Morning Medical Update: The Medicare Hospital Trust Fund depletion; COVID variant “Arcturus”one to watch; Herbal Cigarette Market May See a Big Move

The Medicare Hospital Trust Fund depletion

The Medicare Hospital Trust Fund is now expected to run out by 2033. According to a recent report, even though the Social Security Disability Trust Fund is projected to be able to pay full benefits through 2097, the combined Social Security funds would be only able to pay 80% of scheduled benefits after 2034.

COVID variant “Arcturus” one to watch

The new COVID-19 variant known as “Arcturus” is the most transmittable one yet. Experts say it is like the “Kraken” variant that was first spotted in the U.S. late last year. Arcturus is currently the leading variant in India. “The new variant has shown a 188% growth advantage over [Kraken] in past three months,” Raj Rajnarayanan, assistant dean of research and associate professor at the New York Institute of Technology campus in Jonesboro, Ark, said in an article.

Herbal Cigarette Market May See a Big Move

Herbal cigarettes are becoming more popular thanks to the fact that they are 100% tobacco and nicotine free. They are sometimes presented as a step down from traditional cigarettes. However, this doesn’t mean they aren’t dangerous. They still have similar levels of carbon monoxide and tar. American vendors like American Billy and Nirdosh are expected to see a rise in sales in the coming years.