Coronavirus category, Page 60
World covid report: Bangkok nightspots may close as virus precaution
BANGKOK — Thai health officials are considering the closure of entertainment venues in Bangkok after an outbreak of coronavirus cases in nightspots in and around the capital, and another at a prison in the south. Apisamai Srirangsan, a spokesperson for the Center for covid-19 Situation Administration, said 194 new coronavirus...
Epidemiologist warns of covid-19 variant’s effect on kidsVideo
One of the covid-19 variants can infect children more easily, posing a new risk to kids, a nationally respected epidemiologist warned on Sunday. The variant called B.1.1.7, first detected in the U.K., represents “a brand-new ballgame” in the fight against covid-19, Dr. Michael Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious...
U.K. eyes testing covid-19 passports at mass gatherings
LONDON — Britain is planning to test a series of measures including “coronavirus status certifications” over the coming weeks to see if they can allow people to safely return to mass gatherings at sports arenas, nightclubs and concerts. People attending a range of events this month and in May, including...
Singing hymns through masks, Christians mark pandemic Easter
VATICAN CITY (AP) — Christianity’s most joyous feast day was celebrated worldwide with the faithful far apart in pews and singing choruses of “Hallelujah” through face coverings on a second Easter Sunday marked by pandemic precautions. From vast Roman Catholic cathedrals to Protestant churches, worshippers followed national or local regulations...
The final insult: Some dying of covid while awaiting vaccine
After months of hoping to receive a covid-19 immunization and then weeks of fighting the illness after one never came, Air Force veteran Diane Drewes was down to her last few breaths at a hospice center in Ohio when the phone rang. It was a health care worker, calling to...
Allegheny, Westmoreland report highest new covid case totals since January
Allegheny and Westmoreland counties on Saturday each saw their highest new number of covid cases since mid-January. Allegheny County added 653 cases, the highest since 670 were added on Jan. 13, while Westmoreland’s 214 additional cases were the most since 277 on that same day in January. Pennsylvania’s 5,343 new...
Johnson & Johnson testing covid-19 vaccine in adolescents between 12 and 17 years old
Johnson & Johnson has expanded a clinical trial of its experimental coronavirus vaccine to include adolescents 12 to 17 years old, the drugmaker announced Friday. The ongoing, placebo-controlled trial was initially designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the shots for people ages 18 and older. The company now...
Covid-19 surge at Pitt: University reports 54 new coronavirus cases in 2 days
A still-growing surge of covid-19 cases at the University of Pittsburgh has prompted leaders to urge students to take extra care and abide by shelter-in-place rules going into Easter weekend. Between Tuesday and Thursday, the university reported an additional 54 cases of the coronavirus disease. Those include 51 students and...
After glitches, Allegheny County resumes 2nd covid dose invitations
The Allegheny County Health Department has resumed sending second dose invitations for its new registration system, following the system’s bumpy unveiling on Thursday. The county officially launched a new online registration system for individuals to sign up for the covid-19 vaccine. The system was meant to make signing up easier...
Wolf: More than 112K Pa. teachers and staff vaccinated in 3 weeks
More than 112,500 teachers and school staffers across Pennsylvania received a covid-19 vaccine in less than a month, leading Gov. Tom Wolf on Friday to declare his aggressive vaccination plan for educators a victory. “This is a great success,” Wolf declared during a trip to Luzerne County. “We know that...
Many still hesitate to get covid vaccine, but reluctance is easing
So few people came for covid-19 vaccinations in one county in North Carolina that hospitals there now allow anyone 16 or older to get a shot, regardless of where they live. Get a shot, get a free doughnut, the governor said. Alabama, with the country’s lowest vaccination rate, launched a...
Pennsylvania’s covid cases remain elevated
Pennsylvania on Friday reported more than 4,000 new cases of coronavirus — the seventh time in two weeks the state has eclipsed that threshold. The state added 4,656 newly reported cases, raising the total case count to 1,033,406. The seven-day average, at 4,034, has been above 4,000 cases for the...
Fully vaccinated can travel again, says new CDC guidance
NEW YORK — Add travel to the activities vaccinated Americans can enjoy again, according to new U.S. guidance issued Friday. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated its guidance to say fully vaccinated people can travel within the U.S. without getting tested for the coronavirus or going into quarantine...
U.K. bans travel from 4 more nations over virus; 39 in all
LONDON — The British government is gearing up to ban international arrivals from four more countries — Bangladesh, Kenya, Pakistan and the Philippines — amid concerns over new virus variants but opted against including France and other European nations that are facing a resurgence of the virus. The Department for...
Pennsylvania to lift telework mandate this weekend
Pennsylvania on Sunday will lift its mandate for businesses to telework when possible — instead, teleworking will be encouraged. “Telework for businesses will be highly encouraged; previously, telework was to be used unless it was not possible to do so,” state officials said. The mandate was placed early on in...
Allegheny County’s new vaccine registration system opens
The Allegheny County Health Department’s new vaccine registration system, designed to make registering for an appointment easier, is officially open to the public. The department announced the new system was on the way last week and began a “soft launch” earlier this week. Individuals seeking a vaccine appointment through the...
‘Hang on and do what works’: Excela’s top doctor talks vaccines, safety as covid restrictions are set to easeVideo
New coronavirus cases are on the rise once again in Westmoreland County, and with more reopenings statewide coming Sunday, Excela Health Chief Medical Officer Dr. Carol Fox is on edge. Some alcohol-related restrictions will be lifted by state officials this weekend and restaurants and other businesses can increase their capacity...
Biden launches community corps to boost covid vaccinations
WASHINGTON — Seeking to overcome vaccine hesitancy, the Biden administration on Thursday stepped up its outreach efforts to skeptical Americans, launching a coalition of community, religious and celebrity partners to promote covid-19 shots in hard-hit communities. The administration’s “We Can Do This” campaign features television and social media ads, but...
U.S. allows 2 more over-the-counter covid-19 home tests
WASHINGTON — U.S. health officials have authorized two more over-the-counter covid-19 tests that can be used at home to get rapid results. The move by the Food and Drug Administration is expected to vastly expand the availability of cheap home tests that many experts have advocated since the early days...
Pennsylvania saw upswing in covid cases, hospitalizations in March
Covid-19 cases in Pennsylvania took an upswing in March, though nothing like what was experienced last fall through the beginning of this year. The Pennsylvania Department of Health on Thursday reported 3,893 additional cases; and the seven-day average of cases in the state ticked up to 4,073. The seven-day total...
How much is your town slated to get from the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan?
The American Rescue Plan, the $1.9 trillion stimulus package signed into law by President Joe Biden on March 11, includes funding for counties and local municipalities. The money, which will be sent in two batches, must be spent by the end of 2024 on projects that include reimbursement and expenses...
Pfizer shot remains more than 91% effective after 6 months
Pfizer Inc.’s covid-19 vaccine remained highly effective after six months, according to new long-term results that the company said could be used to seek an expansion of its regulatory status. Follow-up data from a final-stage trial of 46,307 people showed the vaccine was 91.3% effective in preventing symptomatic cases starting...
World trade body chief says vaccine inequity ‘unacceptable’
GENEVA — The head of the World Trade Organization called Thursday for expanded capability in developing countries to manufacture vaccines, saying the gaping imbalance in access to coronavirus vaccines that mostly favors rich, developed countries was unacceptable. WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said she supports the creation of a framework that...
Covid world update: Germany’s president receives AstraZeneca vaccine; vaccine requirements in Italy
BERLIN — Germany’s president has been vaccinated with the AstraZeneca shot, a signal of confidence in the vaccine after the country restricted its use in people under 60. The presidential office said in a statement that President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who is 65, received his first shot at a hospital in...
Sarah Palin confirms covid-19 diagnosis, urges steps like masks
ANCHORAGE, Alaska — Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin says she tested positive for covid-19 and is urging people to take steps to guard against the coronavirus, such as wearing masks in public. “Through it all, I view wearing that cumbersome mask indoors in a crowd as not only allowing the...
