causes.

The dangerous temperatures have pushed state and local leaders to issue heat emergencies and offer resources to vulnerable residents. They are imploring residents to stay hydrated and limit time outdoors as much as possible.

In Philadelphia, officials extended a heat health emergency through Sunday – meaning resources including cooling centers, home visits by special teams and enhanced daytime outreach to people experiencing homelessness will remain available through the weekend. The forecast high for Sunday is 101 degrees, which would set a daily record and be the hottest temperature there since 2012.

And in Washington, DC, the mayor also announced a heat emergency effective through Monday morning as temperatures are expected to be 95 degrees or higher. Shelters and cooling centers have also opened to serve those who need them, the mayor said.

The extreme heat in the US has also been mirrored in the deadly condition in Europe, where records have been shattered and the European Forest Fire Information System put 19 European countries on “extreme danger” alerts for wildfires.

Grim weekend ahead

About 85% of the US population – or 273 million people – could see high temperatures above 90 degrees over the next week. And about 55 million people could see high temperatures at or above 100 degrees over the next seven days.

Heat index for Friday CNN Weather

By Thursday morning, 60 daily high temperature records had been tied or broken across the US this week, the Weather Prediction Center wrote.

More than 30 weather stations could record near- or record-high temperatures by Sunday, the agency tweeted Friday.

Heat index values – the temperature it feels like when heat is combined with humidity – could top 100 degrees in a number of states through this weekend, particularly in the Midwest, the Southeast and on the East Coast.

Saturday's heat index forecast CNN Weather

On Saturday, “sizzling temperatures” will take hold of the Middle Mississippi Valley and Central Plains with high temperatures forecast to surpass 100 degrees, the weather prediction center said.

On Sunday, the heat index could climb above 105 in parts of the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic on Sunday, the prediction center said.

Daytime temperatures could top 100 degrees across much of the Southwest over the weekend, with some areas exceeding 110 degrees, according to the center.

The south-central region can expect to see high temperatures in the triple digits every day between Sunday and Thursday, the prediction center noted.

“There is some good news in the medium range (after the weekend) as an approaching cold front brings a brief injection of cooler temps to the Midwest and Northeast, but the core of the intense heat shifts to the South Central US and Pacific Northwest early next week,” the prediction center wrote.

An aerial view of people gathered near a homeless encampment Thursday afternoon in Phoenix, Arizona. Mario Tama/Getty Images

Hiker in South Dakota dies of possible dehydration and exposure

One hiker has died and another was flown to a hospital Wednesday after hiking on an unmarked trail featured in a social media challenge and running out of water at Badlands National Park in South Dakota, according to a release from the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office.

A 22-year-old from St. Louis “collapsed and died from suspected dehydration and exposure,” the Sheriff’s Office said.

The hiker’s 21-year-old companion from Missouri was flown by Life Flight air ambulance to a hospital where he was being monitored for exposure and dehydration due to the hot weather and lack of water, according to the release.

“National parks can be dangerous places,” Brenda K. Todd, acting superintendent of Badlands National Park, told CNN, reminding visitors to be prepared and stay hydrated as the 244,000-acre (381-square-mile) park is experiencing “very high temperatures.”

Highs in the area this week have been in the upper 90s, according to the National Weather Service. Typical July highs are 92 degrees.

The heat has also caused organizers of some outdoor events across the country to postpone. One such event is the Boston Triathlon, which was to hold sprint and Olympic distance contests. The races have been postponed from Sunday to August 21.

High temperatures also threaten livestock

As the high temperatures continue to oppress much of the country, officials are also faced with protecting farmers and their livestock.

In Missouri, the governor declared a drought emergency in 53 of the state’s more than 100 counties to allow farmers to use water from state parks. Officials are also considering use the parks to grow hay to help feed the farmers’ animals.

Sweltering heat over the Northeast US this weekend may lead 30+ stations to approach or exceed their record high temps by Sunday, w/ high humidity driving triple-digit heat indices along the I-95 corridor 🔥. For heat safety tips, visit: https://t.co/GEEQxO4hvd pic.twitter.com/xJLV3kGlSp — NWS Weather Prediction Center (@NWSWPC) July 22, 2022

The situation in Texas is so dire ranchers are running out of water – forcing them to sell their cattle at a rate not seen in more than a decade, according to David Anderson, a livestock economist at Texas A&M University.

The dry, hot conditions are essentially causing grass to die off, severely thinning the pastures where cattle graze, which leaves many ranchers no choice but to send cattle they can’t feed to slaughter.

“A lot of ranchers rely on ponds and tanks that capture rainfall,” Anderson said. “I’ve heard a lot of stories about ranchers running out of water.”

Aya Elamroussi Steve Almasy
Aya Elamroussi
Steve Almasy

New infections shatter single-day record with over 1 million cases ...

A substantial increase in coronavirus infections was expected when this week's numbers came out, but nothing like this.

The intensely rapid spread of the omicron variant and a backlog of cases from the New Year's weekend has resulted in U.S. health authorities tallying more than three times as many new cases as in any previous wave of the coronavirus -- over 1 million reported on Monday alone.

About 1 of every 100 Americans will have been reported as a positive case in just the last week, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

On Tuesday, President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris plan to meet with the White House coronavirus response team to discuss a course of action as omicron becomes ubiquitous.

By 7:30 p.m. ET Monday, Johns Hopkins University data showed about 1,042,000 more cases than the day before, and it wasn't immediately clear that all states had reported in. That count clearly includes hefty numbers of backlogged cases. About one-fifth of states reported infections Saturday and one-third Sunday. Still, the previous single-day record was about 591,000 cases, set Thursday.

The preliminary total for Monday could drive the country to a weekly average of close to 450,000 cases per day. The previous highest total for a whole week, 1.76 million, figures to be not only surpassed but possibly doubled.

-- Mike Stucka

Also in the news:

►Detroit Public Schools postponed the start of school for the district's 50,000 students until at least Thursday, citing the city's record high infection rate.

►Children ages 5-11 in New Orleans must now be vaccinated or show proof of a recent negative coronavirus test to visit restaurants and other public places. The mandate previously was for patrons ages 12 and up.

►The nation's seven-day rolling average of positive COVID tests is approaching 20% – and is closing in on the all-time high average of more than 22% in April 2020.

►Rhode Island's state-run Eleanor Slater Hospital has reached crisis staffing status and has notified employees with "mild symptoms" of the coronavirus that they can work.

►The Tallahassee Democrat's Person of the Year for 2021 is Tanya Tatum, the director of student health services at Florida A&M University, and the many people working with her at a school test site that has administered more than 500,000 tests since opening in April 2020. The Democrat is part of the USA TODAY Network.

📈 Today's numbers: The U.S. has recorded more than 55 million confirmed COVID-19 cases -- or one for every six people in the country -- and more than 826,000 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University data. Global totals: More than 291 million cases and 5.4 million deaths. More than 205.8 million Americans – 62% – are fully vaccinated, according to the CDC.

📘 What we're reading: Transgender adults are having a much more difficult time than the overall population in getting adequate nourishment during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new study. The gap was even more severe for transgender people of color, who were six times as likely to experience food insufficiency as cisgender white adults. USA TODAY's Bill Keveney writes.

Keep refreshing this page for the latest news. Want more? Sign up for USA TODAY's free Coronavirus Watch newsletter to receive updates directly to your inbox and join our Facebook group.

Pfizer booster for kids 12-15 gets FDA authorization

The Food and Drug Administration on Monday expanded the emergency use authorization of a booster dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine to include youths 12 to 15.

The agency also reduced the required wait time for a booster from six to five months after the second shot for anyone 12 and older. The Centers for Disease and Control and Prevention still must sign off on the authorization.

“Hopefully this will be not just a call for people to go get their booster shot,” but for the tens of millions of unvaccinated Americans to rethink that choice, FDA vaccine chief Peter Marks said. “It’s not too late to start to get vaccinated.”

Health care systems are reporting record hospitalizations among children amid a coronavirus surge driven by the highly transmissible omicron variant. During the week of Dec. 22 to Dec. 28, an average of 378 children age 17 and under were admitted per day to hospitals with the coronavirus, a 66% increase from the week before, the CDC reported Thursday. The previous high over the course of the pandemic was in early September when child hospitalizations averaged 342 per day, the CDC said.

The FDA also authorized a third dose at least 28 days following the second one for kids ages 5-11 who have certain kinds of immunocompromise.

Physician urges 'maximal telework' for Congress because of rising infections

Congress’ top doctor urged lawmakers on Monday to move to a “maximal telework posture,” citing surging numbers of COVID-19 cases at the Capitol that he said are mostly breakthrough infections. The seven-day average rate of infection at the Capitol’s testing center has risen from less than 1% to more than 13%, Dr. Brian Monahan, the attending physician, wrote in a letter to congressional leaders obtained by The Associated Press. Monahan cited “an unprecedented number of cases in the Capitol community affecting hundreds of individuals.”

"While some view the ... coronavirus disease as 'endemic,' the 'new normal,' and 'inevitable,' these views are premature," Monahan wrote. "The entire community must continue to take every measure to suppress the rapid spread of this disease."

Puerto Rico slammed by infections, but vaccines still offer a measure of protection

High vaccination rates have not spared Puerto Rico from the wrath of omicron.

The U.S. territory, which ranks among the nation's most vaccinated jurisdictions with 86% of the population getting at least one dose and 75% the full regimen, has seen infections multiply exponentially because of the new variant.

According to Harvard statistician Rafael Irizarry, one-third of all the island's cases during the entire pandemic were recorded in December, when infections skyrocketed from 3 to 225 per 100,000 residents.

Hospitalizations have surged from a daily average of about 50 on Dec. 1 to more than 300, according to New York Times data, but Irizarry points out vaccines still offer considerable protection in the face of omicron. "Puerto Rico is observing 800 cases per 100K per day among the unvaccinated, but only 100 among those with boosters,'' he tweeted.

Germany promoting vaaa-xinations

When it comes to vaccinations, maybe people following commands like sheep is not such a bad thing.

A group of about 700 sheep and goats were arranged to form the shape of a 330-foot syringe Monday in a field at Schneverdingen, south of Hamburg, as part of Germany's drive to encourage more people to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

The omicron variant has been fueling coronavirus infections across the world, and the German government is promoting vaccinations as the most effective means of countering the latest wave. More than 71.2% of the population has received at least two vaccine doses, and 39% have gotten a booster.

Hanspeter Etzold, organizer of the syringe display, said he hoped to reach people who are still hesitating to get vaccinated. "Sheep are such likeable animals — maybe they can get the message over better," he said.

New York City battles surge, opens schools for 1 million students

New York City schoolchildren returned to the classroom Monday despite a surge in infections over the holiday break. David Banks, the new schools chancellor, said the city has shored up its pool of substitute teachers and had administrative staffers available to pinch hit for teachers who are absent because of the virus. The district has more than 1 million students; eight out of 1,700 schools were reportedly closed because of the virus Monday.

Mayor Eric Adams, sworn in Saturday, vowed Monday to keep schools safe and power the city through the rise in coronavirus cases. Adams said his office is studying whether the city can mandate testing in schools if there are sufficient supplies and if Gov. Kathy Hochul needs to sign off on such a move.

“We’re going to pivot. We’re going to shift. We’re going to adjust. We’re going to get it done," Adams said. "That’s the bottom line. We’re going to keep schools open."

WHO official eyes 2022: Progress will depend on effectiveness of vaccines

How well vaccines hold up as the coronavirus mutates will determine the world's ability to tamp down the pandemic in 2022, the head of the health emergencies program at the World Health Organization says.

The health website STAT asked Dr. Mike Ryan for a prediction of what challenges public health officials will face in 2022. He said a lot will hinge on the level of protection current vaccines provide. It’s a big decision to switch production, but might be necessary if vaccines are no longer effective, he said.

"If there’s a need to switch vaccine composition, how quickly that can be done?" Ryan said. "You can only think in scenarios. There’s so many variables that affect the outcome in extreme ways."

CDC could add negative test to latest isolation guidance

The CDC is considering amending its new, five-day isolation guidance for asymptomatic patients to include testing as soon as today, Dr. Anthony Fauci said Sunday. Last week, the CDC cut in half the amount of time it recommends asymptomatic people should isolate after testing positive. The recommendation does call for wearing masks in public for the next five days but dropped any requirement of a negative test.

Fauci, President Joe Biden's chief medical adviser, told ABC News' "This Week" the CDC is aware of "pushback" against dropping a requirement that the patients also test negative. The new rules involve isolation – for people who have tested positive – but do not involve quarantine rules for those exposed to infected people.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin tests positive for COVID-19

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has tested positive for COVID-19 after exhibiting symptoms while at home on leave, he announced Sunday on Twitter. "I will quarantine myself at home for the next five days," said Austin, adding: "I plan to attend virtually this coming week those key meetings and discussions required to inform my situational awareness and decision making."

His last meeting with President Joe Biden was Dec. 21, Austin said, and he tested negative that morning. Austin said he hasn't been in the Pentagon since Thursday. Austin, 68, said he's fully vaccinated and received a booster in October.

“The vaccines work and will remain a military medical requirement for our workforce. I continue to encourage everyone eligible for a booster shot to get one. This remains a readiness issue,” he said.

Tested positive for COVID? Do you need to isolate or quarantine?

Testing positive for COVID-19 starts a confusing, disruptive and at times frightening process – one that millions of Americans will likely go through in the coming weeks.

There is a difference between isolation and quarantine. Quarantine means keeping someone who was in close contact with someone who has COVID away from others. Isolation means keeping someone who is sick or tested positive for COVID-19 without symptoms away from others, even in their own home, according to the CDC.

If you are fully vaccinated you do not need to quarantine unless you have symptoms. But the CDC says isolating is a necessary step if you test positive whether you’re vaccinated or unvaccinated, and whether you have symptoms or feel fine.

The CDC in late December shortened the time it recommends people isolate, saying: "People with COVID-19 should isolate for 5 days and if they are asymptomatic or their symptoms are resolving (without fever for 24 hours), follow that by 5 days of wearing a mask when around others."

Read the CDC's updated guidance on isolating and quarantining.

Contributing: Adrianna Rodriguez and Mike Stucka, USA TODAY; The Associated Press