Health

Why new coronavirus variants emerge, and what that means for you

By Isabella Isaacs-Thomas

New daily COVID-19 case counts are steadily falling in the United States. But experts are concerned that more transmissible variants of the coronavirus could reverse that progress.

Pressure builds on schools to reopen during pandemic

By Michael Kunzelman, Holly Ramer, Associated Press

The debate is pitting politicians against teachers who have yet to be vaccinated against COVID-19. In Chicago, there's so much rancor that teachers are on the brink of striking.

McKinsey & Company agrees to pay nearly $600 million over opioid crisis

By Geoff Mulvihill, Associated Press

In a deal announced Thursday with attorneys general for most states, the company agreed to make public documents showing communications with OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma and three other companies that have been in the opioid business.

U.S. rushes to catch up in the race to detect mutant viruses

By Mike Stobbe, Marion Renault, Associated Press

Despite its world-class medical system and its vaunted Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. fell behind in the race to detect dangerous coronavirus mutations.

Arizona lawmakers renew push to criminalize abortions in latest challenge to Roe v. Wade

By Chloe Jones

An Arizona bill proposed on the 48th anniversary of the landmark ruling is among the most direct challenges to the Roe v. Wade decision in nearly half a century: It calls for the decision to be ignored altogether and aims…

Study finds AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine may reduce virus transmission

By Danica Kirka, Lauran Neergaard, Associated Press

The study also suggested that a single dose of the AstraZeneca formula provides protection for 12 weeks, which could vindicate the British government's controversial strategy of delaying the second shot.

UK tests house-to-house in hunt for new COVID-19 variant

By Danica Kirka, Associated Press

House-by-house COVID-19 testing has begun in some communities in England as authorities try to extinguish a new variant of the coronavirus before it spreads widely and undermines a nationwide vaccination program.

UN-backed program seeks rollout of 100 million coronavirus vaccine doses in Q1

By Jamey Keaten, Associated Press

A U.N.-backed program to deploy COVID-19 vaccines to the neediest people worldwide has announced plans for an initial distribution of some 100 million doses by the end of March.

With new variants spreading, how effective will vaccines be in the months to come?

As concerns continue to grow about coronavirus variants in the U.S. and globally, the British authorities on Tuesday said they believe a version of the U.K. variant may stunt the effect of some vaccines. Paul Turner, a professor of ecology…

Continue watching

Biden administration to provide COVID-19 vaccine to pharmacies

By Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar, Associated Press

White House coronavirus coordinator Jeff Zients said Tuesday the government will initially ship about 1 million doses to some 6,500 pharmacies around the country, starting next week.