Tom Howell Jr.

Nigeria finds samples of omicron variant from October

Nigeria on Wednesday said it found a coronavirus sample with the omicron variant from October, suggesting the strain was circulating far before it burst into view last week in a cluster within South Africa.

December 1, 2021

Omicron variant spooks Wall Street; Dow takes a tumble

Financial markets reeled Tuesday after vaccine-maker Moderna predicted the omicron variant would inflict a "material drop" in their COVID-19 shots' power and Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell said the viral strain could produce "downside" risks to in-person work and supply chains.

November 30, 2021

Fauci: Too early to conclude omicron causes mild illness

The White House said Tuesday that people should not leap to conclusions about the severity of illness from the omicron variant amid widely circulated reports about early patients who had mild symptoms.

November 30, 2021

FDA to the public: We will be nimble in response to omicron

The Food and Drug Administration assured the public Tuesday it is "actively working" with drugmakers and global partners to understand whether the omicron variant of the coronavirus can puncture existing defenses and if updated products are needed.

November 30, 2021

Justice Breyer refuses to block COVID-19 vaccine mandate at Mass. hospital

Supreme Court Justice Stephen G. Breyer on Monday rejected a request by health workers to block a large Massachusetts hospital system's COVID-19 vaccine mandate.

November 30, 2021

Moderna CEO predicts drop in vaccines’ power due to omicron variant

The chief executive of Moderna, a key COVID-19 vaccine maker, predicted a "material drop" in the shots' efficacy against the omicron variant, spooking investors in early Tuesday trading amid new fears about the trajectory of the pandemic.

November 30, 2021

China’s Xi pledges 1 billion COVID-19 vaccine doses to Africa in wake of omicron variant

China pledged late Monday to provide 1 billion doses of its COVID-19 vaccines to Africa amid fears of the omicron variant and jockeying with the U.S. to be viewed as a responsible nation doing its part to battle the pandemic on the world stage.

November 30, 2021

Omicron variant spreading fast, but scientists call it mild, warn not to panic

Omicron, the latest coronavirus variant with a Greek name, features a buffet of mutations suggesting it will spread faster, stiff-arm vaccines to some degree and bind tighter to human cells, but scientists aren't hitting the panic button yet.

November 29, 2021

Biden: Omicron cause for ‘concern’ but not ‘panic’

President Biden said Monday the omicron variant first detected in South Africa is "cause for concern" but "not a cause for panic."

November 29, 2021

WHO: It’s not just quantity — COVID-19 vaccine shipments to Africa must be coordinated

Vaccine donations to Africa must be more predictable and include vials with a shelf life of at least 10 weeks, the World Health Organization and partner groups said Monday, saying "ad hoc" shipments from wealthy nations with little notice make it difficult for the continent to use the shots it receives.

November 29, 2021

First lady Jill Biden displays White House Christmas decor

First lady Jill Biden unveiled White House Christmas decor Monday that highlights "Gifts from the Heart" that unite the country -- including faith, family, the arts and service -- and pays homage to front-line workers who toiled through the coronavirus pandemic.

November 29, 2021

Are vaccine mandates worth the hassle? Economists, lobby groups say voluntary measures work better

President Biden's COVID-19 vaccine mandate is expected to push 23 million workers at large companies to get vaccinated, but the political backlash, disruptive legal fight and threat of workplace upheaval over the holiday season raises the question: Is it all worth it?

November 27, 2021

Biden orders travel ban on South Africa, other countries due to variant

The Biden administration said Friday it is restricting travel from South Africa and seven other countries because of fears about a new coronavirus variant with mutations that could make it more powerful against humans.

November 26, 2021

WHO: Mutation in South Africa, ‘omicron,’ is a variant of concern

The World Health Organization on Friday formally designated a coronavirus variant first detected in South Africa as one "of concern" as the U.S., Europe and others rushed to ban flights from the affected region and stock markets took a dive from the bitter news.

November 26, 2021

Ukraine’s Zelenskyy says there are plans for a coup against him

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Friday that opposition figures were planning a coup d'etat in the coming weeks, heightening tensions in a country already dealing with mounting pressure from Russia across the border.

November 26, 2021

WHO to debate dangerous South Africa coronavirus variant with ‘many mutations’

The World Health Organization will meet Friday to discuss what an alarming coronavirus variant with a "large number of mutations" could mean for COVID-19 vaccines and treatments as European countries started to ban flights from South Africa and surrounding nations.

November 26, 2021

Biden nominates Shalanda Young as White House budget director

President Biden on Wednesday said he will nominate Shalanda Young to serve as White House budget director, a move that will elevate her from an acting role to the permanent post if she is confirmed by the Senate.

November 24, 2021

Rapid COVID tests in spotlight as families gather again

The winter holidays are putting a sharp focus on at-home testing for COVID-19 as families look to ensure their first gatherings in two years don't turn into superspreader events.

November 24, 2021

Trump: Kyle Rittenhouse paid me a visit after Kenosha shooting acquittal

Former President Donald Trump said Kyle Rittenhouse visited his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida days after a jury in Wisconsin found the teen not guilty of charges related to shootings that killed two persons and injured a third during racially charged unrest in Kenosha last summer.

November 24, 2021

Texas leaders, White House hail plans for Samsung chip plant

Texas leaders and the White House are celebrating news that South Korean tech giant Samsung will build a $17 billion semiconductor plant outside of Austin, a move that could help fill a shortage of computer chips used in phones and cars.

November 24, 2021