Coronavirus category, Page 69
Dolly Parton changes words to ‘Jolene’ to encourage covid vaccinationsVideo
Country music legend Dolly Parton changed the words to her 1973 hit song “Jolene” to encourage people to get the covid-19 vaccine. Parton received the vaccination in Nashville, Tenn., on Tuesday. She posted the new version of “Jolene,” on Instagram. “Well, hey, it’s me, I am finally going to get...
Abortion concerns prompt archdiocese warning on vaccine
NEW ORLEANS — Roman Catholic leaders in St. Louis and New Orleans are advising Catholics that the covid-19 vaccine from Johnson & Johnson, newly approved for use in the U.S., is “morally compromised” because it is produced using a cell line derived from an aborted fetus. The New Orleans archdiocese...
As virus-era attacks on Asians rise, past victims look back
Nearly a year after they were almost stabbed to death inside a Midland, Texas, Sam’s Club, Bawi Cung and his two sons all have visible scars. It’s the unseen ones though that are harder to get over. Cung can’t walk through any store without constantly looking in all directions. His...
Biden vows enough vaccine for all U.S. adults by end of May
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden said Tuesday that the U.S. expects to take delivery of enough coronavirus vaccines for all adult Americans by the end of May, two months earlier than anticipated, as his administration announced that drugmaker Merck & Co. will help produce rival Johnson & Johnson’s newly approved...
‘Such a relief’: People flock to Heinz Field for covid vaccine clinic by Giant Eagle, SteelersVideo
Debbie Andres had reason to smile beneath her purple mask Tuesday afternoon as she strolled outside Heinz Field and prepared to drive home. The sun was shining. And after several bleak winter weeks of trying to book an appointment with any provider she could find, the 63-year-old Harrison woman managed...
Biden’s plan to distribute virus aid benefits Democratic-led states, some GOP governors say
LINCOLN, Neb. — The Biden administration’s plan to funnel more coronavirus aid into states with greater unemployment has irked governors with lower jobless rates. The $1.9 trillion relief bill working its way through Congress allocates extra money to larger, mostly Democratic-run states with higher unemployment rates, while rural Midwestern and...
Pa. lawmakers urge improvements in vaccine distribution for seniors
HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania lawmakers on Tuesday implored state officials to do better at getting covid-19 vaccines to seniors while the Health Department said the new approval of a third vaccine will help. “This is unacceptable,” state Rep. Bridget Kosierowski, D-Lackawanna, said during a House Aging and Older Adult Services Committee...
Texas becomes biggest state to lift covid-19 mask mandate
AUSTIN, Texas — Texas is lifting its mask mandate, Gov. Greg Abbott said Tuesday, making it the largest state to end an order intended to prevent the spread of the coronavirus that has killed more than 42,000 Texans. The Republican governor has faced sharp criticism from his party over the...
Parents of Springdale basketball players protest playoff cancellationVideo
A group of about a dozen parents, players and their head coach showed up in the lobby of the Allegheny Valley School District offices in Harmar on Tuesday morning to protest its decision to forfeit Springdale High School’s WPIAL first-round boys basketball playoff game. The decision was made after four...
Gov. Wolf: Teachers, others can get Johnson & Johnson vaccine when it arrives
Educators in Pennsylvania will be able to receive the Johnson & Johnson covid-19 vaccine when it becomes available, and shipments should start arriving in the state this week, state officials said Tuesday. “We have an unusual opportunity with (the Johnson & Johnson vaccine) because it’s a one-dose,” Gov. Tom Wolf...
Pa. reports 2,564 covid cases, 74 additional deaths
Pennsylvania on Tuesday reported 2,564 additional coronavirus cases and 74 additional deaths, according to the state Department of Health. Tuesday’s reported cases were designated 1,843 confirmed and 721 probable. Of the newly reported deaths, 69 are from February, three from January and one each in December and November. Health officials...
Westmoreland County has 47 additional covid cases, increase in hospitalizations
Westmoreland County had 47 additional covid cases Tuesday, according to the state Department of Health. The new reported cases were 25 confirmed and 22 probable. That marks the third day cases have been at or below 50. A similar two-day trend was seen last week, when on Feb. 21 (Sunday)...
Allegheny County covid hospitalizations drop by 25% in last week
The number of Allegheny County covid-19 patient hospitalizations has dropped by about 25% since last week, according to state Department of Health data. There were 152 hospitalizations as of Tuesday, down 54 from Thursday when 206 covid patients were in the hospital. Since hospitalizations peaked at 881 on Dec. 16,...
Official: Merck to help produce rival Johnson & Johnson’s covid vaccine
WASHINGTON — Drugmaker Merck & Co. will help produce rival Johnson & Johnson’s newly approved coronavirus vaccine in an effort to expand supply more quickly, a Biden administration official confirmed Tuesday. The announcement comes as the White House looks to speed the production of the single-dose vaccine. Officials have said...
States easing coronavirus restrictions despite experts’ warningsVideo
MISSION, Kan. — With the U.S. vaccination drive picking up speed and a third formula on the way, states eager to reopen for business are easing coronavirus restrictions despite warnings from health experts that the outbreak is far from over and that moving too quickly could prolong the misery. Massachusetts...
Ohio to receive nearly 450K coronavirus vaccines this week
COLUMBUS — Ohio will receive nearly 450,000 doses of the coronavirus vaccine this week thanks to the approval of a third vaccine, and the state is expanding eligible recipients to people 60 and over, pregnant women, day care workers, and police officers, among others, Gov. Mike DeWine said Monday. The...
Trumps were vaccinated in January before leaving White House, adviser says
Before leaving the White House on Jan. 20, then-President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump received their first dose of the covid-19 vaccine earlier in the month, a Trump adviser said Monday. The former first couple received their second shot while in Florida as private citizens. The adviser did...
Covid cases continue to climb at Allegheny County Jail
The number of inmates at Allegheny County Jail who are positive for covid-19 has doubled in the last week. As of Sunday, 76 inmates were positive for the novel coronavirus, with another 27 tests pending, according to the county’s website. Also on Monday, six pods at the jail were in...
Phone appointments filled for Heinz Field covid vaccine clinic
Both phone and online appointments for Giant Eagle’s covid vaccination clinic at Heinz Field have been completely filled, a spokesman for the chain said Monday. The multi-day clinic will take place this week, from Tuesday to Friday. Online appointments became available last Friday, Feb. 26, through Giant Eagle’s scheduling tool....
States easing virus restrictions despite experts’ warnings
KANSAS CITY, Kan. — With the U.S. vaccination drive picking up speed and a third formula on the way, states eager to reopen for business are easing coronavirus restrictions despite warnings from health experts that the outbreak is far from over and that moving too quickly could prolong the misery....
WHO calls it ‘premature,’ ‘unrealistic’ that covid will end soon
GENEVA — A senior World Health Organization official said Monday it was “premature” and “unrealistic” to think the pandemic might be stopped by the end of the year, but that the recent arrival of effective vaccines could at least help dramatically reduce hospitalizations and death. The world’s singular focus right...
Minimum wage hike all but dead in big covid relief bill
WASHINGTON — Democrats’ hopes of including a minimum wage increase in their $1.9 trillion covid-19 relief bill seemed all but dead Monday as the Senate prepared to debate its own version of the House-passed aid package. Four days after the chamber’s parliamentarian said Senate rules forbid inclusion of a straight-out...
Pa. teachers could move to vaccine’s phase 1A distribution, task force says
Discussions are in progress in Pennsylvania’s General Assembly to possibly move teachers to phase 1A of the state’s vaccine rollout. State Rep. Tim O’Neal, R-Washington, sent an email Sunday alerting House GOP members of the possibility, according to WPXI. He explained that the National Guard would be involved in the...
Pennsylvania saw record declines in covid numbers in February
In February, Pennsylvania saw the steepest decline in new cases of the entire pandemic. The state went from 202,899 new cases in January to 88,418 new cases in February — a 56% drop. Even though February has three fewer days than January, if you were to add three days of...
Westmoreland County’s covid number dropped dramatically in February
When compared with recent prior months, February was much better with regard to the coronavirus in Westmoreland County. New cases of covid-19 dropped by 61.5% from January (5,370) to February (2,064). Even within the month, new cases dropped from the first half to the second. In the first 14 days...
