(GEORGIA NEWS NETWORK & SRN NEWS/AP)
*The CDC is reporting a sharp rise in emergency room visits from RSV in the Peach State, a respiratory virus that has symptoms similar to the flu or COVID-19. Doctors are urging families preparing for holiday gatherings to take precautions, as RSV levels in Georgia are higher than the flu and COVID-19. They tell Fox 5 Atlanta that it’s important to protect vulnerable individuals, suggesting wearing masks and considering the RSV vaccine for those at risk.
*The legislation passed by the Senate passed early Saturday to boost Social Security payments for millions of people is expected to affect up to 70,000 Georgians. The bipartisan bill eliminates longtime reductions to Social Security benefits for nearly 3 million people who receive pensions from work in federal, state and local government, or public service jobs like teachers, firefighters and police officers. Advocates say the Social Security Fairness Act rights a decades-old disparity, though it will also put further strain on Social Security Trust Funds.