Feb 11 U.S. jobless claims fall slightly to 793,000 with layoffs high By Christopher Rugaber, Associated Press The number of Americans seeking unemployment benefits fell slightly last week to 793,000, evidence that job cuts remain high despite a substantial decline in new viral infections. Continue reading
Feb 10 Watch 7:18 How the Biden administration is trying to ramp up the pace of vaccinations About 1.5 million people in the U.S. are getting a shot of the COVID vaccine each day, and about 10 percent of Americans have received at least one dose so far. But the pace and the supply remain far too… Continue watching
Feb 10 Government investigating massive counterfeit N95 mask scam By Colleen Long, Associated Press The foreign-made knockoffs are becoming increasingly difficult to spot and could put health care workers at grave risk for the coronavirus. A federal official says these masks are giving first responders "a false sense of security."… Continue reading
Feb 10 2 masks better than 1 to slow spread of COVID-19, CDC data says By Mike Stobbe, Associated Press When both the exhaling and inhaling heads were double-masked, more than 95% of the particles were blocked, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Wednesday. Continue reading
Feb 10 Did someone say impeachment? Biden avoids wading into debate By Jonathan Lemire, Alexandra Jaffe, Associated Press White House aides privately note that the president doesn't gain much from weighing in on the trial. And they say that staying above the fray allows him to focus on his COVID-19 relief package. Continue reading
Feb 10 WHO expert group recommends use of AstraZeneca vaccine By Jamey Keaten, Associated Press Independent experts advising the World Health Organization have recommended the use of AstraZeneca’s vaccine to fight COVID-19 even in countries that have turned up worrying coronavirus variants in their populations. Continue reading
Feb 09 Dems attempt to push through school funding, wage increase By Collin Binkley, Associated Press House Democrats are muscling past Republicans on major portions of President Joe Biden's pandemic plan, including a proposed $130 billion in school relief and a gradual increase of the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour. Continue reading
Feb 09 COVID-19 vaccines can adapt to new variants. Here’s what it will take By Laura Santhanam Drugmakers are exploring how to tailor vaccines more narrowly to these mutants, but modifying existing vaccines is not as easy as flipping a switch. Continue reading
Feb 09 Watch 7:26 Slowing the spread of new COVID strains by changing public attitudes toward vaccinations The data are preliminary so far, but there are concerns that some new COVID strains are more infectious, more deadly, and possibly even more resistant to the vaccines -- and experts stress mass vaccination is crucial to slowing the spread. Continue watching
Feb 09 Watch 7:00 West Virginia emerges as a leader in the inoculation fight against COVID-19 By Amna Nawaz, Gretchen Frazee States across the country have been struggling to distribute the COVID-19 vaccines quickly. But seven weeks into their rollout, West Virginia has found a way to vaccinate more of its population than almost any other state, including delivering both doses… Continue watching