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FDA expected to authorize Pfizer booster shots for 12-15 year olds

The Food and Drug Administration is expected to approve Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 booster shots for 12-15 year old next week. Sources familiar with the decision said on Thursday that the booster will be recommended five months after the older children receive their second vaccine, instead of the six months currently advised for adults. Additionally, the FDA is expected to authorize a booster shot for younger children, ages 5 to 11, who have compromised immune systems.

After the FDA officially makes its recommendation, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is expected to make its own decision on booster shots for adolescents. CDC Director Rochelle Walensky told CNN: “Of course, the CDC will swiftly follow as soon as we hear from them, and I’m hoping to have that in the days to weeks ahead.”  The CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices is expected to meet by the middle of next week to vote on whether to make a recommendation.

Currently, everyone 5 years old and older is eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Individuals 18 years old and older can receive a booster shot, and 16- and 17-year-olds are eligible to receive a Pfizer-BioNTech booster shot, according to the CDC.

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CDC recommends travelers avoid cruise ships amid increase in COVID-19 cases

On Thursday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a bulletin recommending that people avoid travel by cruise ship amid increasing cases of COVID-19. The CDC increased its health notice level for cruise ships to “Level 4: Very High Level of COVID-19,” its highest category.

The bulletin released Thursday said vaccinated and unvaccinated travelers should steer clear of cruise ships, several of which have reported COVID-19 outbreaks in recent weeks.  Said the CDC:  “The virus that causes COVID-19 spreads easily between people in close quarters on board ships, and the chance of getting COVID-19 on cruise ships is very high, even if you are fully vaccinated and have received a COVID-19 vaccine booster dose.”

Cruise ship travel was shut down at the start of the pandemic in spring 2020, and resumed in June 2021 as COVID-19 cases declined with the arrival of the vaccine.  However, cases have been on the rise in the United States — and worldwide — since then, with 486,428 new cases reported Wednesday, the highest single-day total since the start of the pandemic.

Multiple cruise lines have reported outbreaks in recent weeks, including Carnival, Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line. Last week, several cruise ships were turned away from foreign ports after reporting such outbreaks.

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Sports Daypop

Pittsburgh Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger indicates that Monday’s game vs. Browns will likely be his last

Steelers’ QB Ben Roethlisberger gave his first public acknowledgment that he may be walking away from the game of football by electing to retire following the 2021 season. On Thursday, Roethlisberger said that Monday’s matchup against the Cleveland Browns could very well be his final game at Heinz Field.

Said Roethlisberger: “I don’t ever speak in definites or guarantees. That’s just not what I’ve ever done or who I am. But looking at the bigger picture, I would say that all signs are pointing that this could be it.”  The Steelers are set to finish out the regular season on the road in Baltimore in Week 18.   Unless the Steelers find themselves in the playoffs with a late-season rally, Monday night’s game against the Browns would likely be the final time Roethlisberger will play.

Roethlisberger said Thursday:  “I’ve always been one that has fulfilled my obligation to the team with contracts. I don’t have a contract next season, so I guess the writing was on the wall from [the front office], but kind of all of us together. I wouldn’t say that I have my mind made up by any means, but I have my mind made up that this season I was going to give it everything I have to try and win a Super Bowl.”

Roethlisberger has spent his entire career with the Steelers, leading them to two Super Bowl titles over his 18-year career. Currently, he is the Steelers’ all-time leader in passing yards and passing touchdowns.

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Sports Daypop

Warriors-Nuggets game postponed amid Denver’s COVID-19 outbreak

The NBA postponed its 11th game this season due to health and safety protocols. The Golden State Warriors and Denver Nuggets game was cancelled on Thursday due to the Nuggets not having the league-required eight available players to proceed with the game against the Warriors.

Denver is in the midst of a COVID-19 outbreak. Head coach Michael Malone and three players — Jeff Green, Bones Hyland and Zeke Nnaji — were all placed in the NBA’s health and safety protocols Thursdy, and two assistant coaches also reportedly entered protocols.  In addition, Denver is dealing with long-term injuries to Markus Howard and Michael Porter. The team also listed Aaron Gordon as out, and three other players as day-to-day.

Until Malone comes out of the health and safety protocols, assistant coach David Adelman will act as the head coach. The first time Adelman will have the chance to act as head coach will be Saturday when the Nuggets take on the Houston Rockets.

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Country Daypop

Carly Pearce to ring in the New Year with a performance on ‘The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon’

Carly Pearce will be kicking off 2022 in style, by making her first-ever appearance on ‘The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.’

Pearce took to her official Instagram account to share the news, writing: “Well this is a total BUCKET LIST moment! Y’all tune in this MONDAY, January 3rd!!”. Her post included two diamond emojis, hinting that she is set to make her television debut of her hit song “Diamondback.”  Diamondback is the lead single on Pearce’s latest album, which is a full-length version of her 29 EP project.  Pearce co-wrote the song with her longtime friend and fellow country music star Kelsea Ballerini.

Tune in to see Pearce perform on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on Monday, January 3rd at 11:35 p.m. ET on NBC.

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Country Daypop

Brett Eldredge shares the video for his new song “Holy Water”

Brett Eldredge is sharing new music to ring in the New Year. Said Brett: “I wanted to do something extra special this year for my fans who have always gone above and beyond to show me love and support on this crazy journey. My Christmas gift to you. ‘Holy Water,’ the first song off my upcoming album, is out now. I hope you enjoy it.”

Eldredge wrote “Holy Water” with Mark Trussell and frequent collaborator Heather Morgan, and is expected to appear on his new album due in 2022.

Brett also released the music video for “Holy Water” which you can watch at the link – here.

Brett Eldredge Commits to His Serious Songwriter Pivot With New Song ‘Holy Water’

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Entertainment Daypop

Take a look at Tom Holland and Mark Wahlberg in the trailer for “Uncharted”

Sony Pictures has shared a trailer for the action-adventure movie Uncharted, featuring Tom Holland and Mark Wahlberg.  Uncharted is based on the Naughty Dog video game series of the same name. The games follow Nathan as he travels across the world in search of treasure and historical artifacts.

The preview shows fortune hunter Nathan Drake (Holland) team up with Victor “Sully” Sullivan to find “the greatest treasure that’s never been found.” The pair go up against a villain played by Antonio Banderas. The film adaptation is written by Rafe Judkins, Art Marcum and Matt Holloway, and is directed by Ruben Fleischer. Sophia Ali and Tati Gabrielle co-star.

Uncharted opens in theaters Feb. 18, 2022.  You can check out the preview – here.

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Entertainment Daypop

Netflix’s ‘Bridgerton’ Season 2 to debut on March 25

Bridgerton will kick off its second season on March 25.  Netflix tweeted:   “Dear readers, I know my absence has only made your hearts grow fonder; however, you will not have to wait much longer. Bridgerton Season 2 debuts March 25, 2022, only on Netflix The news broke exactly a year after the first season premiered on the streaming service.”

Season 2 will follow wealthy Anthony Bridgerton’s (Jonathan Bailey) search for a wife. It will co-star Phoebe Dynevor, Nicola Coughlan, Golda Rosheuvel, Julie Andrews, Charithra Chandran, Shelley Conn, Calam Lynch and Rupert Young.

Based on the Julia Quinn book series of the same name, the Shonda Rhimes-produced costume drama has already been renewed for Seasons 3 and 4.

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Pop Daypop

LL Cool J pulls out of his ‘New Year’s Rockin’ Eve’ performance after testing positive for Covid-19

LL Cool J was forced to pull out of his appearance on Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve With Ryan Seacrest 2022 on ABC after testing positive for Covid-19.    LL Cool J said in a statement:  “I know it’s disappointing to the millions of fans but my test came back positive for COVID, which means I’ll no longer be able to perform as scheduled at New Year’s Rockin’ Eve.  We were ready and I was really looking forward to ringing in 2022 in my hometown in a special way, but for now I wish everyone a healthy and happy New Year. The best is yet to come!”

LL was scheduled to perform in New York’s Times Square before midnight.  In addition, Chlöe, who was also set to appear on the broadcast, has pulled out of the show.  Despite the performance cancellations, the ABC special, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary, will still broadcast from New York, Los Angeles, New Orleans and Puerto Rico.

Billy Porter will host and perform in New Orleans; while Daddy Yankee host the Spanish-language countdown and perform in Puerto Rico. Ciara is set to host the Los Angeles segment, which includes performances by AJR and Daisy the Great, Avril Lavigne and Travis Barker, Big Boi and Sleepy Brown, Don Omar, French Montana, Macklemore with Ryan Lewis and Windset, Mae Muller, Maneskin, Masked Wolf, OneRepublic, Polo G and Walker Hayes.  And in Times Square, NYC, Journey and Karol G are set to take the stage.

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Pop Daypop

Eminem makes history on Spotify as “The Slim Shady LP” surpasses 1 Billion streams

Eminem’s studio album “The Slim Shady LP” has now surpassed 1 billion streams on the music giant Spotify. The project was dropped over 2 decades back in 1999, and with this achievement Eminem now becomes the first act to have 11 studio albums with over 1 Billion Streams on Spotify.

Those 11 projects include albums “The Marshall Mathers LP”, “The Eminem Show”. “Recovery”, “Kamikaze”, the most recent “Music To Be Murdered By” and more. Recently, in the list of top-selling albums of 2021, Eminem’s 2005’s album “Curtain Call: The Hits” was among the top 50, even after 16 years of its release.

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