Health & Safety

A photo of Tony Tsantinis hangs in a collage set up for a celebration of his life on the final day that Athens Pizza in Brimfield, Mass., was open for business.

Doctors called 17 hospitals looking for an ICU bed. He died waiting for a transfer

4:14pm January 19, 2022

by Martha Bebinger

A beloved pizzeria owner in Brimfield, Mass., had COVID-19 and needed dialysis, but it wasn't available at the hospital where he died. The health system is "breaking down," a hospital CEO says.

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Gov. Kevin Stitt issued an executive order on Tuesday that permits state employees to work as substitute teachers while retaining their regular jobs with no reduction in pay or benefits.

Oklahoma will allow state employees to work as substitute teachers to fight shortages

3:38pm January 19, 2022

by Joe Hernandez

It's the latest state to float an unorthodox solution to the problem of teachers and staff calling out sick because of an omicron-driven spike in COVID-19 infections across the country.

Health & Safety

Police say two residents found dead at understaffed Thomasville nursing home

2:39pm January 19, 2022

by Paul Garber

State and local investigators are looking into reports that two people died in an understaffed Thomasville nursing home during the weekend winter storm.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson leaves 10 Downing St. in London on Wednesday. Speculation over a vote of no confidence in his leadership mounts.

Britain's Johnson faces growing calls to quit after throwing parties during lockdown

12:41pm January 19, 2022

by Scott Neuman

The prime minister has admitted to throwing "bring your own booze" parties at his official residence in London while ordinary Britons were told to stay away from unnecessary gatherings.

The Biden administration announced that it is giving away 400 million free N95 masks.

The Biden administration will give out 400 million free N95 masks

11:21am January 19, 2022

by Rachel Treisman

The high-quality masks will go to pharmacies and community health centers starting this week in an effort to control the spread of COVID-19.

The omicron variant is wreaking havoc at day care centers

8:37am January 19, 2022

Children under 5 are still too young to be vaccinated for COVID-19, and that is leading to a lot of stress and disruption among their parents and their caregivers.

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Health & Safety

The federal government offers free COVID-19 tests and N95 masks

7:22am January 19, 2022

Each U.S. household can order four tests from COVIDtests.gov. The administration also plans to give out 400 million N95 masks for free through pharmacies, grocery stores and community health centers.

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Wisconsin asks National Guard personnel to become certified nursing assistants

7:22am January 19, 2022

NPR's Debbie Elliott speaks with Associate Dean Lisa Greenwood about how Madison Area Technical College plans to train members of the states National Guard to become nursing assistants.

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News brief: COVIDtests.gov, Biden news conference, Blinken's Ukraine trip

6:26am January 19, 2022

A new federal government website makes it easy to order COVID-19 tests. President Biden marks one year in office. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is trying to defuse Russia-Ukraine tensions.

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The Q100 bus is one of the only ways to get in and out of Rikers Island, New York's largest correctional facility. During the pandemic, advocates say, the jail has descended into chaos.

The Q100 bus to Rikers can be a lifeline for families with loved ones inside the jail

6:00am January 19, 2022

by Jasmine Garsd

The city bus is one of the only ways in or out of New York's Rikers Island jail. Conditions there have been declared a crisis. Detainees say the only way to check on their loved ones is in person.

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