Here's Who Needs a Monkeypox Vaccine, and What We Know About It

Here's Who Needs a Monkeypox Vaccine, and What We Know About It

What's happening

The monkeypox vaccine is available to people at higher risk of getting the disease, but supply has been limited. To stretch out more doses, the US is starting to administer the vaccine in a slightly different way that requires a smaller dose.

Why it matters

Vaccination is an important tool to slow the monkeypox outbreak happening in the US and other countries. Access to vaccines is crucial for people most at risk.

What it means for you

Some men who have sex with men are eligible for the vaccine, as are other people who may've been exposed to monkeypox.

The vaccine Jynneos is being given out a little differently now in some places. If you're eligible for a monkeypox vaccine, you might be getting a shot under a top layer of skin, instead of deeper into your arm. That's because the US Food and Drug Administration authorized intradermal injection for the monkeypox vaccine this month, which is an effort to increase the US supply of vaccine up to five times since intradermal injection requires a much smaller dose than one given subcutaneously.

Also called "dose-sparing," intradermal types of injections aren't new to health care. But the change in medical guidance on how the monkeypox vaccine can be administered reflects a shortage of Jynneos that's plagued the vaccine rollout since it began. Health officials have touted a national stockpile of vaccines that work against monkeypox as well as smallpox, but getting them out to states and into the arms of people who need them has been a challenge. 

According to a report from The New York Times, a hurdle in the monkeypox vaccine rollout (besides limited supply of Jynneos) is that the federal system being used to move vaccines to states and cities is different from the system local health officials are used to, which is run by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and is already linked to state databases. The current system states are using for the monkeypox vaccine is made for mass vaccine rollouts where every person would need a vaccine (like a smallpox bioterrorism event), and it's been difficult in some states for local health officials to track their orders or get to the site where the doses have been delivered, the Times reports.

But federal health officials are confident in the new intradermal vaccination method, which they say gives an immune response similar to that of the traditional method. But it still requires two doses, about 28 days apart. One-dose priority policies for the vaccine, which could potentially delay a second dose, have been put in place in cities like San Francisco and New York City, which make up a large portion of the country's monkeypox cases. 

Here's what we know about monkeypox vaccination.

Read more:  Monkeypox: What to Know About Variants, Symptoms and More

Who can get a monkeypox vaccine? 

Exact criteria for who should get a monkeypox vaccine depend on the city or state people live in and how widespread the outbreak is there, but men who have sex with men and who have had multiple or anonymous sexual partners in the last two weeks are eligible in cities like New York. That's because gay and bisexual men are currently at higher risk in the outbreak, though anyone with close contact to monkeypox can get the disease. You may also be eligible if you were recently exposed to someone with monkeypox.  

According to the CDC, you meet the criteria for a monkeypox vaccine if: 

• You're a contact of someone who has monkeypox or you were identified as possibly exposed via contact tracing. 
  
• You had a sexual partner within the last two weeks who has monkeypox.
• You've had multiple sexual partners in the last two weeks in an area with a high number of monkeypox cases.
• You are a lab or health care worker who's around orthopox viruses, including in animals. 

If you think you qualify for a vaccine or were exposed to monkeypox, contact your local health department or doctor's office to find an appointment in your area. You can also book an appointment for the vaccine online, a process that'll walk you through the eligibility criteria. Here is New York City's vaccine appointment website. You can make an appointment and find a vaccine in San Francisco by calling one of the city's clinics or visiting its drop-in location. 

Colematt/Getty Images

What is intradermal vaccination? 

Intradermal vaccination is a method that injects the vaccine under a more shallow layer of skin, typically on the inner side of the forearm. This should produce a "noticeable pale elevation of the skin," according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Counties including Los Angeles county and Fulton county in Georgia (where Atlanta is) have already transitioned to intradermal injections, according to the White House.

Most vaccines we get these days go either into the muscle in our arm (intramuscular injection) or into the fatty tissue under our skin (subcutaneous injection), like Jynneos has been given so far. Subcutaneous injection of Jynneos is the only authorized method of vaccination for people younger than 18. If you get the monkeypox vaccine intradermally, you'll still need two doses.

When the FDA authorized the new vaccine method, the agency referenced a study published in 2015 that found that a smallpox vaccine given intradermally gave a similar immune response in people compared to the vaccine given subcutaneously. 

What are the monkeypox vaccines? 

The US has two vaccines in its national stockpile that work against monkeypox. Jynneos is currently being given out to people before an exposure, as well as after an exposure, as it's a newer vaccine that's safe for most people. 

Jynneos (made by Bavarian Nordic) is a new-generation vaccine approved by the US Food and Drug Administration in 2019 for monkeypox and smallpox. It's a two-dose vaccine, with each shot given about four weeks apart. It uses a weakened virus and is approved for adults 18 and older who are at high risk of getting monkeypox or smallpox.

Because of limited supply, it's likely you'll only be able to book an appointment for the first dose for the time being. In New York City, for example, health officials say you'll be contacted if you received a first dose about the second dose in the coming weeks. 

Side effects of Jynneos may include typical temporary vaccine side effects, including headache, chills and fatigue. There can also be some pain and swelling around the injection site, which can result in what some are reporting as a temporary swollen lump around the injection site. 

ACAM2000 is a second-generation smallpox vaccine that also works against monkeypox. According to the CDC, ACAM2000 is a derivative of Dryvax, which helped eradicate smallpox. (The two diseases are closely related and both caused by orthopoxviruses, which makes this possible.) If necessary, the US Department of Health and Human Services said it's also prepared to ship out the ACAM2000 vaccine, which is in greater supply than Jynneos but remains a second choice in the monkeypox response because it has a side effect profile that isn't safe for certain people.

ACAM2000 is administered differently than the typical vaccine shot we're used to, including intradermal injection. It's given by dipping a needle into a vaccine solution which will then be "pricked" several times on the upper arm. It will cause a localized infection (a "pox"), prompting an immune response. 

While ACAM2000 doesn't cause smallpox, it contains live vaccina virus, which isn't suitable for everyone. It could be unsafe for immunocompromised people, pregnant folks and those with certain heart or skin diseases, like eczema.

Smallpox was declared eliminated from the world in 1980. The US stopped routine vaccination against it in 1972, though some health care workers or people who work in labs may have had the vaccine. Historically, according to the CDC, smallpox vaccines were 95% effective against infection and protect you for about three to five years, and after that protection starts to wane. 

Because of this, it's possible people born before the early 1970s who got the smallpox vaccine might have some cross-protective immunity against monkeypox, according to the WHO, but there is "little immunity" to younger people living in non-endemic countries because they've had no exposure to a similar virus.

Read more: Monkeypox: What Gay and Bisexual Men Need to Know

A smallpox vaccine scar. People born before the mid-1970s might have such a scar. Jynneos, a newer-generation monkeypox and smallpox vaccine, is not the same type of vaccine as the one used to eradicate smallpox and doesn't leave a scar. 

Picture Alliance/Getty Images

How effective are the vaccines against monkeypox? How long do they take to work? 

Giving Jynneos within four days of a monkeypox exposure is the best option for stopping the onset of the disease, according to the CDC. If it's given four to 14 days after an exposure, the CDC says, Jynneos may not prevent monkeypox but will likely reduce the severity of symptoms. However, this information was published when Jynneos was given only the "standard" way (subcutaneous injection). 

The CDC says that the Jynneos vaccine takes two weeks (14 days) after the second dose for immunity to build, and that ACAM2000 takes four weeks for maximum immunity. Though many people are receiving only the first dose of Jynneos at this time, early research suggests that one dose will still offer some protection, at least for a shorter period of time. 

Because the US outbreak of monkeypox is so new, there's no data yet on exactly how effective the vaccines will be in the current situation, according to the CDC. 

You should still self-isolate if you develop symptoms of monkeypox after getting vaccinated, such as a rash. 

A computer image of a monkeypox virus.

Uma Shankar Sharma/Getty Images

Why does the US have a stockpile of monkeypox vaccines? 

The US has a stockpile of Jynneos and ACAM2000 on hand not because the country was worried about an outbreak of monkeypox (which has been endemic in some African countries for years), but in case smallpox becomes a public threat again. Smallpox was declared eliminated in the 1980s, and the last natural outbreak in the US happened in 1949. But smallpox is usually much more severe than monkeypox, and officials worry it could be used as biological warfare. 

"The stockpile was created in the event of a biological weapons attack on the United States with smallpox," Dr. Amesh Adalja, an infectious-disease expert and senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security said. In this event, health officials would not be rationing vaccines or using only the newer-generation vaccine, according to Adalja. 

"If there was a smallpox attack, we would be using whatever vaccines we have to be able to deal with it," he added. 

Why is there a monkeypox vaccine supply issue? 

The supply of Jynneos, the newer vaccine specifically approved to prevent monkeypox, has been in particularly short supply.

Officials who spoke to The New York Times said the supply issue is partly because the government waited too long to ask Bavarian Nordic, which makes Jynneos, to bottle and fill the vaccine order the US had already purchased. 

Another report by the Times alleges that the US national stockpile of monkeypox and smallpox vaccines dwindled because the government never replaced the expired doses and instead put money into technology that would extend their shelf life. Part of the reason for this was that the government created the stockpile not for monkeypox but for smallpox, which is a more contagious and often more serious disease officials fear could be used in biological warfare against the US. 

The US Department of Health and Human Services didn't respond to a request for comment on the reports.

The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives.

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Why no irs tax refund yet no tax refund yet 2021 no tax refund yet from irs federal tax return accepted but no refund yet no federal tax refund yet no federal tax refund yet 2021 no tax refund after 3 months no tax refund after 5 months no tax refund after 2 months no tax refund this year no tax refund after 8 months no tax no tax states no tax liability no tax area no tax weekend no tax free threshold

No Tax Refund Yet? Why Your IRS Money Might Be Late

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No Tax Refund Yet? Why Your IRS Money Might Be Late

This story is part of Taxes 2022, CNET's coverage of the best tax software and everything else you need to get your return filed quickly, accurately and on-time.

Taxes were due two weeks ago. If you're not one of the roughly 130 million tax filers who've submitted their 2021 tax returns, you need to do it as soon as possible to claim your tax refund or avoid penalties and interest if you owe.

Filing your tax return electronically with direct deposit should give you a tax refund in about 21 days, according to the IRS. If you've been waiting longer than three weeks and no refund has arrived yet, there could be a problem or your tax situation may simply require additional processing.

In a March bulletin, the IRS noted that some tax refunds can take a bit longer than the expected 21-day period and also warned taxpayers "not to rely on receiving a refund by a certain date, especially when making major purchases or paying bills." 

Here are 10 of the most common reasons IRS money is delayed this year. For more, find the best free tax software, see how to track your refund to your bank account or mailbox, and learn how to create an online IRS account.

Your tax return has errors or is incomplete

When you file your tax return, it's important to cross-check any information you've included to make sure it's accurate. For instance, don't mix up the numbers of state taxes withheld with federal taxes withheld. Before you submit your taxes to the IRS, simply take a second look to fix any potential errors and make sure you've filled out each field.

Also, if you received child tax credit payments last year, make sure the amount on Letter 6419 matches the amount you received. If an incorrect amount is entered, the IRS will need to further review your tax return, which the agency says will result in an "extensive delay."

Note that if there's a problem that needs to be fixed after you submit your return, the IRS will first try to proceed without contacting you. That means it could be days or weeks before you know there's a problem.

You owe the IRS money

If you owe back taxes to the IRS, the agency may take some or all of your tax refund to pay off that debt. If your refund contains more money than you owe, you'll receive the remaining balance via direct deposit or check in the mail, but it could be delayed. Taxpayers whose refunds are used by the IRS to cover existing payment obligations should receive a CP49 notice in the mail. 

Even if you don't owe the IRS money, the agency can keep your tax refund money if you have other debts to state or federal agencies. The Treasury Offset Program enables the IRS to take all or part of your tax refund to pay obligations such as child support, state taxes or unemployment compensation repayments. Such debts could delay the arrival of your remaining tax refund or eliminate it completely.

Your banking information is incorrect

Have you changed bank accounts since you last filed your taxes? If so, pay close attention to what the direct deposit information says when submitting your return this year. If you accidentally forget to update it with your new direct deposit details, your refund will be sent back to the IRS. This will likely result in a paper check being mailed to your house, which could take several weeks longer to arrive.

You filed a paper tax return

This year, the IRS is encouraging taxpayers to file electronically and set up direct deposit to get their refunds back more quickly. With mail delays, it could take a while for the IRS to receive your return in the mail and even longer to issue a paper check. 

Filing your return online instead of through the mail is more important than ever this year to avoid refund delays, the IRS says. Instead of a paper tax return, use one of these free online tax filing services so you don't have to wait to receive your money.

You didn't properly enter your stimulus payments

In 2021, most Americans received a third stimulus check payment related to the COVID-19 pandemic. While that money is non-taxable, it needs to be reconciled on your tax return if you are claiming the recovery rebate credit.

In recent testimony to the House Ways and Means Committee, IRS Commissioner Charles P. Retting said that in 2020, the IRS "received far more than 10 million returns" where taxpayers failed to properly reconcile their stimulus payments with the amounts entered for their recovery rebate credits. Those returns require a manual review and create lengthy delays.

If you plan to claim the recovery rebate credit on your tax return, learn how to avoid this error using IRS Letter 6475 or your online IRS account.

To get a prompt tax refund, be sure to enter your advance child tax payments correctly.

Sarah Tew/CNET

You filed Form 8379, Injured Spouse Allocation

It sounds painful, but this form has nothing to do with physical injuries or disabilities.

When a married couple filing jointly owes a federal debt, the IRS may seize their tax refund in order to offset the money that they owe. If only one half of the couple owes money, the other partner can be considered "injured" and request at least part of the expected tax refund. Enter IRS Form 8379.

While not as common as some of the other causes, this tax-refund delay is significant. According to the instructions of Form 8379, taxpayers filing the form should expect up to 14 weeks of processing time, or up to 11 weeks if filing electronically.

The IRS suspects identity theft

If the IRS flags a tax return for having a possible chance of identity theft, the agency will hold your refund until your identity is verified. When that occurs, you'll likely receive a 5071C letter that provides instructions for proving your identity. If your tax return is legitimate, don't panic -- an IRS letter doesn't mean there is proof of identity theft, merely a suspicion.

Taxpayers can verify their identity on the IRS website, which currently requires creating an ID.me account, or by calling a dedicated phone number listed on the IRS letter. If those methods fail, you'll need to schedule an in-person appointment at a local IRS office.

One method for avoiding identity-theft-related delays is to create an "Identity Protection PIN" or IP-PIN. This unique six-digit ID is known only to you and the IRS and prevents anyone else from filing a return in your name. The IP PIN will only last for one year -- you'll need to create a new one next tax season if you want the same level of identity protection. You'll need an ID.me account to create an IP PIN online, although it is possible to acquire an IP PIN using IRS Form 15227 (PDF) and a telephone interview or in-person appointment.

You filed Form 1040-NR to request refund of tax withheld on a Form 1042-S 

While this reason is rare, it can cause a lengthy delay in your tax refund. Non-resident foreigners in the US who earn taxable income may receive Form 1042-S, Foreign Person's U.S. Source Income Subject to Withholding. This form often applies to non-Americans who receive scholarships while attending college in the US.

To get the money withheld back in the form of a tax refund, foreigners who receive 1042-S forms will need to file a 1040-NR return. The IRS says that it needs more time to process these returns, up to six months after the return is filed or when the 1040-NR was due, whichever is later.

You filed an amended tax return

It can happen to anyone -- you forgot a form or a major deduction or you accidentally picked the wrong filing status. If the change to your return is big enough, you'll want to file an amended return. The IRS allows anyone who files their tax return electronically to also e-file their amended return, but only for the current year.

If you do file an amended return, you'll need to practice patience. The IRS warns that amended returns can take up to 16 weeks to be processed. Before filing an amended return, you may want to wait to receive the tax refund from your original return. The IRS can often correct small errors and adjust your tax refund accordingly. The agency provides an online tool for helping you determine if you should file an amended return.

Your return needs further review

As mentioned above, if you see a message saying that your tax return needs further review by the IRS, you can expect your refund to arrive later than the average three weeks. For instance, if you receive a CP07 Notice, it means the IRS has received your tax return and is holding your refund until it completes a more thorough review. You might get this notice if you're claiming treaty benefits or deductions on the Schedule A section (PDF) of your taxes.

If the agency finds no issues, your refund could arrive within six to 12 weeks, assuming no taxes are owed. If the IRS does find issues with your return, it'll send you a notice with instructions on what to do within that same period. That means you'll get your refund months later than you anticipated.

For more information, here are the most important dates and deadlines for filing your taxes. Also, here are 10 tax changes that could affect the size of your refund, and 13 tax deductions and credits to boost your refund.

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The Galaxy S21 lineup is here, with a $200 price cut, new design and S Pen support

The Galaxy S21 lineup is here, with a $200 price cut, new design and S Pen support

This story is part of CES, where CNET covers the latest news on the most incredible tech coming soon.

Samsung's new Galaxy S21 lineup is here. And the new Galaxy S21, S21 Plus and S21 Ultra have plenty to attract would-be buyers, including new designs and $200 shaved off the starting price of their predecessors.

The South Korean electronics giant on Thursday, during its first virtual Unpacked event of the year, showed off its three new phones: the $800 Galaxy S21, the $1,000 Galaxy S21 Plus and the $1,200 Galaxy S21 Ultra. (In the UK, the S21 will start at £769, just £30 cheaper than the S20.) It also unveiled new $200 earbuds, called the Galaxy Buds Pro; $30 Tile-like Galaxy SmartTags that can track nonelectronic items like pets; and a $40 S Pen accessory. The event took place on the last day of this year's CES and more than a month earlier than normal. 

Samsung's Galaxy S21 lineup is packed with refinements to the cameras, displays and 5G capabilities. The new phones feature a redesign that accentuates the camera lenses on their backs while linking them with their metal frames, something Samsung calls "Contour Cut Camera" housing. The base amount of storage for all of the S21 models is 128GB, and Samsung boosted the photo and video capabilities for vloggers and others. 

The lower price is a nod to the realities of the world, with the coronavirus pandemic shutting down many global economies and eliminating millions of jobs. Smartphones, serving as a lifeline to friends and co-workers, remain one of the few essential gadgets. This is also one of the first phones in a few years that didn't introduce a brand new technology like 5G, which often justifies a premium. 

"In 2021, our top priority is to bring the benefit of technology to more people," TM Roh, the head of Samsung's mobile communication business, said in a statement, calling the Galaxy S21 series "the most powerful and versatile flagship lineup ever."

On the other end of the spectrum, the S21 Ultra is designed for people who want the "best of the best." It features a 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2x display, Samsung's best camera of the S21 lineup with four back lenses, and Corning's scratch-resistant Gorilla Glass Victus on the front and back. The S21 and S21 Plus have 6.2- and 6.7-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2x displays, respectively, and Gorilla Glass Victus on the front. The S21 Plus also has the glass on the back, while the regular S21 features a plastic polycarbonate backing. Both have three camera lenses on the back.

This year, Samsung has brought support for its S Pen, a hallmark of the Galaxy Note lineup, to its Galaxy S family for the first time. Of the three new phones, only the S21 Ultra works with the S Pen, and it comes as a separate accessory that costs $40 for just the pen or $70 when bundled with a specially designed case that stores the stylus. Users can't stow the S Pen away inside the S21 Ultra like they can with Note, but they can use their old Note styluses with the S21 Ultra. The new accessory doesn't work with gestures or many of the other features found in the Note's S Pen, which likely means the Note line isn't dead quite yet.

Samsung will introduce an S Pen Pro later this year, though, that has some of the Bluetooth-enabled features found in the Note's stylus, like gestures. Samsung didn't give a price or release date for the S Pen Pro. 

The new phones come as Samsung faces a tougher market for 5G phones. When the Galaxy S20 lineup hit the market a year ago, there still were relatively few 5G phones available, and they weren't cheap. Now competition is fierce. Prices for 5G phones go as low as $300 in the US, and virtually all companies sell 5G models. Every phone in Apple'siPhone 12 lineup from late 2020 came with 5G by default, something that was expected to help the technology go mainstream. At the same time, the world continues to grapple with a pandemic that's limiting budgets for new gadgets. 

Samsung made the decision to drop the starting price of its new phones by $200 because of a few factors. Components like 5G processors, displays and camera modules now cost less because Samsung has such a high volume of those parts in devices across its portfolio. The company also made some minor trade-offs in its S21 and S21 Plus devices, like lowering the base level of RAM to 8GB from 12GB. 

"For people who want the highest-end, Ultra experience, we still have that, and we're not sacrificing [the features] based on price point," Drew Blackard, Samsung Electronics America's vice president of product management, said in an interview ahead of Unpacked. "For people who want value and an amazing flagship experience at the same time, we still have a great offering for them with the S21. And then we've got something kind of in between for people who want a little bit of both."

The existence of the Ultra is a reminder that not everyone feels the impact of the pandemic equally.

"The people that are buying an S21 Ultra are not feeling the pressure of the pandemic," Creative Strategies analyst Carolina Milanesi said. Samsung "could have decided that maybe [its] entry product was going to be cheaper but leave the two flagships more expensive. But it's not doing that." 

Preorders for the phones begin Thursday at 8 a.m. PT, and the phones hit stores on Jan. 29. The Galaxy Buds Pro are available Thursday on Samsung.com and will be at other retailers on Friday. People who preorder the phones get up to $200 in Samsung credit and also get a free Galaxy SmartTag. In addition, carriers are offering promotions, like AT&T's offer for up to $800 off when trading in an eligible device and purchasing the new phone on a 30-month installment plan.

Say cheese

One of the biggest differentiators for the Galaxy S21 Ultra over the S21 and S21 Plus is the camera. The pricier device comes with four cameras on the back -- ultra-wide, wide and dual tele-lenses -- and an upgraded 108-megapixel sensor. That allows users to capture 12-bit HDR photos with 64 times richer color data and more than three times wider dynamic range. In other words, sharper, better photos. 

"When designing the Galaxy S21, we thought about how people use their cameras today," Stephen Hawke, director of product management for Samsung Electronics America, said during a briefing with reporters ahead of Unpacked. "For instance, there are those fleeting moments when you just don't have time to think about the perfect mode or setting to capture a shot, let alone switch to recording video. We need our phones to do all this for us. With a Galaxy S21, you get photos and videos with the simplicity of point and shoot."

When it comes to video, the Ultra enables users to shoot in 4K at 60fps across all lenses, including those on the front, meaning they can shift to different perspectives with the same quality. A new feature called Director's View lets you see a scene from multiple perspectives simultaneously, while Vlogger View lets you shoot with the front and rear cameras at the same time. Pro Mode lets users capture images in a 12-bit raw file format to make it easier to edit the images later. 

The Galaxy S21 Ultra has four camera and laser autofocus on the back.

Drew Evans/CNET

The S20 Ultra features 100x Space Zoom, like its predecessor, but in this year's phone is a new feature called Zoom Lock that keeps the camera focused on an object for a clearer picture. Samsung said it provides "tripod-like stability with an AI-powered stabilizer." Space Zoom on the S21 Ultra is powered by Samsung's first dual-tele-lens system, which is one optical 3X zoom for midrange and one optical 10x zoom for long-range. Both have dual pixel autofocus to capture ultra clear shots. 

Low-light photography also gets a boost in the Galaxy S21 Ultra. Samsung improved its Bright Night sensor and Night Mode to reduce noise and capture challenging shots like dimly lit rooms or landscapes at night. 

The Galaxy S21 and S21 Plus both have three rear cameras in ultra-wide, wide and tele-lens. They feature 30X Space Zoom with Zoom Lock, as well as Director's View and Vlogger View. Portrait Mode gets a boost from AI, which provides options for virtual studio light and effects to make the subject pop from the frame -- with both the rear cameras and the front-facing selfie lens. 

Samsung has improved its 8K Snap feature to let users grab clear images from 8K video footage, and its Super Steady Video records at an "improved" 60fps. The new Galaxy S21 phones also feature Multi-Mic Recording when paired with the new Galaxy Buds Pro, letting users record with their camera mic and earbuds mic at the same time. 

What's inside

All phones in the Galaxy S21 lineup in the US come with Qualcomm's new Snapdragon 888 processor and integrated 5G modem. The new Snapdragon chip is more effective at connecting to all flavors of 5G, from the slower, more reliable nationwide variant offered by all the US carriers, or the speedier but more finicky millimeter wave version touted by Verizon, and boasts peak download speeds of 7.5 Gbps and upload speeds of 3Gbps.

The new processor with its integrated modem is "really important," Technalysis Research analyst Bob O'Donnell said. By being able to combine different types of 5G airwaves together, there's a "huge potential increase in performance in 5G," he said. 

The Galaxy S21 Plus gets a bigger battery -- 4,800 mAh versus 4,500 in the S20 Plus -- while the S21 stays steady with 4,000 mAh and the S21 Ultra retains its 5,000 mAH battery. 

Also under the hood, or rather the display, is an improved fingerprint sensor from Qualcomm. The chip giant on Monday unveiled the second generation of its 3D Sonic Sensor that's 50% faster and 77% bigger than the previous generation, making it easier for people to to unlock their devices using their fingerprints. Along with making it simpler to know where to place a finger, the larger size also allows the technology to collect 1.7 times more biometric data, speeding up the unlock time. 

Samsung also included ultra wideband, or UWB, technology in the Galaxy S21 Plus and S21 Ultra. The technology lets a user pinpoint the exact location of phones, key fobs and tracking tags, helping them find lost dogs or automatically unlock their car. UWB calculates precise locations by measuring how long it takes super-short radio pulses to travel between devices. (Note: It's different from the Ultra Wideband terminology Verizon uses for its mmWave 5G network.)

Samsung will eventually have UWB in its Galaxy SmartTags, but the first version available will use Bluetooth Low Energy. The company didn't yet say when the UWB version will be available or how much it will cost, but it sees big opportunities for UWB in the future, especially as it tries to control the smart home. 

"We recently launched SmartThings Find to help you quickly and easily locate your Galaxy devices, even when offline," KJ Kim, chief technology officer and head of mobile R&D for Samsung, said in a statement. "We took this a step further with Galaxy S21 Plus and S21 Ultra, which use expanded UWB capabilities to utilize the AR finder so you can send virtual messages to other Galaxy users during your search."

He added that Samsung has formed partnerships with "major car companies" to provide "a next-generation car experience starting this summer."

And out

The phones in the Galaxy S21 lineup all feature a matte finish that helps minimize fingerprints. In the US, the Galaxy S21 Ultra comes in phantom black and phantom silver, and it has four possible configurations. The silver only comes with 128GB of storage and 12GB RAM, while the black has 128GB or 256GB of storage with 12GB RAM, and a monster 512GB model with 16GB RAM. 

The S21 Plus and S21 have some brighter color options, including phantom violet and phantom pink, the latter of which is only in the S21. There are two storage options for those phones, either 128GB or 256GB, both with 8GB RAM.

Samsung's Galaxy S21 (left), Galaxy S21 Plus (center) and Galaxy S21 Ultra hit stores Jan. 29.

Drew Evans/CNET

Samsung's Bixby voice assistant again makes an appearance in the S21 lineup, but its button can be remapped to other tasks. It's also integrated into SmartThings, Samsung's smart home control app.

The S21 Ultra has some advantages when it comes to the screen. All three use Samsung's Infinity-O Displays, are HDR10+ certified and have an adaptive 120Hz refresh rate that automatically adjusts based on what the users is doing, but the Ultra has a resolution of 3,200x1,440, while the other two are 2,400x1,080. 

The Ultra also has a Quad HD+ display -- versus flat, full HD+ in the S21 and S21 Plus -- and "the best, brightest display ever," Samsung's Hawke said. He noted the picture is 25% brighter than in the S21 and S21 Plus. The Ultra also has a 50% improved contrast ratio to deliver clear, immersive images, even when outdoors, and a brighter screen

"This is going to make content really pop, especially high dynamic range content," said Techsponential analyst Avi Greengart. "People will be able to use it outdoors without [the screen] getting washed out."

For Samsung, the hope is that its lineup has something for everyone. 

"When it comes to shopping for new smartphones, first and foremost, people want choice," Samsung's Blackard said. "That is both in terms of features and in terms of price points. So we're really committed to driving a range of different devices that offer what we think is that diversity of needs that's in the market today."

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California's Middle-Class Tax Refund: Do You Qualify for a Check?

California's Middle-Class Tax Refund: Do You Qualify for a Check?

What's happening

California has announced a one-time "middle-class tax refund" that will provide 23 million taxpayers with between $200 and $1,050.

Why it matters

California's economy is the largest in the US. The inflation relief payments are a compromise between Gov. Gavin Newsom and state lawmakers.

Starting this fall, California will send one-time inflation-relief checks to taxpayers. Through the Middle Class Tax Refund, eligible families will receive a one-time payment of as much as $1,050, depending on their income, filing status and household size.

The $9.5 billion in refunds is part of a larger $12 billion relief plan approved by Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom and state lawmakers in June.

"California's budget addresses the state's most pressing needs, and prioritizes getting dollars back into the pockets of millions of Californians who are grappling with global inflation and rising prices of everything from gas to groceries," Newsom said in a statement.

Here's what you need to know about California's inflation relief checks, including who is eligible for the money, how much they'll get and when they can expect to receive it. 

California is just one of numerous states offering residents stimulus payments. Find out which are issuing tax refunds and which are pausing their gas tax and sales tax.

Who qualifies for the California tax rebate check?

The refund plan has been set up in three tiers, based on the adjusted gross income on your 2020 California state tax return.

• Single taxpayers who earned less than $75,000 and couples who filed jointly and made less than $150,000 will receive $350 per taxpayer and another flat $350 if they have any dependents. A married couple with children, therefore, could receive as much as $1,050. This is the largest bracket, KCRA reported, representing about 82% of beneficiaries.
• Individual filers who made between $75,000 and $125,000 -- and couples who earned between $150,000 and $250,000 -- will receive $250 per taxpayer, plus another $250 if they have any dependents. A family with any children could receive $750.
  
• Individual filers who earned between $125,000 and $250,000 and couples who earned between $250,000 and $500,000 would receive $200 each. A family with children in this bracket could receive a maximum of $600.
  

Although single taxpayers who earned more than $250,000 and couples who made more than a combined $500,000 in 2020 aren't eligible, the Middle Class Tax Refund is expected to benefit 23 million Californians in all.

You can estimate your payment with the Franchise Tax Board website calculator.

What are the requirements for the tax rebate?

In addition to meeting income requirements, residents must have filed their 2020 tax refund by Oct. 15, 2021, have lived in the state for at least half of the 2020 tax year and still be a California resident on the date the payment is issued. 

They also cannot have been claimed as dependents in the 2020 tax year. 

When will the California tax rebate payments go out?

According to the  Franchise Tax Board, the payments will start going out in October and the last ones should be received in the middle of January 2023.  

How will California taxpayers receive their rebate payments?

If you filed your 2020 California state tax return electronically and requested a direct deposit for your refund, you will receive the tax rebate as a direct deposit, as well. 

Otherwise, you should receive your payment on a debit card. 

What if I didn't file a 2020 California tax return?

Most Californians who didn't file a complete 2020 tax return by Oct. 15, 2021, aren't eligible for the rebate. (The exception is for those who applied for an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number, or ITIN, and had not received it by Oct 15, 2021.)

In addition to the tax rebate, the state is increasing funding for several social programs, including the Supplemental Security Income/State Supplementary Payment, which assists more than 1 million seniors and disabled people. SSI/SSPbenefits will increase by about $39 per month for individuals and by $100 per month for couples.

There are also increases to California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids, aka CalWORKS grants, which provide money and services to eligible families with children. Grant recipients could see their benefits increase as much as $194 a month, KCRA reported.

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California's Middle-Class Tax Refund: Do You Qualify for a Check?

California's Middle-Class Tax Refund: Do You Qualify for a Check?

What's happening

California has announced a one-time "middle-class tax refund" that will provide 23 million taxpayers with between $200 and $1,050.

Why it matters

California's economy is the largest in the US. The inflation relief payments are a compromise between Gov. Gavin Newsom and state lawmakers.

Starting this fall, California will send one-time inflation-relief checks to taxpayers. Through the Middle Class Tax Refund, eligible families will receive a one-time payment of as much as $1,050, depending on their income, filing status and household size.

The $9.5 billion in refunds is part of a larger $12 billion relief plan approved by Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom and state lawmakers in June.

"California's budget addresses the state's most pressing needs, and prioritizes getting dollars back into the pockets of millions of Californians who are grappling with global inflation and rising prices of everything from gas to groceries," Newsom said in a statement.

Here's what you need to know about California's inflation relief checks, including who is eligible for the money, how much they'll get and when they can expect to receive it. 

California is just one of numerous states offering residents stimulus payments. Find out which are issuing tax refunds and which are pausing their gas tax and sales tax.

Who qualifies for the California tax rebate check?

The refund plan has been set up in three tiers, based on the adjusted gross income on your 2020 California state tax return.

• Single taxpayers who earned less than $75,000 and couples who filed jointly and made less than $150,000 will receive $350 per taxpayer and another flat $350 if they have any dependents. A married couple with children, therefore, could receive as much as $1,050. This is the largest bracket, KCRA reported, representing about 82% of beneficiaries.
• Individual filers who made between $75,000 and $125,000 -- and couples who earned between $150,000 and $250,000 -- will receive $250 per taxpayer, plus another $250 if they have any dependents. A family with any children could receive $750.
  
• Individual filers who earned between $125,000 and $250,000 and couples who earned between $250,000 and $500,000 would receive $200 each. A family with children in this bracket could receive a maximum of $600.
  

Although single taxpayers who earned more than $250,000 and couples who made more than a combined $500,000 in 2020 aren't eligible, the Middle Class Tax Refund is expected to benefit 23 million Californians in all.

You can estimate your payment with the Franchise Tax Board website calculator.

What are the requirements for the tax rebate?

In addition to meeting income requirements, residents must have filed their 2020 tax refund by Oct. 15, 2021, have lived in the state for at least half of the 2020 tax year and still be a California resident on the date the payment is issued. 

They also cannot have been claimed as dependents in the 2020 tax year. 

When will the California tax rebate payments go out?

According to the  Franchise Tax Board, the payments will start going out in October and the last ones should be received in the middle of January 2023.  

How will California taxpayers receive their rebate payments?

If you filed your 2020 California state tax return electronically and requested a direct deposit for your refund, you will receive the tax rebate as a direct deposit, as well. 

Otherwise, you should receive your payment on a debit card. 

What if I didn't file a 2020 California tax return?

Most Californians who didn't file a complete 2020 tax return by Oct. 15, 2021, aren't eligible for the rebate. (The exception is for those who applied for an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number, or ITIN, and had not received it by Oct 15, 2021.)

In addition to the tax rebate, the state is increasing funding for several social programs, including the Supplemental Security Income/State Supplementary Payment, which assists more than 1 million seniors and disabled people. SSI/SSPbenefits will increase by about $39 per month for individuals and by $100 per month for couples.

There are also increases to California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids, aka CalWORKS grants, which provide money and services to eligible families with children. Grant recipients could see their benefits increase as much as $194 a month, KCRA reported.

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