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Fauci says COVID-19 cases will likely increase soon, though not necessarily hospitalizations

March 18, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Over the next few weeks, the U.S. should expect an increase in cases from the BA.2 variant, Dr. Anthony Fauci told ABC News, but it may not lead to as severe a surge in hospitalizations or deaths.

“I would not be surprised if in the next few weeks we see somewhat of either a flattening of our diminution or maybe even an increase,” Fauci told ABC News’ Brad Mielke on the podcast “Start Here.”

His prediction is based on conversations with colleagues in the U.K., which is currently seeing a “blip” in cases, Fauci said. The pandemic trajectory in the U.S. has often followed the U.K. by about three weeks.

However, he added, “Their intensive care bed usage is not going up, which means they’re not seeing a blip up of severe disease.”

The BA.2 variant, a more transmissible strain of omicron, now represents around 23% of all cases in the U.S., according to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

And while Fauci predicted that the BA.2 variant will eventually overtake omicron as the most dominant variant, it’s not yet clear how much of a problem that will be.

“Whether or not that is going to lead to another surge, a mini surge or maybe even a moderate surge, is very unclear because there are a lot of other things that are going on right now,” Fauci said.

Similar to the U.K., much of the U.S. has recently relaxed mitigation efforts like mask mandates and requirements for proof of vaccination. At the same time, people who were vaccinated over six months ago and still haven’t gotten a booster shot, which is about half of vaccinated Americans, according to the CDC, are facing continuously waning immunity.

It’s also not yet clear how long immunity from prior infection will last, Fauci said.

Taken together, it’s why Fauci and other experts, including CDC Director Rochelle Walensky, have increasingly predicted that elderly people will need a second booster shot soon. The Food and Drug Administration began reviewing data from Pfizer on the safety and efficacy this week, and its advisory panel will debate if and when the additional booster shot is necessary in the coming weeks.

At the same time, Fauci urged Americans who haven’t yet gotten their first booster, which would be their third shot in a Pfizer or Moderna series, to do so.

A resurgence of cases could also mean Americans are asked to wear masks again, which Fauci predicted would be an uphill battle.

“From what I know about human nature, which I think is pretty much a lot, people are kind of done with COVID,” Fauci said.

Still, he defended the CDC decision to loosen its mask recommendations earlier this month by shifting to a strategy that focused more on severe outcomes, like hospitalizations and deaths, rather than on daily case spread.

“You can go ahead and continue to tiptoe towards normality, which is what we’re doing, but at the same time, be aware that you may have to reverse,” Fauci said.

And if the U.S. does continue to make its way back toward normal times, Fauci himself has a personal choice to consider. At 81 years old, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases is “certainly” thinking about retirement.

“I have said that I would stay in what I’m doing until we get out of the pandemic phase and I think we might be there already, if we can stay in this,” Fauci said, referring to the falling cases and hospitalizations in the U.S.

“I can’t stay at this job forever. Unless my staff is gonna find me slumped over my desk one day. I’d rather not do that,” he said, laughing.

While he doesn’t currently have retirement plans, the recent hire of Dr. Ashish Jha, dean of the Brown University School of Public Health, to be White House coronavirus coordinator, could alleviate some of his pandemic response duties and give him a window.

But Fauci, who has dedicated his career to public health, primarily studying HIV and AIDS, and worked under seven U.S. presidents, said he doesn’t have any particular hobbies waiting for him in retirement.

“I, unfortunately, am somewhat of a unidimensional physician, scientist, public health person. When I do decide I’m going to step down, whenever that is, I’m going to have to figure out what it is I’m going to do,” he said.

“I’d love to spend more time with my wife and family. That would really be good.”

Bill backs up new 988 suicide prevention line with funding

March 18, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — In advance of the rollout of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline’s new three-digit number, legislators have announced a bill to help fund its implementation.

The bill includes federal funding and guidance for states and localities preparing for the July launch, including mental health block grants and $100 million to partner with cities on mobile crisis response teams to help stabilize people in need. It would also increase the amount of federal funding for the Lifeline, which runs a national backup network to receive calls that can’t be picked up at the state and local levels, and provide $10 million for an awareness campaign about the new 988 number — modeled after 911.

The 24-hour hotline has been in service since 2005 and has received more than 20 million calls.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration expects calls to the Lifeline to more than double during the first full year of the three-digit number, and advocates say the Lifeline is underfunded and understaffed to meet the expected increase in call volume.

Despite the effort to improve the system, advocates say, people in crisis could face delays — or might not be able to reach a counselor at all without more funding.

Rep. Tony Cárdenas, D-Calif., announced the funding bill to address that issue at a press conference Thursday.

“[My bill] is to go ahead and move 988 in the right direction — to move 988 in a direction where we’re going to have local states and local city councils and local county supervisors and mayors and governors and legislators, state legislators, to start to pass funding bills,” Cárdenas told ABC News.

The 988 Implementation Act is also co-sponsored by Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester, D-Del., Rep. Doris Matsui, D-Calif., Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., Rep. Grace Napolitano, D-Calif., Rep. Don Beyer, D-Va., and Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md, Rep. Seth Moulton, D-Mass.

Hannah Wesolowski, chief advocacy officer for the National Alliance on Mental Illness, said about 80% of calls to the Lifeline can be de-escalated over the phone. Of the 20% that can’t, she said, about 70% can be resolved with the help of mobile crisis response teams. The rest can go to crisis stabilization centers, after which a majority can be discharged back into the community without needing to be hospitalized.

“Mobile crisis teams, which provide an alternative to law enforcement, are so critical. Relying on law enforcement is just an ineffective way to respond to [mental health] crises. That’s not the job law enforcement signed up for, nor should we be asking them to do that,” Wesolowski said.

She added that people experiencing a mental health crisis are often taken to emergency departments that don’t specialize in psychiatric care.

“So this would really help provide capital grants and other capacity resources to build crisis receiving and stabilization facilities that really serve as kind of a psychiatric emergency room that provides that short-term stabilization, [and] connections to additional care — whether that’s helping somebody return to the community, or in some cases, might be inpatient hospitalization,” Wesolowski said. “Overwhelmingly, when this whole continuum is availabl, we can avoid a lot of that hospitalization, incarceration, homelessness and other negative outcomes that we often see with our current crisis response system.”

Taun Hall, whose son Miles was shot and killed in 2019 at age 23 while experiencing a mental health crisis in California, also spoke at the press conference. She said her family tried to get Miles help for two years, but it was “almost impossible.”

“Getting help is a reactive process and leads to criminalization, especially when police are involved and responsible for their care. This is exactly what happened to our family. I called 911 to get Miles help while he was experiencing a mental health emergency and Miles was criminalized for his Black skin,” Hall said. “He was shot and killed in the community where he lived and grew up for 18 years.”

“Everyone knows you dial 911,” Moulton said. “The same needs to be true for anyone, if you wake up in the middle of the night and you or a loved one is experiencing a mental health emergency. That’s the difference that this bill is going to make.”

Moulton, who introduced the legislation to designate 988 as the Lifeline number back in 2020, said it will save lives.

“We’ll save thousands, but we don’t want to miss a single one,” Moulton said. “We have to make sure that everybody is geared up. So no matter where you are, no matter what phone you have access to, you can get the help that you need, 24/7.”

Hairstylist spots skin cancer on client: What dermatologists want you to know

March 18, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — While many people know a trip to the hairdresser can save you from a bad hair day, it could also save your life.

That was the case for an Illinois-based woman, Mary Rahilly, who had an appointment for a cut and color. Her hairstylist, Sharon Lupo, who she visits regularly, noticed something new and unusual on her scalp — and suggested that she visit a dermatologist.

“It was almost a discolored spot. I knew I had to tell her,” Lupo told Good Morning America.

After making a rush appointment, Rahilly’s doctor could almost immediately tell it was a form of cancer and proceeded to run a biopsy, which confirmed it.

The scalp is a common place for skin cancer, Dr. Ramona Beshad, assistant professor of dermatology at St. Louis University, told GMA.

“It’s a place where skin cancers tend to be diagnosed late, because oftentimes they’re covered by hair and not easy to see,” she said.

In Rahilly’s case, Lupo was able to get a good look at what was hiding underneath her client’s hair.

Luckily, Rahilly got the squamous cell on her scalp removed before it spread.

“She knows I’m grateful and that, you know, she’s an awesome person. She is,” Rahilly said. Lupo chimed in, sharing that Rahilly called her a hero.

Skin cancer is one of the most common cancers in the United States, with one in five Americans developing it by the age of 70, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation.

Because hairstylists can play an integral role in spotting skin cancer in this often-hidden area, Beshad started Stylists Against Skin Cancer, a program to teach cosmetology students how to properly identify these cancers.

There’s also another program Sty-Lives, short for Styling Hair and Saving Lives, that is led by two Ontario-based medical students and has launched across Canada with the Save Your Skin Foundation. The foundation trains hairdressers to spot lesions on the ears, faces and scalps of their clients.

Dr. Whitney Bowe, a dermatologist, shared some of her tips and best practices for spotting skin cancer with GMA.

“I highly recommend doing a self exam every month and looking at your skin closely from head to toe,” she said.

Bowe also recommends recruiting a friend or loved one to look at places you can’t see, such as behind your ears, your back and the back of your neck as well as the legs.

When looking for skin cancer, Bowe says to look at:

A- Asymmetry

B- Border

C- Color

D- Diameter

E- Evolution

When it comes to the summer months, skin cancer prevention is key, according to Bowe.

She suggests broad spectrum sunscreen and re-applying every two hours to dry skin or more often if you are wet, swimming or sweating.

“But sunscreen is not enough,” she added. “Also wear sun protective fabric, a broad rimmed hat, sunglasses, and seek shade especially when the sun is at its peak.”

Russia-Ukraine live updates: Russia threatens countries arming Ukraine

March 18, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Russian forces are continuing their attempted push through Ukraine from multiple directions, while Ukrainians, led by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, are putting up “stiff resistance,” according to U.S. officials.

The attack began Feb. 24, when Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a “special military operation.”

Russian forces moving from neighboring Belarus toward Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, have advanced closer to the city center in recent days despite the resistance. Heavy shelling and missile attacks, many on civilian buildings, continue in Kyiv, as well as major cities like Kharkiv and Mariupol. Russia also bombed western cities for the first time this week, targeting Lviv and a military base near the Poland border.

Russia has been met by sanctions from the United States, Canada and countries throughout Europe, targeting the Russian economy as well as Putin himself.

For previous coverage please click here.

Here’s how the news is developing. All times Eastern:

Mar 18, 6:48 am
Russian foreign minister threatens countries arming Ukraine

Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Friday that any foreign supplies to Ukraine containing military equipment will be considered “legitimate targets” for Russian strikes.

“We clearly said that any cargo moving into the Ukrainian territory which we would believe is carrying weapons would be fair game. This is clear because we are implementing the operation the goal of which is to remove any threat to the Russian Federation coming from the Ukrainian soil,” Lavrov said in an English-language interview with the RT television channel.

Mar 18, 6:29 am
Putin says Ukraine ‘seeking to drag out’ negotiations

The Kremlin says Russian President Vladimir Putin in a phone call with Germany’s leader Olaf Scholz accused Ukraine of “seeking to drag out” negotiations with Russia to end the war by putting forward “new unrealistic proposals.”

Putin told Scholz Russia was “nonetheless ready to continue the search for a solution within the bounds of its well-known principled approaches,” the Kremlin said in a readout of the call.

It’s a negative sign for the ongoing talks with Ukraine that both sides have suggested have made some progress this week.

-ABC News’ Patrick Reevell

Mar 18, 4:41 am
Lviv struck by missiles for the first time

Russian missiles have hit the western Ukrainian city of Lviv for the first time Friday, a key location that had been spared from the assault until now.

The missiles struck the area around the city’s airport, according to the mayor, Andriy Sadovyi, around 6:30 a.m. local time, hitting an aircraft repair facility and destroying the building.

There were no immediate reports of casualties in the attack, according to the mayor.

Preliminary data indicated that six cruise missiles were fired from the Black Sea, according to the country’s western military command. Two were destroyed by anti-aircraft missile systems.

-ABC News’ Martha Raddatz

Mar 17, 8:34 pm
White House ‘focused’ on ways to help growing Ukrainian refugee crisis

The Biden administration is “focused” on ways to help Ukrainian refugees, as the number of people displaced by the war continues to grow, according to U.S. officials.

More than 3 million people have fled Ukraine since Russia’s invasion began, according to the United Nations’ refugee agency, in Europe’s largest refugee crisis since World War II.

“As the numbers increase, as the burden increases for European partners, we will certainly do everything we can to help,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken told reporters Thursday, adding it was “something we’re very focused on right now.”

Without offering specifics, Blinken confirmed the administration is “looking at things that we can do ourselves and do directly — for example, looking at steps we may be able to take on family reunification and other things.”

One limited option is fast-tracking the process to admit refugees to the U.S. itself, which is defined by law and requires a referral from the U.N.’s refugee agency and thorough vetting. A senior administration official told ABC News that the refugee program “is not an emergency response program, so our goal would be to provide humanitarian assistance to keep people safe where they are for now.”

As Blinken told reporters, the referral process to be granted refugee status “takes time.” Refugee resettlement is a yearslong process, and there are already 7,000 Ukrainian refugees in the pipeline, according to resettlement agency Church World Service.

The senior administration official also said U.S. embassies and consulates in the region are processing emergency visa applications, but that they are overwhelmed. “We are not able to process the volume of the people who are thinking about that as an option,” the official said.

Refugee resettlement agencies say the administration is considering using the Lautenberg program, which allows religious minorities — including Ukrainian Greek Catholics and Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Christians — to bring family members to the U.S. with a potentially expedited refugee status. One agency told ABC News there are thousands of Ukrainian applicants who the U.S. could swiftly admit.

The administration has already approved temporary protected status for any Ukrainians in the U.S. before March 1 — allowing them to stay and work in the U.S. for at least the next 18 months.

-ABC News’ Ben Gittleson, Sarah Kolinovsky and Conor Finnegan

Scoreboard roundup — 3/17/22

March 18, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Here are the scores from Thursday’s sports events:

NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
NY Islanders 2, NY Rangers 1
Toronto 3, Carolina 2
Washington 7, Columbus 2
Dallas 4, Montreal 3 (OT)
Philadelphia 5, Nashville 4
Pittsburgh 3, St. Louis 2 (SO)
Edmonton 6, Buffalo 1
Los Angeles 3, San Jose 0
Detroit 1, Vancouver 0
Vegas 5, Florida 3

TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Gonzaga 93, Georgia St. 72
Kansas 83, Texas Southern 56
Baylor 85, Norfolk St. 49
Tennessee 88, Longwood 56
St. Peter’s 85, Kentucky 79
UCLA 57, Akron 53
Providence 66, S. Dakota St. 57
Richmond 67, Iowa 63
Arkansas 75, Vermont 71
Saint Mary’s (Cal.) 82, Indiana 53
Murray St. 92, San Francisco 87
New Mexico St. 70, UConn 63
Final Memphis 64, Boise St. 53
Michigan 75, Colorado St. 63

From “Wild Side” to her vulnerable side: Normani debuts emotional track, “Fair”

March 18, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Normani has unveiled her new single, “Fair” — and she’s showing a whole new side of herself.

“This song really captures me in one of my most vulnerable moments,” the singer says in a statement. “Sharing this record makes me uncomfortable because you have never really seen me in this light.”

She adds, “Definitely aware that you might feel like you don’t know much about me but that’s only because it’s what makes me feel protected. I am really forcing myself to let go here. This is huge for me and hopefully this piece of art resonates. Love is beautiful yet so soooo terrifying. I adore you guys to the moon and back.”

Normani, who co-wrote the emotional track, sings on the chorus, “Is it fair that you moved on, ‘cause I swear that I haven’t.”

In celebration of the song’s release, Normani debuted “Fair” live on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon Thursday night.

“Fair” is the follow-up to “Wild Side,” Normani’s sexy and confident 2021 collab with Cardi B.

Travis Barker defends fiancée Kourtney Kardashian wearing Cannibal Corpse shirt

March 18, 2022 by WDNY Radio

If you think Kourtney Kardashian isn’t “metal enough” to wear a Cannibal Corpse shirt, then Travis Barker thinks you’re pretty lame.

Last fall, the Blink-182 drummer and his reality star fiancée were photographed while Kardashian was wearing a shirt featuring the artwork from Cannibal Corpse’s 1990 debut album, Eaten Back to Life. Upon seeing the photo, the death metal band’s original vocalist, Chris Barnes, deemed Barker and Kardashian “posers.”

In an interview with Revolver, Barker now calls comments like Barnes’ “the lamest s*** ever.”

“Obviously my fiancée doesn’t listen to Cannibal Corpse, but I do,” Barker says. “I grew up loving them. For [someone] to mention that in a negative light — f***ing lame, you know?”

“She’s wearing it because she’s cold,” the drummer continues. “She’s not claiming she knows every song. But I do! I bought every album, and I learned how to play every album.”

Barker adds that he’s had similar experiences in the punk world.

“Everything with punk rock — ‘I’m more punk than you’ — just f*** all that,” he says. “Be stoked that people are into music. Music is beautiful! It changes people’s lives. It creates the best memories. Just celebrate it, you know?”

GAYLE shares “confusing and overwhelming” experiences on debut EP, says “volume two” may follow

March 18, 2022 by WDNY Radio

GAYLE may only be 17, but she’s already learned some hard lessons about love and friendship — which have inspired the songs on her new EP a study of the human experience volume one. And while the language and themes of songs like “sleeping with my friends,” “ur just horny” and “e-z” are pretty raw, GAYLE says it’s just a Gen Z thing.

“[In the past], people never talked about their problems, even like, depression, anxiety and mental health, and just, like, the world around us,” GAYLE tells ABC Audio. “And so when Gen Z specifically gets fed up with it, we can say more shocking things just to get people to pay attention — which seems so, like, shocking and daring to people.”

She continues, “It’s like, ‘No, these things have been happening for years! We just have to say such jarring things…either to get people’s attention on it or to acknowledge it.”

GAYLE notes, “I think for me, the easiest way…to process all of my emotions…when I’m just growing up and trying to figure out my life is [to] just write about it, ’cause it’s all confusing and overwhelming.”

The “abcdefu” singer just kicked off a headlining tour in support of the EP, and describes her live show as “just a lot of fun.”

“I do a Joan Jett cover…’Bad Reputation,’ and it’s like my favorite thing ever to perform,” she says, noting that the show features her and her two band mates swapping instruments and “just d***ing around on stage.”

And as for that volume one EP title…is volume two imminent?

“There’s definitely talks and…plans for it,” she reports, adding, “My goal is just to kind of keep continuing the sound of GAYLE, and..right now, I’m trying to figure out what that is.”

“Gold” anniversary: “Heart of Gold” became Neil Young’s first #1 hit in the US 50 years ago today

March 18, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Fifty years ago today, March 18, 1972, Neil Young scored his only #1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 when “Heart of Gold” ascended to the top spot on the chart.

“Heart of Gold” was the lead single from Young’s fourth studio album, Harvest, which earlier that month became Neil’s first — and only — solo effort to reach #1 on the Billboard 200.

Young recorded the song in Nashville in February 1971 during the same sessions that yielded Harvest‘s second single, “Old Man,” which went on to peak at #31 on the Hot 100.

“Heart of Gold” featured backing vocals by James Taylor and Linda Ronstadt, who, along with Young, were in Nashville at the time to appear on an episode of Johnny Cash‘s variety show. Besides his lead vocals, Neil played harmonica and guitar on the track. The other contributing musicians were three members of Young’s backing group The Stray Gators — Ben Keith on pedal steel guitar, Tim Drummond on bass and Kenny Buttrey on drums — as well as renowned session guitarist Teddy Irwin.

Taylor and Ronstadt also lent their vocal talents to “Old Man,” while James played banjo guitar on the track as well.

Reflecting on the popularity of “Heart of Gold,” Neil wrote in the liner notes of his 1977 Decades compilation, “This song put me in the middle of the road. Traveling there soon became a bore so I headed for the ditch. A rougher ride but I saw more interesting people there.”

Harvest went on to become the best-selling album in the U.S. for 1972, and is Young’s his best-selling solo album ever. It has been certified four-times platinum for sales of over four million copies in the States.

Jared Leto talks ‘WeCrashed’ and why it was “one of the most challenging roles” of his career

March 18, 2022 by WDNY Radio

It’s the inside story of the spectacular rise and flaming failure of WeWork -– the series WeCrashed is out today on Apple TV+.

The miniseries stars Jared Leto as WeWork co-founder Adam Neumann and the actor tells ABC Audio he was fascinated by the story of Adam, his wife/co-founder Rebekah, and the journey of this business.

“This is a guy, an immigrant, who came to this country and built something out of nothing — into a $47 billion empire,” the Morbius actor says.

“They did build a very real business. The business is incredible. It’s actually doing great from what I hear. But I’m also not Adam’s defender,” he adds. “He’s an imperfect person, just like we all are, but a very fascinating one.”

Although fascinated, Leto doesn’t excuse anything Neumann did, but understands how things could go sideways when an investor cuts a $4 billion check, as SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son did for WeWork.

“You’re going to find out who people are once they have that kind of money floating around and it changes everything,” Leto says. “You start seeing stars…it’s easy to see how you could get carried away.”

WeCrashed isn’t an action movie, however, Leto states that playing the Israeli immigrant was “one of the most challenging roles” of his career.

“The way that this character spoke, the way that he got in front of an audience and stood on stage and gave speeches. He was incredibly verbose and really physical,” he explains. “Every day I was at home just beat up and my back is killing me.”

But, Leto “loved every single second of it.”

“I’m in a bit of a masochist…I love to dive deep and I love a good challenge. And this was all of that,” he shares.

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