Jan 28 U.S. economy shrank 3.5 percent in 2020 after growing 4 percent last quarter By Martin Crutsinger, Associated Press Stuck in the grip of a viral pandemic, the U.S. economy grew at a 4 percent annual rate in the final three months of 2020 and shrank last year by the largest amount in 74 years. Continue reading
Jan 27 Watch 6:59 In Ohio, putting boots on the ground to overcome inequities in vaccinations A recent analysis by Kaiser Health News finds Black and Latino citizens are getting vaccines at significantly lower rates in many states. This is especially worrying given disparities in COVID-19 death rates, with Black, Indigenous and Latino people dying at… Continue watching
Jan 27 Advocates hope higher ed shift from standardized tests will aid diversity, but it’s no cure-all By Alina Tugend, The Hechinger Report When Worcester Polytechnic Institute wanted to attract more Black, Hispanic and female students, it became the first nationally ranked science university to make the ACT and SAT standardized tests optional for admission. Continue reading
Jan 27 WATCH: Virus will kill many more, White House projects as briefings resume By Zeke Miller, Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar, Associated Press As many as 90,000 Americans are projected to die from the coronavirus in the next four weeks, the Biden administration warned in its first science briefing on the COVID-19 pandemic. Continue reading
Jan 26 Watch 6:35 With high-risk populations, vaccinations lag at long-term care facilities By one count nursing homes and assisted-living facilities account for about 6 percent of COVID cases but 40 percent of virus-related deaths. Now some state officials are worried vaccinations are moving on to other parts of the populations before long-term… Continue watching
Jan 25 Watch 6:09 What is driving the disparities in vaccine distribution? There have been more than 40 million Pfizer and Moderna vaccine doses delivered around the U.S. thus far, with more than half of those administered. But while the pace has increased, the rates of vaccination vary widely by states and… Continue watching
Jan 25 U.N. chief says world faces ‘existential threats,’ fragilities By Edith Lederer, Associated Press U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is warning global leaders that the world not only faces a COVID-19 emergency and the worst economic crisis in nearly a century. Continue reading
Jan 25 Job losses from pandemic 4 times as bad as 2009 financial crisis By Associated Press The International Labor Organization estimated that the restrictions on businesses and public life destroyed 8.8 percent of all work hours around the world last year. Continue reading
Jan 24 Biden to reinstate COVID travel rules, add South Africa By Aamer Madhani, Associated Press The decision to reverse the order is not surprising, but the addition of South Africa to the restricted travel list highlights the new administration’s concern about mutations in the virus. Continue reading
Jan 24 UK vaccination drive expands as virus toll nears 100,000 By Jill Lawless, Associated Press Health Secretary Matt Hancock said Sunday that three-quarters of the U.K.’s over-80s have received a vaccine shot. He said three-quarters of nursing home residents have also had their first jab. Continue reading