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Philadelphia Zoo among those hiding birds as avian flu spreads across US

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Philadelphia Zoo among those hiding birds as avian flu spreads across US
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) — The Philadelphia Zoo and different zoos throughout North America are transferring their birds indoors and away from individuals and wildlife as they attempt to shield them from the extremely contagious and doubtlessly lethal avian influenza.

“Eagles, the emus, the penguins, the flamingos. If you concentrate on all of the animals of hen species we now have on the zoo, all of them are being housed indoors proper now,” mentioned Rachel Metz, with the Philadelphia Zoo.

“There are nonetheless a number of different animals individuals can see right here on the zoo, together with the rhinoceros, the giraffe, the nice apes, the goats…so it is nonetheless a wonderful expertise even with out the birds being out.”

Practically 23 million chickens and turkeys have already been killed throughout the US to restrict the unfold of the virus, and zoos are working laborious to stop any of their birds from assembly the identical destiny. It will be particularly upsetting for zoos to need to kill any of the endangered or threatened species of their care.

“It will be extraordinarily devastating,” mentioned Maria Franke, who’s the supervisor of welfare science at Toronto Zoo, which has lower than two dozen Loggerhead Shrike songbirds that it is breeding with the hope of reintroducing them into the wild. “We take superb care and the welfare and properly being of our animals is the utmost significance. There’s a number of workers that has shut connections with the animals that they take care of right here on the zoo.”

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Toronto Zoo employees are including roofs to some out of doors hen reveals and double-checking the mesh surrounding enclosures to make sure it is going to preserve wild birds out.

Birds shed the virus by way of their droppings and nasal discharge. Specialists say it may be unfold by way of contaminated gear, clothes, boots and autos carrying provides. Analysis has proven that small birds that squeeze into zoo reveals or buildings may unfold the flu, and that mice may even observe it inside.

Thus far, no outbreaks have been reported at zoos, however there have been wild birds discovered lifeless that had the flu.

A lot of the steps zoos are taking are designed to stop contact between wild birds and zoo animals. In some locations, officers are requiring staff to vary into clear boots and don protecting gear earlier than coming into hen areas.

When hen flu instances are present in poultry, officers order the whole flock to be killed as a result of the virus is so contagious. Nevertheless, the U.S. Division of Agriculture has indicated that zoos may have the ability to keep away from that by isolating contaminated birds and probably euthanizing a small variety of them.

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Sarah Woodhouse, director of animal well being at Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium, mentioned she is optimistic after speaking with state and federal regulators.

“All of them agree that ordering us to depopulate a big a part of our assortment can be absolutely the last-ditch effort. In order that they’re actually desirous about working with us to see what we are able to do to ensure that we’re not going to unfold the illness whereas additionally with the ability to maintain our birds and never need to euthanize,” Woodhouse mentioned.

Among the many precautions zoos are taking is to maintain birds in smaller teams in order that if a case is discovered, only some can be affected. The USDA and state veterinarians would make the ultimate determination about which birds needed to be killed.

“Euthanasia is admittedly the one strategy to preserve it from spreading,” mentioned Luis Padilla, who’s vp of animal collections on the Saint Louis Zoo. “That is why we now have so many of those very proactive measures in place.”

The Nationwide Aviary in Pittsburgh – the nation’s largest — is offering particular person well being checks for every of its roughly 500 birds. Many already dwell in giant glass enclosures or out of doors habitats the place they do not have direct publicity to wildlife, mentioned Dr. Pilar Fish, the aviary’s senior director of veterinary drugs and zoological development.

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Kansas Metropolis Zoo CEO Sean Putney mentioned he is heard just a few complaints from guests, however most individuals appear OK with not attending to see some birds. “I feel our friends perceive that we now have what’s in the very best pursuits of the animals in thoughts once we make these selections although they can not get to see them,” Putney mentioned.

Officers emphasize that hen flu does not jeopardize the security of meat or eggs or signify a big threat to human well being. No contaminated birds are allowed into the meals provide, and correctly cooking poultry and eggs kills micro organism and viruses. No human instances have been discovered within the U.S., in accordance the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention.

This new hen flu is already been known as the worst outbreak since 2015 when 50 million birds both died or had been slaughtered.

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Related Press Writers David Pitt contributed to this report from Des Moines, Iowa, Lindsay Whitehurst contributed from Salt Lake Metropolis, Julie Watson contributed from San Diego, Chris Grygiel contributed from Seattle and Tom Tait contributed from Las Vegas.

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Philadelphia, Pa

FDA authorizes first COVID-19 vaccines for preschoolers, infants; CDC review is next

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FDA authorizes first COVID-19 vaccines for preschoolers, infants; CDC review is next
U.S. regulators on Friday licensed the primary COVID-19 pictures for infants and preschoolers, paving the best way for vaccinations to start subsequent week.

The Meals and Drug Administration’s motion follows its advisory panel’s unanimous suggestion for the pictures from Moderna and Pfizer. Which means U.S. children below 5 — roughly 18 million kids — are eligible for the pictures, about 1 1/2 years after the vaccines first grew to become out there within the U.S. for adults, who’ve been hit the toughest in the course of the pandemic.

The FDA additionally licensed Moderna’s vaccine for school-aged youngsters and youths. Pfizer’s pictures had beforehand been the one ones out there for these ages.

There’s one step left: The Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention recommends how you can use vaccines and its vaccine advisers are set to debate the pictures for the youngest children Friday and vote on Saturday. A ultimate signoff would come from CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky.

At a Senate listening to Thursday, Walensky stated her employees was working over the Juneteenth federal vacation weekend “as a result of we perceive the urgency of this for American dad and mom.”

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She stated pediatric deaths from COVID-19 have been larger than what is mostly seen from the flu annually.

“So I really assume we have to shield younger youngsters, in addition to shield everybody with the vaccine and particularly shield elders,” she stated.

For weeks, the Biden administration has been getting ready to roll out the vaccines. States, tribes, group well being facilities and pharmacies preordered tens of millions of doses. FDA’s emergency use authorization permits producers to start transport vaccine throughout the nation. Vaccinations may start as early as Monday or Tuesday.

Some dad and mom have been anxiously awaiting the prospect to guard their little ones.

Whereas younger youngsters usually do not get as sick from COVID-19 as older children and adults, their hospitalizations surged in the course of the omicron wave and FDA’s advisers decided that advantages from vaccination outweighed the minimal dangers. Research from Moderna and Pfizer confirmed unintended effects, together with fever and fatigue, have been largely minor.

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MORE: FDA committee clears the best way for youths 6-17 to get one other COVID vaccine choice in Moderna

The 2 manufacturers use the identical know-how however there are variations.

Pfizer’s vaccine for youths youthful than 5 is one-tenth of the grownup dose. Three pictures are wanted: the primary two given three weeks aside and the final no less than two months later.

Moderna’s is 2 pictures, every 1 / 4 of its grownup dose, given about 4 weeks aside for youths below 6.

The vaccines are for kids as younger as 6 months. Moderna subsequent plans to check its pictures for infants as younger as 3-months-old. Pfizer has not finalized plans for pictures in youthful infants. A dozen nations, together with China, already vaccinate children below 5.

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Dr. Beth Ebel, professor of pediatrics at College of Washington in Seattle, stated the tot-sized vaccines can be particularly welcomed by U.S. dad and mom with youngsters in daycare the place outbreaks can sideline dad and mom from jobs, including to monetary pressure.

“Lots of people are going to be glad and quite a lot of grandparents are going to be glad, too, as a result of we have missed these infants who grew up while you weren’t capable of see them,” Ebel stated.

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AP Medical Writers Laura Ungar and Carla Okay. Johnson contributed.

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The Related Press Well being and Science Division receives assist from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Division of Science Training. The AP is solely liable for all content material.

Copyright © 2022 by The Related Press. All Rights Reserved.

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Philadelphia, Pa

Amazon Prime announces 2022 Prime Day dates

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Amazon Prime announces 2022 Prime Day dates
Amazon’s Prime Day income event will be presented on July 12 plus 13, the company claimed Thursday.

Last year’s income spectacular, which returned to be able to its usual summer set, was the biggest two-day sales period for thirdparty sellers in the carrier’s history.

Online spending over the event surpassed $11 thousand, a 6.1% raise compared to Prime Moment 2020, which was presented in October, as outlined by Flag Analytics.

The event commences at 3 am OU on July 12 plus continues for 48 a long time spanning several countries, which includes for the first time frame Poland and Sweden.

Discounts are offered on electronic devices, toys, home goods plus clothing among other things.

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“With the small corporations and national brands all of our members love and have confidence in, we’re excited to present a few of our best Leading Day deals yet to be able to even more customers all around the world,” Jamil Ghani, vice president connected with Amazon Prime, said throughout a press release.

Amazon holds the event every year to construct loyalty having its Prime subscribers plus hook new shoppers straight into the program.

Prime Moment, which has taken position since 2015, accounts with regard to roughly 1% to 2% of Amazon’s annual income, analysts say.

Sales throughout the Prime Day celebration expand beyond Amazon likewise. Rivals including Walmart, Concentrate on, Best Buy and Macy’s also hold sales connected with their own to utilize on the surge throughout online traffic driven by simply Prime Day shoppers.

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Philadelphia, Pa

Revlon files for bankruptcy protection amid heavy debt load

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Revlon files for bankruptcy protection amid heavy debt load
NEW YORK — Revlon, a cosmetics maker that broke racial limitations and dictated magnificence tendencies for a lot of the final century, has filed for Chapter 11 chapter safety.

The corporate has been a mainstay on retailer cabinets since its founding 90 years in the past in New York Metropolis because it oversaw a steady of family names, from Almay to Elizabeth Arden.

Revlon did not hold tempo with altering tastes, nevertheless, gradual to comply with ladies as they traded flashy purple lipstick for extra muted tones within the Nineties.

Along with shedding market share to massive rivals like Procter & Gamble, newcomer beauty traces from Kylie Jenner and different celebrities efficiently capitalized on the large social media following of the well-known faces that fronted the merchandise.

Already weighed down by rising debt, Revlon’s issues solely intensified with the pandemic as lipstick gave option to a brand new period in style, this one that includes medical-grade masks.

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Gross sales dropped 21% in 2020, the primary 12 months of the pandemic, although these gross sales rebounded 9.2% in its most up-to-date reporting 12 months with vaccines widespread. Within the newest quarter that led to March, gross sales rose practically 8%, however nonetheless lag pre-pandemic ranges in extra of $2.4 billion a 12 months.

The worldwide provide chain disruptions which are hobbling a whole bunch of worldwide corporations in current months had been an excessive amount of for Revlon, which barely escaped chapter in late 2020 by persuading bondholders to increase its maturing debt.

There could also be extra company restructurings within the client merchandise sector forward with the specter of an financial recession and the rising prices of borrowing cash.

Revlon mentioned Thursday that upon courtroom approval, it expects to obtain $575 million in financing from its present lenders, which is able to enable it to maintain its day-to-day operations operating.

“Right now’s submitting will enable Revlon to supply our customers the long-lasting merchandise now we have delivered for many years, whereas offering a clearer path for our future progress,” mentioned Debra Perelman, who was named Revlon president and CEO in 2018.

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Her father, billionaire Ron Perelman, backs the corporate by means of MacAndrews & Forbes, which acquired the enterprise by means of a hostile takeover within the late Nineteen Eighties. Revlon went public in 1996.

Perelman mentioned that demand for its merchandise stay robust, however its “difficult capital construction” provided restricted capacity to navigate.

Throughout its heyday within the twentieth century, Revlon trailed solely Avon in gross sales. It now holds the twenty second spot amongst cosmetics makers, in keeping with a current rating by style commerce journal WWD.

Revlon grew to become the primary magnificence firm to characteristic a Black mannequin in 1970, Naomi Sims. Within the Nineteen Eighties, the corporate energized the cosmetics business by placing each well-known and yet-to-be-discovered fashions like Iman, Claudia Schiffer, Cindy Crawford and Christy Turlington entrance and middle, promising to make all ladies “unforgettable.”

Perelman, in an interview with The Related Press late final 12 months earlier than international provide chains locked up, mentioned she was optimistic in regards to the future. The corporate doubled-down in the course of the pandemic to get extra on-line with companies like one-on-one digital consultations by means of its Elizabeth Arden line, she mentioned.

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Perelman additionally mentioned that the corporate was studying from superstar launches to be extra nimble and that Revlon had regained market share.

None of Revlon’s worldwide working subsidiaries are included within the proceedings, apart from Canada and the UK. The submitting was made within the U.S. Chapter Court docket for the Southern District of New York,

The corporate listed property and liabilities between $1 billion and $10 billion, in keeping with its chapter submitting.

Copyright © 2022 by The Related Press. All Rights Reserved.

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