Feb 26 Highlights of the COVID-19 relief bill advancing in Congress By Kevin Freking, Associated Press Republicans say the spending is vastly more than what is needed for the pandemic. But Democrats and President Joe Biden say a robust aid package is necessary to prevent a long and painful economic recovery. Continue reading
Feb 26 FDA advisory panel endorses single-shot COVID-19 vaccine from Johnson & Johnson By Lauren Neergaard, Matthew Perrone, Associated Press The FDA is expected to quickly follow the recommendation and make J&J's shot the third vaccine authorized for emergency use in the U.S. Shipments of a few million doses could begin as early as Monday. Continue reading
Feb 26 WATCH: House Democrats discuss impending passage of COVID-19 relief package By Associated Press The House is expected to pass a $1.9 trillion pandemic relief package late Friday that includes $1,400 checks for most Americans and billions of dollars for schools, state and local governments and businesses. Continue reading
Feb 26 How does the Johnson & Johnson vaccine compare to other coronavirus vaccines? By Maureen Ferran, The Conversation The Johnson & Johnson vaccine is different from the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines in a few important ways that could make it a huge help to global vaccination efforts. Continue reading
Feb 26 WATCH: 'Virus is not done with us,' CDC director says amid rise in variants By Associated Press Dr. Rochelle Walensky says the CDC is looking at data that COVID-19 cases have been increasing the past three days, but more time is needed to see if that is a blip or the start of a trend. Continue reading
Feb 26 Labs can't tell you if you have a COVID variant, a problem for tracking and prevention By Christina Jewett, JoNel Aleccia, Rachana Pradhan, Kaiser Health News As experts race to get an approved test for COVID variants, officials are severely restricted from sharing information about the cases. That makes it harder to protect others. Continue reading
Feb 26 WATCH: FDA committee endorses emergency use for Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine By Associated Press If granted emergency use, Johnson & Johnson's vaccine would be the third available vaccine in the United States, but the first to require one dose rather than two. Continue reading
Feb 26 Vaccination 'passports' may help reopen the world. They also may foster inequity By Laurie Kellman, Associated Press Governments say getting vaccinated and having proper documentation will smooth the way to travel, entertainment and other social gatherings in a post-pandemic world. But who stands to gain and who is at risk of being left behind?… Continue reading
Feb 26 WATCH: House Democrats poised to pass $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package By Alan Fram, Associated Press The relief bill would provide millions of people with $1,400 direct payments. It contains billions of dollars for vaccines and COVID-19 testing, schools, state and local governments, the ailing restaurant and airline industries and emergency jobless benefits while providing tax… Continue reading
Feb 25 As hospital numbers fall, fatigued staff get some relief By Heather Hollingsworth, Todd Richmond, Associated Press Now the number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 in the U.S. has dropped by 80,000 in six weeks, and 17 percent of the nation’s adult population has gotten at least one dose of a vaccine, providing some relief to front-line… Continue reading