Coronavirus category, Page 103
Putin orders ‘large-scale’ vaccination of doctors, teachers
MOSCOW — Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday ordered the start of a “large-scale” covid-19 vaccination of doctors and teachers late next week with the Sputnik V shot, which has yet to complete advanced studies needed to ensure its effectiveness and safety. Putin’s statement comes hours after Britain, which became...
EU pushes for ‘right to disconnect’ from work at home
BRUSSELS — European Union lawmakers on Wednesday voted in favor of a “right to disconnect” from the internet and email, with around one third of people now working from home across the 27-nation bloc due in large part to coronavirus restrictions. In a resolution, the parliamentarians argue that disconnecting from...
U.K. authorizes Pfizer coronavirus vaccine for emergency use
British officials authorized a covid-19 vaccine for emergency use on Wednesday, greenlighting the world’s first shot against the virus that’s backed by rigorous science and taking a major step toward eventually ending the pandemic. The go-ahead for the vaccine developed by American drugmaker Pfizer and Germany’s BioNTech comes as the...
Florida’s covid-19 total surpasses the million mark with 8,847 new casesVideo
MIAMI — Florida has now confirmed more than 1 million cases of covid-19. The state hit the milestone Tuesday when the Florida Department of Health confirmed 8,847 additional cases of the novel coronavirus, bringing the state’s known total to 1,008,166. That makes Florida the third state in the country to...
Pa. to administer free covid tests in counties without health departments
Pennsylvania health officials announced Tuesday the state will begin administering free covid-19 testing in counties that do not have their own health departments. Only six Pennsylvania counties have their own health departments, including Allegheny and Erie counties in Western Pennsylvania. Other counties are Philadelphia, Montgomery, Chester and Bucks. “Our goal...
Westmoreland courthouse offices limit visitors amid covid surge
As covid-19 cases continue to surge, Westmoreland officials said Tuesday that courthouse offices will scale back some public-facing services in an effort to mitigate the spread of infections. County Commissioner Sean Kertes said that unlike the spring, when commissioners furloughed hundreds of workers and limited most courthouse functions, there will...
Sen. Mitch McConnell says he’s revising his covid relief planVideo
WASHINGTON — Top Senate Republican Mitch McConnell said Tuesday he’s revising his scaled-back covid-19 relief bill with the goal of passing a significant downpayment during the lame-duck session and then revisiting the topic next year. The Kentucky Republican made the announcement after President-elect Joe Biden called upon lawmakers to follow...
Canada: U.S. border measures to last until coronavirus under control
TORONTO — Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Tuesday the ban on nonessential travel with the United States will not be lifted until covid-19 is significantly more under control around the world. Canada and the U.S. have limited border crossings since March, extending the restrictions each month. “Until the virus...
U.S. panel: 1st vaccines should go to health care workers, nursing homes
NEW YORK — Health care workers and nursing home residents should be at the front of the line when the first coronavirus vaccine shots become available, an influential government advisory panel said Tuesday. The panel voted 13-1 to recommend priority be given to those groups in the first days of...
FDA chief called to White House as Trump pushes for vaccine
WASHINGTON — The head of the agency responsible for approving any covid-19 vaccine for the U.S. was summoned to the White House Tuesday as an increasingly frustrated President Donald Trump complained approval wasn’t coming faster. White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows called in Stephen Hahn, the head of the...
Nonessential shops reopen in Belgium as virus numbers drop
BRUSSELS — Nonessential shops in Belgium reopened Tuesday in the wake of encouraging figures about declining daily coronavirus infection rates and hospital admissions. Few overcrowding incidents were reported. The government had been fearful that the change might lead to massive gatherings in the nation’s most popular shopping centers and streets....
Pa. posts highest single-day covid-19 deaths since May
Pennsylvania on Tuesday reported the most covid-related deaths in a single day since May. There were 180 new deaths attributed to covid-19 — surpassing any single-day mark since 275 were posted May 14 — according to the Health Department. Hospitalizations continue to climb as well. According to the state’s covid-19...
Arizona cites holiday reporting delays for record 10K cases
PHOENIX — Arizona on Tuesday reported over 10,000 new known coronavirus cases, but the state said the record number nearly three times the latest seven-day daily rolling average reflected not only the current surge but also delayed reporting by local health officials due to the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. “Today, the...
Westmoreland County eclipses 200 total deaths attributed to covid-19
Westmoreland County on Tuesday surpassed 200 deaths attributed to the coronavirus — more than half of which were reported since Nov. 1. The county reported five new deaths and 199 additional cases of covid-19, according to the state Health Department. Since Nov. 1, Westmoreland County has reported 101 covid-19 deaths,...
Allegheny County reports 603 new coronavirus cases, 5 new deaths
The number of coronavirus cases in Allegheny County jumped Tuesday after a slight lull over the holiday weekend, according to the county Health Department. The county reported 603 additional cases of covid-19 on Tuesday and five additional deaths. That’s compared to 920 cases — 400 on Monday and 520 on...
European regulator to decide Dec. 29 on 1st virus vaccine
BERLIN — The European Medicines Agency will convene a meeting Dec. 29 to decide if there is enough data about the safety and efficacy of the covid-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech for it to be approved, the regulator said Tuesday. The agency also said Tuesday it could decide...
Report: Dr. Atlas formally resigns as Trump’s special adviser on the coronavirus pandemic
President Donald Trump’s special adviser to the coronavirus pandemic has formally resigned. According to a resignation letter dated for Dec. 1 and obtained by Fox News, Dr. Scott Atlas said he “worked hard with a singular focus – to save lives and help Americans through this pandemic.” BREAKING—Trump’s pandemic advisor...
St. Therese of Lisieux in Munhall moves to online learning
Saint Therese of Lisieux School, a Diocese of Pittsburgh school in Munhall, will move to remote learning immediately, after identifying covid-related issues over Thanksgiving break. School administrators were notified of one positive test due to an “exposure unrelated to school.” Two other staff members also reported possible exposures. The resulting...
Levine: Pa. has reached ‘concerning milestone’ in covid-19
Pennsylvania has reached a “concerning milestone” in covid-19 infections and hospitalizations, Health Secretary Rachel Levine said Monday. Levine said the state’s percent positivity rate — measuring the number of covid-19 tests that come back with positive results — is over 12%. Health experts have said any rate above 5% is...
Westmoreland County adds 302 new coronavirus cases, 7 deaths over 2 days
Officials with the Pennsylvania Department of Health reported 302 new covid-19 cases over the past two days in Westmoreland County on Monday. There were 173 new cases Sunday and 129 on Monday. Among the new cases, 152 were confirmed through 385 new PCR tests from Sunday’s batch, while 96 were...
Rhode Island hospitals reach covid capacity; Calif. enacts stricter restrictions
PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Rhode Island’s hospitals reached their covid-19 capacity on Monday, the same day the state’s two-week pause meant to control the rise in new coronavirus cases took effect. The state pushed an emergency alert to residents’ cell phones that read: “Hospitals at capacity due to COVID. Help the...
Pennsylvania adds 9,797 new covid cases in 2 days, 107 deaths
Pennsylvania’s covid-19 tally rose by nearly 9,800 more cases over the past two days, according to data Monday from the state’s Department of Health. Officials said 9,797 new cases were reported — 5,529 on Sunday, 4,268 on Monday. The statewide total stands at 361,464 cases. Of those cases, 5,178 were...
Yes, you can get covid twice; don’t be alarmed, scientists say
SAN DIEGO — Data from San Diego County suggests that few residents have gotten covid-19 twice so far, echoing findings from researchers across the globe. The Union-Tribune asked the County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency for the number of people who’ve tested positive for the coronavirus twice,...
Allegheny County’s new covid case numbers recede slightly
After a week of staggering new daily covid case reports, Allegheny County added 920 additional cases over the past two days, according to the Health Department. On Friday, the county added a record 869 new cases. On Thursday, 773 new cases were announced. The two-day total was 1,642 — a...
6 dead in pandemic unrest at Sri Lanka prison
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka — Inmates unhappy about the coronavirus threat at an overcrowded prison near Sri Lanka’s capital have clashed with guards who opened fire, leaving six prisoners dead and 35 others injured, officials said Monday. Two guards were critically injured, they said. Pandemic-related unrest has been growing in the...
