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California Gov. Gavin Newsom tests positive for COVID-19

California Gov. Gavin Newsom has tested positive for Covid-19 and is taking antiviral medication, his office announced Saturday.

“This morning, the governor tested positive for Covid-19 after exhibiting mild symptoms. The governor will continue to work remotely,” the Democrat’s office said in a statement, noting that he will be in isolation until at least June 2.

“The Governor has also received a prescription for Paxlovid, the antiviral that has been proven effective against COVID-19, and will begin his 5-day regimen immediately,” the statement read. Newsom, 54, is fully vaccinated against Covid-19 and has received two booster shots, according to his office.

Paxlovid, made by Pfizer, is a combination of two antiviral medications. It has been shown to be extremely effective at keeping mild cases of Covid from becoming more severe or even deadly.

The US Food and Drug Administration authorized it for emergency use in December, after a clinical trial found that a five-day course cut the risk of being hospitalized or dying by 88% in unvaccinated people at high risk of severe outcomes from a Covid-19 infection.

Last September, two of Newsom’s four children tested positive for Covid-19, but both the governor, his wife and their two other children tested negative for the virus at the time.

The governor is among a slew of high-profile politicians who have tested positive for the virus this year, including Vice President Kamala Harris, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice.

Last year, Newsom beat back an effort to recall him from office before the end of his term that had grown out of frustration over his response to the pandemic and the state’s strict Covid-19 measures. Newsom is running for a second term this fall.

Massachusetts court hears arguments in lawsuit alleging Meta designed apps to be addictive to kids

BOSTON (AP) — Massachusetts' highest court heard oral arguments Friday in the state's lawsuit arguing that Meta designed features on Facebook and Instagram to make them addictive to young users. The lawsuit, filed in 2023 by Attorney General Andrea Campbell, alleges that Meta did this to make a profit and that its actions affected hundreds of thousands of teenagers in Massachusetts who use the social media platforms. “We are making claims based only on the tools that Meta has developed because its own research shows they encourage addiction to the platform in a variety of ways,” said State Solicitor David Kravitz, adding that the state's claim has nothing to do the company's algorithms or failure to moderate content. Meta said Friday that it strongly disagrees with the allegations and is “confident the evidence will show our longstanding commitment to supporting young people.” Its attorney, Mark Mosier, argued in court that the lawsuit “would impose liabilities for performing traditional publishing functions” and that its actions are protected by the First Amendment.
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