• From Bloomberg:
"CVS and Walgreens, two of the largest US pharmacy chains, are limiting purchases of children’s pain-relief medicines amid constrained supplies and high demand.
"CVS is restricting shoppers to two products each for in-store and online purchases. Walgreens is limiting online orders to six products and isn’t setting limits for in-store purchases. Walmart isn’t placing any purchase limits, while Kroger said it is asking shoppers to limit purchases to two kids pain medicine products. Rite Aid isn’t limiting purchases."
The story notes that "pediatric medicines containing acetaminophen and ibuprofen, which relieve pain and reduce fever, have been hard to come by across the United States and Canada since at least October as respiratory viruses spread. Rates of hospitalization for respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, and influenza have reached heights not seen in recent years. The drugs don’t kill the viruses, but they do relieve symptoms."
• The Oregonian reports that "gas-powered cars, light-duty trucks and SUVs are on their way out in Oregon.
"Policymakers for the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality on Monday approved a rule that bans the sale of new gasoline-powered passenger vehicles in Oregon by 2035.
"The effort comes as Oregon aims to cut climate-warming emissions by 50% by 2035 and by 90% by 2050. The transportation sector accounts for almost 40 percent of greenhouse gas emissions in Oregon and is the biggest source of pollution in the U.S.
"The new rule, based on vehicle emission standards adopted by California in August, requires car manufacturers to sell a certain percentage of zero-emission vehicles – electric cars, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles – as part of their total sales, starting with 35 percent in 2026 and increasing to 100 percent by 2035."
The story points out that "the ban on gas cars does not affect cars already on the road and does not require Oregonians to stop buying gas-powered vehicles. Used gas-powered cars will continue to be available for sale within the state. Customers who want a new car that runs on gasoline will have to shop out of state.
"But more than a dozen states also are looking to follow suit. Oregon will be the third state to adopt the standard. Vermont and Washington just adopted a similar standard. The Clean Air Act allows Oregon and other states to either follow federal vehicle emission standards or align with California’s more stringent rules."
