Health & Safety

Thousands of New Year's day revelers gather on the South Beach in Durban after the government lifted a COVID-19 curfew.

South Africa eases most COVID restrictions, citing high population immunity

1:10pm February 01, 2022

by Eyder Peralta

Up to 80% of South Africans are either vaccinated or have recovered from an infection The only vestige of COVID-19 rules are masks, which are still required in public spaces and on public transport.

A person swabs their nose as they receive testing for both rapid antigen and PCR COVID-19 tests at a Reliant Health Services testing site in Hawthorne, Calif., on Jan. 18.

Health & Safety

Even if they can find a test, not everyone wants to know they have COVID

11:54am February 01, 2022

by Yuki Noguchi

For some people, getting a positive coronavirus test could mean loss of income or other life disruptions. Doctors worry about growing disincentives to test and how this could prolong the pandemic.

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Elana Meyers Taylor and Kaysha Love of USA look on after competing in the two-woman bobsled. Meyers Taylor recently tested positive for COVID-19 and is isolating in Beijing.

Third U.S. Olympic bobsledder tests positive for COVID-19 before Beijing Games

8:04am February 01, 2022

by Jaclyn Diaz

37-year-old Elana Meyers Taylor, a three-time Olympic medalist, announced on Twitter that she tested positive for COVID-19 two days after arriving in Beijing for the 2022 Olympic Games.

Health & Safety

News brief: COVID kids' vaccine, Russian natural gas supply, Boris Johnson

7:57am February 01, 2022

A COVID vaccine for kids under 5 may be ready soon. There's concern Russia could weaponize its natural gas exports in retaliation for sanctions. Britain's prime minister meets with Ukraine's leader.

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A nurse administers a pediatric dose of the Covid-19 vaccine to a girl at a L.A. Care Health Plan vaccination clinic at Los Angeles Mission College in the Sylmar neighborhood in Los Angeles, Ca., January 19, 2022.

Health & Safety

COVID-19 vaccine for young kids could be ready this month

7:42am February 01, 2022

Pfizer and BioNTech are expected to file for emergency use authorization with the Food and Drug Administration as early as Tuesday.

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In Mississippi, there are too many patients and not enough staff

7:32am February 01, 2022

by Shalina Chatlani

Mississippi, one of the states being hit hardest by the omicron variant, is struggling to keep hospital doors open because of staffing issues.

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California universal health care bill dies without a vote

9:01pm January 31, 2022

by The Associated Press

The bill had to pass by midnight on Monday to have a chance at becoming law this year but its Democratic author didn't put it up for a vote when he realized it wouldn't pass.

Sandra Castro vaccinates first-grader Kristen Cruz, 6, at KIPP Believe Charter School in New Orleans last week ahead of Tuesday's deadline for all students in the city's school system to be vaccinated.

New Orleans will be the first major school district to mandate COVID vaccinations

7:36pm January 31, 2022

by The Associated Press

Waivers for those opposed to vaccination are easy to obtain under state regulations, and schools will work with students who aren't inoculated, the district's superintendent said.

Debate rages over whether kids should wear masks at school

4:35pm January 31, 2022

by Anya Kamenetz

Should we put KN95 masks on children or take all masks off? A new camp of parents, doctors and advocates who are pro-vaccine but against mask mandates for children is getting louder.

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Protest against COVID mandates roils Ottawa despite officials' plea for it to end

1:20pm January 31, 2022

The so-called "Freedom Convoy" was originally set up to oppose the federal government's vaccine mandate and now participants say they have no plans to leave.