Tom Howell Jr.

Delta surge drove recent vaccinations; recipients cite hospitalization or death of a friend: Poll

Americans who've been vaccinated against COVID-19 since June were more likely to point to fear of a fast-moving variant, overcrowded hospitals or the death of a loved one as the motivating factor than employer rules or full approval from the Food and Drug Administration, according to a poll released Tuesday.

September 28, 2021

Americans with ‘natural immunity’ seek ways around COVID-19 mandates

Vaccine holdouts with some immunity from prior coronavirus infections find themselves in the muddled middle as the nation debates how far to go in mandating the shots, with some employers giving them carve-outs and blue states taking hard lines.

September 27, 2021

Biden on high-stakes week ahead: ‘I’m a born optimist’

President Biden didn't flinch as he received a COVID-19 booster shot Monday, but the week ahead is far scarier for his party and his presidential legacy, as Washington faces the prospect of a government shutdown, default on its debts and pivotal votes on infrastructure and social welfare spending at the center of the Democrats' agenda.

September 27, 2021

Biden gets a COVID-19 booster shot in front of cameras

President Biden received a booster shot of a COVID-19 vaccine in front of the cameras Monday, hoping to set a high-profile example after he prodded regulators to approve extra doses to stiff-arm the virus ahead of winter.

September 27, 2021

Police union: ‘Dozens’ of Mass. troopers to resign over vaccine mandate

A top police union says "dozens" of Massachusetts troopers will resign after a judge denied its bid to delay the COVID-19 vaccine mandate imposed by Republican Gov. Charlie Baker.

September 27, 2021

New York vaccine deadline for health workers is a key test of mandates

New York State might use the National Guard to fill staffing vacancies when its COVID-19 vaccine mandate takes effect Monday and nudges holdouts from their hospital jobs.

September 27, 2021

CDC panel backs COVID-19 boosters for seniors, those with underlying conditions

A vaccine advisory panel to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday approved COVID-19 boosters for more Americans, opening access to these extra doses for millions.

September 23, 2021

FDA deploying ‘fast-track’ arsenal against COVID-19

Food and Drug Administration officials said in July that Pfizer's application for full approval of its COVID-19 vaccine would enjoy "priority review," and set a target deadline for finishing by January 2022.

September 23, 2021

States see liquor shortages amid high demand, supply problems in pandemic

Thought the coronavirus pandemic was bad enough? States are considering ways to ration their liquor as pandemic-related shortages hamstring suppliers trying to keep pace with demand.

September 23, 2021

Biden to global leaders: Time to ‘step up’ efforts on vaccines, oxygen, treatments

President Biden told global leaders Wednesday to "supercharge" the fight against COVID-19 by donating -- not selling -- vaccines to needy nations with no diplomatic strings attached and bolstering supplies of oxygen, medical treatments and masks where they're needed.

September 22, 2021

FDA backs Pfizer COVID-19 boosters for seniors, high-risk persons

The Food and Drug Administration late Wednesday authorized boosters shots of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for emergency use in seniors, persons at high risk from COVID-19 and those whose jobs make them more likely to get infected.

September 22, 2021

Biden: U.S. will buy and donate 500M more COVID-19 vaccine doses for the world

President Biden will announce Wednesday the U.S. is purchasing an additional 500 million doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine to give to the rest of the world, bringing its total commitment to more than 1 billion shots.

September 22, 2021

‘Jack up the stock’: Vaccine profit PR flusters scientists, inflates public expectations

Drugmakers are hailing great results with COVID-19 boosters and shots for school-age children, enthusing a pandemic-weary public and markets but flustering scientists who say it is important to look at real data before getting too optimistic.

September 21, 2021

DHS chief Mayorkas pledges investigation into horseback incident in Texas

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said Tuesday that any mistreatment of a migrant is unacceptable and will be addressed with "full force" amid the uproar over border agents on horseback who wrangled Haitians and others near makeshift camps in Del Rio, Texas.

September 21, 2021

Eric Clapton plays arena with COVID-19 vaccine requirement, despite anti-mandate stance

British guitar legend Eric Clapton played a show over the weekend in a New Orleans arena that conditions entry on COVID-19 vaccination, even though he has said he would avoid those types of venues.

September 21, 2021

J&J says a second dose greatly enhances protection against COVID-19

Johnson & Johnson said persons who received a second dose of its COVID-19 vaccine enjoyed 94% protection against symptomatic disease, an increase from 74% under a one-shot regimen and a level on par with early studies of two-dose vaccines from Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna.

September 21, 2021

White House: Biden will get COVID-19 booster vaccine on camera

President Biden will get a COVID-19 booster shot in public once federal regulators complete an effort to offer extra doses to seniors and at-risk persons, the White House said Monday.

September 20, 2021

U.S. to allow vaccinated travelers from all countries, bows to pressure from Europe

The U.S. will let vaccinated foreign nationals fly into the country in early November without quarantining, the White House said Monday, a major change after European partners grumbled that the Americans did not reciprocate their efforts to ease long-standing pandemic bans.

September 20, 2021

Schools look to testing, technology for a leg up against COVID-19

Schools are looking for any advantage they can get as they reopen their doors for full-time, in-person teaching even as the coronavirus sticks around.

September 20, 2021

Matt Dolan, Ohio state senator, leaps into U.S. Senate race

Ohio state Sen. Matt Dolan said Monday he will run for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Republican Rob Portman, adding an establishment voice to a GOP primary field that includes author J.D. Vance and other candidates trying to align themselves with former President Donald Trump.

September 20, 2021