Coronavirus category, Page 54
Canada to start to get Pfizer vaccines from the U.S. next week
TORONTO — Canada will start getting Pfizer covid-19 vaccines from the United States next week, a company spokesperson said Friday, in what will be the first time the U.S. has allowed that company’s vaccine exported to Canada. Despite Canada’s tightly woven commercial ties with the U.S., it has been getting...
U.S. closes in on 100 million Americans fully vaccinated
Disneyland reopened Friday and New York’s mayor predicted the big city will be up and running again at full strength by July 1, as the number of Americans fully vaccinated against covid-19 closed in on 100 million. Visitors cheered and screamed with delight as the Southern California theme park swung...
U.S. officials: Anxiety drove vaccine reactions in 5 states
It was anxiety — and not a problem with the shots — that caused fainting, dizziness and other short-term reactions in dozens of people at coronavirus vaccine clinics in five states, U.S. health officials have concluded. Experts say the clusters detailed Friday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention...
Backlog of covid cases contributes to rise in Pennsylvania; Allegheny, Westmoreland also up
Pennsylvania on Friday saw an uptick in covid-19 cases, with similar rises reflected in Allegheny and Westmoreland counties. The increase comes as nearly half the state’s population has at least one dose of covid vaccine. Cases The state added 4,607 cases of covid-19, the most reported in a single day...
Studies show covid vaccine protects twice as long as natural immunity
New medical studies are examining both the length of natural immunity in patients who have recovered from covid-19, as well as the effectiveness of the Moderna vaccine in producing antibodies to combat the virus. A study published in BioMed Central found that fewer than half of 37 covid-positive patients retained...
Saint Vincent College goes into lockdown as covid-19 numbers surge
Saint Vincent College went into lockdown status Thursday evening as the number of covid-19 cases on campus surged. College President the Rev. Paul Taylor ordered the campus community to shelter in place and all classes to be conducted remotely as of 3 p.m. Thursday. His order came as the campus...
Brazil tops 400,000 coronavirus deaths amid fears of renewed surge
SAO PAULO — Brazil on Thursday became the second country to officially top 400,000 covid-19 deaths, losing another 100,000 lives in just one month, as some health experts warn there may be gruesome days ahead when the Southern Hemisphere enters winter. April was Brazil’s deadliest month of the pandemic, with...
Mayor Bill de Blasio says New York City will ‘fully reopen’ by July 1Video
NEW YORK — New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said Thursday he expects to see covid-19 restrictions lifted and the city “fully reopen” by July 1. “We are ready for stores to open, for businesses to open, offices, theaters, full strength,” the Democratic mayor said on MSNBC. De Blasio...
Nearly half of all Pennsylvanians have at least 1 covid vaccine shot
Over 6 million people in Pennsylvania (47.3% of residents) have at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, and more than 3.8 million have been fully vaccinated (30.3% of residents), according to the data posted by the state on Thursday. And locally, the state reported that 655,660 of Allegheny County...
Pa. drug overdose deaths rose in 2020, likely fueled by pandemic, officials say
Overdose deaths in Pennsylvania ticked upward in 2020 after two years of relatively stable numbers, something officials say is likely the ripple effect of a pandemic that caused an influx of stress and isolated people from their support systems. “The uncertain, stressful and isolating nature of the pandemic has caused...
India cases set new global record; millions vote in 1 state
NEW DELHI — India set another global record in new virus cases Thursday, as millions of people in one state cast votes despite rising infections and the country geared up to open its vaccination rollout to all adults amid snags. With 379,257 new infections, India now has reported more than...
6 covid cases in 8 days spur closure of Northside Catholic school
Six covid-19 cases linked to Northside Catholic Assumption Academy in the past eight days have prompted administrators to close the campus until May 6, officials said Wednesday. Administrators did not specify whether the newly confirmed coronavirus cases involved students, teachers or other staff or people affiliated to the school. The...
Fitzgerald: Entertainment venues should offer vaccinated sections for spectatorsVideo
Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald is encouraging sports and entertainment venues to create special sections for vaccinated spectators, following a proposal by the Pittsburgh Penguins to create such a section for fans. “I would encourage all of our sports teams, all of our venues, theaters, the opera, the symphony, the...
Connecticut becomes 6th state to end religious vaccine exemption
Connecticut will no longer allow a religious exemption from childhood immunization requirements for schools, colleges and day care facilities, becoming the sixth state to end that policy. The legislation was signed into law Wednesday by Gov. Ned Lamont, hours after the Democratic-controlled Senate passed the bill late Tuesday night. More...
Pennsylvania sending covid-19 vaccines to more providers
HARRISBURG — Covid-19 vaccines will be sent to more providers in Pennsylvania, widening the distribution network this week to include doctors, small pharmacies and others as part of its effort to overcome lingering hesitancy among residents who have yet to get the shot. The Health Department said Wednesday it allocated...
Wolf takes on vaccine hesitancy ahead of Washington County walk-in clinic
Walk-ins will be welcome at a Washington County vaccination clinic on Thursday and Friday, state and local officials have announced, in the latest attempt to entice as many Pennsylvanians as possible to get the covid-19 vaccine and inch society toward herd immunity. “We need to make sure the demand stays...
Westmoreland County reaches 100,000 fully vaccinated against covid
Westmoreland County surpassed 100,000 residents fully vaccinated against the coronavirus, according to information released Wednesday by the Pennsylvania Department of Health. Westmoreland is the 10th county in the state to hit that mark. In total, there are 100,080 fully vaccinated in the county and 49,232 partially vaccinated. Overall in the...
BioNTech chief says Europe will reach herd immunity by August
BERLIN — Europe can achieve herd immunity against the coronavirus within the next four months, the head of German pharmaceutical company BioNTech, which developed the first widely approved covid-19 vaccine with U.S. partner Pfizer, said Wednesday. While the exact threshold required to reach that critical level of immunization remains a...
First-grader in southwestern Minnesota dies of covid-19
MARSHALL, Minn. — A young child from southwestern Minnesota has died of covid-19 complications, according to the state Department of Health. While coronavirus deaths in children are rare, they can occur even in otherwise healthy children, health officials said. “Since the start of the pandemic, three Minnesota children under age...
Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee: Coronavirus now not statewide public health crisisVideo
NASHVILLE — Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee declared Tuesday that covid-19 is no longer a statewide public health crisis, saying he is removing the option for most local governments to mandate masks in public and urging a few big counties with restrictions like mask requirements to remove them on their own...
Western Pa. health experts: Relaxed mask rules ‘long overdue’
Health experts in Western Pennsylvania said it’s no surprise outdoor mask-wearing is no longer part of federal health guidance. From the beginning of the pandemic, data has shown outdoor transmission of covid-19 to be a rare event. “I think that this was a long overdue step, but it was completely...
Private Florida school won’t employ vaccinated teachers, staffVideo
MIAMI — A private school founded by an anti-vaccination activist in South Florida has warned teachers and staff against taking the covid-19 vaccine, saying it will not employ anyone who has received the shot. The Centner Academy in Miami sent a notice to parents on this week informing them of...
Covid-19 cases prompt 2-day closure of Derry Area secondary schools
Derry Area School District on Tuesday began a two-day closure of its high school/middle school complex triggered by covid-19 cases. In a letter posted on the district website, Superintendent Eric Curry reported, as of Monday, there were six positive covid cases at the secondary building over the past 14 days....
CDC says many Americans can now go outside without a mask
NEW YORK — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention eased its guidelines Tuesday on the wearing of masks outdoors, saying fully vaccinated Americans don’t need to cover their faces anymore unless they are in a big crowd of strangers. And those who are unvaccinated can go outside without masks...
Covid vaccine clinic held at Westmoreland courthouseVideo
As many as 600 coronavirus vaccines were administered Tuesday at the Westmoreland County Courthouse in Greensburg. The clinic, open to county employees, their families and the general public, was held from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Hayden’s Pharmacy in Youngwood oversaw the operation. Hayden’s owner Ed Christofano said about 200...
