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A nationwide blood supply crisis is forcing hospitals, doctors, and patients to make difficult decisions. (NPR)

More than two dozen members of Congress have joined LGBTQ advocates in urging the FDA to rescind its 3-month celibacy requirement for gay and bisexual men prior to donating blood. (NBC News)

Polish scientists have found a gene that more than doubles the risk of developing severe COVID-19. (Reuters)

As of Friday at 8 a.m. EST, the unofficial U.S. COVID toll included 64,083,262 cases and 846,488 deaths, increases of 879,396 and 1,926, respectively, since the same time yesterday.

Nearly two dozen states have hospitals closing in on max capacity as Omicron continues its spread. (New York Times)

“My bile rises.” An oncologist shares her frustration — and anger — over having to move terminally ill patients from critical care hospital beds to make room for unvaccinated patients with severe COVID illness. (The Guardian)

Poorer nations in need of COVID vaccines have rejected more than 100 million doses that arrived too close to expiration dates. (Reuters)

Meanwhile, the FDA extended the expiration date for 1 million rapid COVID tests that have been sitting in a warehouse in Florida. (ABC News)

Citigroup announced 99% compliance with its vaccination mandate for U.S.-based employees. (Reuters)

A speaker during the “open mic” portion of a Dallas City Council meeting performed a rap in support of COVID vaccination, replete with facemask and a healthy squirt of hand sanitizer. (Twitter)

Researchers from the U.K. observed more hospitalizations among the youngest children infected with the Omicron variant, though most cases were considered mild. (Reuters)

When it comes to Omicron, what does “mild” really mean? (Axios)

A new COVID symptom has emerged with the variant: night sweats. (NJ.com)

Pushing back against criticism, officials at the Maryland hospital that performed the pig-to-human heart transplant insisted that the recipient’s poor health was the only factor considered and that his criminal history had no role in the decision. (AP)

Following the Supreme Court decision against the Biden administration’s vaccination mandate for employers, several Republican lawmakers announced they would not comply with the District of Columbia’s mandate. (The Independent)

Cigarettes are making a comeback with young people. (New York Times)

The U.S. Marine Corps granted the military’s first religious exemptions from COVID-19 vaccination. (CNN)

Gettysburg College students living within 300 miles of the campus must return home to isolate or quarantine if they are infected with COVID-19 or exposed to the virus. (Fox News)

A COVID-related curfew in Quebec, in effect since December 31, will end Monday, according to Premier Francois Legault. (AP via ABC News)

Australia canceled unvaccinated tennis star Novak Djokovic’s visa for a second time. (NBC News)

Sweden’s Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson has tested positive for COVID-19. (Politico Europe)

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    Charles Bankhead is senior editor for oncology and also covers urology, dermatology, and ophthalmology. He joined MedPage Today in 2007. Follow

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