Past COVID infections may help protect against certain colds

(AP) — If you’ve been sick with COVID-19, you may have some protection against certain versions of the common cold. A new study suggests previous COVID-19 infections lower the risk of getting colds caused by milder coronavirus cousins. That could provide a key to creating broader COVID-19 vaccines. The research was published Wednesday in the journal Science Translational Medicine. The study looked at COVID-19 PCR tests from more than 4,900 people who sought medical care between November 2020 and October 2021. They found those who’d been infected with COVID-19 had about a 50% lower chance of having a symptomatic coronavirus-caused common cold compared with fully vaccinated people who never had COVID-19

Okla. Supreme Court dismisses lawsuit of last Tulsa Race Massacre survivors

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — The Oklahoma Supreme Court has dismissed a lawsuit of the last two survivors of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre who were seeking reparations. The nine-member court on Wednesday upheld the decision made by a district court judge in Tulsa last year. The suit was an attempt to force the city of Tulsa and others to make recompense for the destruction by a white mob of the once-thriving Black district known as Greenwood. The two survivors of the attack, who are both now over 100 years old, sued in 2020 with the hope of seeing what their attorney called “justice in their lifetime.” A third plaintiff, Hughes Van Ellis, died last year at age 102.

98-year-old man’s liver was donated; may be the oldest American to ever donate

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Transplant organizations say a 98-year-old man may be the oldest American to ever donate an organ. Orville Allen lived a lifetime of service as a World War II and Korean war veteran and a longtime educator in rural Missouri. He had been in robust health until he suffered a fall at his home, and ultimately died on May 29. Hospital staff asked the family if they would consider donating his liver. Given Allen’s age, it was a surprising question. But relatives knew it would be what he wanted them to do. His liver was successfully transplanted into a 72-year-old woman.

Southern Baptists narrowly reject formal ban on churches with any women pastors

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Southern Baptists narrowly rejected a proposal Wednesday to enshrine a ban on churches with women pastors in their constitution after opponents argued it was unnecessary because the denomination already has a way of ousting such churches. The vote received support from 61% of the delegates, but it failed to get the required two-thirds supermajority. The action reversed a preliminary vote last year in favor of the official ban. But it still leaves the Southern Baptist Convention with its official doctrinal statement saying the office of pastor is limited to men. Even the opponents of the ban said they favored that doctrinal statement but didn’t think it was necessary to reinforce it in the constitution.