Daily Skimm: I am healthy, I am wealthy

December 28, 2022 [Read in browser]( [theSkimm Logo] Daily Skimm [Header Image]( The Year in News 2022 came and went. But COVID-19 [lingered](. [Monkeypox]( made an appearance. The [economy]( had us thinking about the future. And [Twitter drama]( had us hanging by a thread. It’s been a long 12 months. Here are some of the biggest health and economics stories from this year: COVID…the pandemic that was — and [isn't over](. Since 2020, the US has lost [more than 1 million people]( to the virus. Now, many Americans are making their own risk calculations — amid [Omicron]( and all of its subvariants. Today, everyone who wants a [vaccine]( (or booster or updated booster) can get one. That includes [kids 6 months and up](. Uncle Sam [ended]( its free tests program. Then [brought]( it back. The CDC eased up on [quarantine guidance](. And President Biden wants to [put this all behind us](. Meanwhile, experts say our new normal could include an [annual booster shot](. --------------------------------------------------------------- Monkeypox…also known as [mpox](: another [global health emergency](. The virus spread across the world, killing more than 59 people and impacting thousands more — disproportionately affecting the LGBTQIA+ community. But after a weeks-long delay, vaccines came through. Cases [have stabilized](. And many are wondering ‘are we in the clear?’ --------------------------------------------------------------- All the other viruses...like RSV. The surge in cases put [pressure]( on children’s hospitals and parents. An [early flu season]( didn’t help either. Especially since the flu joined forces with COVID and RSV to form a “[tripledemic](.” Meanwhile, polio also set off alarm bells in New York after officials [confirmed]( one case of paralysis. And then there were the ones that people kept close tabs on like [Ebola]( and [Marburg](. --------------------------------------------------------------- The economy…had us keeping close tabs on our bank accounts. [Inflation]( hit its highest level in 40 years — pushing gas, food, and [housing prices]( to record highs. A pandemic will do that. The war in Ukraine [didn’t help](. And supply and worker shortages made things worse. The Fed looked at high prices and said ‘time to raise interest rates.’ And all of this is bringing up [recession fears](. America’s [GDP]( shrunk at least twice but then went back up. The World Bank started throwing around the word ‘[stagflation](.’ The [Euro and US dollar]( met as equals for the first time in 20 years. The stock market dipped into [bear territory](. Crypto had its own winter with [FTX spiraling]( — a dumpster fire no one could look away from. --------------------------------------------------------------- RTOs, OOOs, and CEOs...Many people returned to the office — whether part- or full-time. But some employees were more interested in [quiet quitting](. Elon Musk dragged [Twitter](down the aisle...and now he’s running it like [a popularity contest](. Speaking of tech, the industry is going through it. [Meta](, [Amazon](, and [Snapchat]( handed out pink slips amid a drop in revenue. And everyone went on strike: from [teachers](, [nurses](, and [UC workers]( to employees at Trader Joe’s, Apple, Starbucks, Amazon, Google, and Delta. [5G]( had a non-5G speed rollout. [Juul]( went up in smoke and then ‘poof’ — [came back](. [CNN+]( came and went faster than a breaking news alert. HBO Max and Discovery+ are [joining forces](. [Bob Iger]( is back. And everyone’s favorite budget airline also tried to get into the merger [Spirit](. --------------------------------------------------------------- Things that made us feel like Bill Nye…like [the James Webb Space Telescope](. And a potential milestone in [nuclear fusion](, which could pave the way for net-zero energy. There’s also good news in the fight against cancer, with progress on [personalized vaccines]( and [base editing](. Alopecia has a [new drug](. Malaria has a [new treatment](. Shrooms may have a [new purpose](. And scientists are still going full scientist mode with everything from [synthetic embryos]( to human brain cells [in rats]( to bringing pig organs [back to life](. Meanwhile, a Google engineer swears [AI can catch feels, too](. And GPT gave everyone something to [Chat]( about. --------------------------------------------------------------- We don’t know about you, but there was a lot to cover in '22. Grab your [Negroni Sbagliato]( — with Prosecco in it — and join us tomorrow for the biggest pop culture and entertainment stories. [Facebook]([Twitter]([Email](mailto:?body=Here's a recap of the year in news #theSkimm%0A3Ftype%3Demailurl%26r%3DSKIMM%26utm_source%3Demail%26utm_medium%3Ddsshare%23custom) Skimm Picks Here are today’s recs to help you live a smarter life… 1. A holiday feast delivered riiiight to your door. On the EOY party circuit? [This meal kit service]( is your one-stop shop. From a three-course dinner to seasonal desserts, they’ve got ya covered. Psst…Skimm’rs [get 22 free meals](, three gifts, aaand free shipping.* 2. A personal trainer who can help you make moves in the new year. [Future]( matches you with an expert coach who will send custom weekly workouts right to your phone. And Skimm’rs [get a free 30 day trial](. Get going.* 3. A special something for anyone who wants eye-catching lashes. [This new, peptide-powered serum]( is clinically proven to make eyelashes look significantly longer after two weeks, and fuller after four weeks. Plus it’s clean, vegan, and markup-free. [Use code BEAUTY50 for 50% off](.* 4. A can’t-miss sale for anyone looking to revamp their wardrobe. Word on the street is [this brand](’s offering up to 70% off their chicest clearance styles. Think: matching loungewear sets, vacay-ready tops and dresses, and more. [Shop to it](.* Psst...looking for more discounts on brands Skimm'rs love? Check out all of our exclusive promo codes [here](. Skimm'rs We like to celebrate the wins, big and small. Let us know how your friends, neighbors, coworkers (and yes, even you) are making career moves, checking off goals, or making an impact in the community. Feeling green…Jen D (IL). She recently retired from a family-owned business of 25 years. And [published a guide]( to help those who want to switch to a plant-based lifestyle. A high note…Marie M (ME). She’s a neurological music therapist who uses music to help people enhance speech, motor, cognitive, and social skills. She used her knowledge to write a singable picture book to help young kids build a foundation for speech and language. (Some) Birthdays...Tucker Bayer (NY), Henry Kelrick (CA), Bob Pittman (NY), Maggie Shea (NY), Teri Beardsley (VA), Sara Moe (NY), Kristyn Manoukian UK), Olivia Walker (NY), Kira Russell (PA), Kimberly Sons (TN), Eva Neil (MI), Lisa Kwit (IL), Joel Marie Payne (IL), Maureen Roxbury (AZ), Robin Kleban (NY), Kathleen Forte (FL) PS: Paging all members of theSkimm. Reach out [here]( for a chance to be featured. Skimm More The time between the holidays and New Year’s Eve is prime catch-up-on-sleep time. And if you’re on TikTok, you might’ve seen that drinking tart cherry juice can help you catch extra Zzz’s. We dive deeper into the trend to see if you should (cherry)pick this tip or put it to rest. [Read all about it](. Skimm’d by Rashaan Ayesh, Maria del Carmen Corpus, Melanie De Lima, Kate Gilhool, Julie Shain, and Mariza Smajlaj Design: Diana Chau Hu | Photos: Getty Images, iStock *PS: This is a sponsored post. --------------------------------------------------------------- Skimm'd something we missed? skimmthis@theSkimm.com Issues? [help@theSkimm.com](mailto:help@theskimm.com) [Advertise with us]( | [Careers]( [See our full sponsor agreement]( | [Update Your Preferences or Unsubscribe]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright (c) 2022 theSkimm, All rights reserved. TheSkimm, Daily Skimm, and all Skimm-based marks are trademarks or registered trademarks of TheSkimm, Inc. 50 West 23rd Street, Suite 5B, New York, NY 10010