Novel coronavirus

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?…

AP report: Parliamentarian says COVID-19 bill must lose minimum wage hike

By Alan Fram, Associated Press

The Senate parliamentarian has dealt a potentially lethal blow to Democrats' drive to hike the minimum wage, deciding that the cherished progressive goal must fall from a massive COVID-19 relief bill the party is trying to speed through Congress.

WATCH: Biden pushes his COVID-19 rescue plan to nation's governors

By Associated Press

Addressing the National Governors Association Winter Meeting, Biden touted his progress on getting 500 million COVID vaccine shots into arms since he took office. And he urged the governors for bipartisan help moving forward.

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…

COVID vaccine websites violate disability laws, create inequity for the blind

By Lauren Weber, Hannah Recht, Kaiser Health News

Many COVID vaccination registration and information websites at the federal, state and local levels violate disability rights laws, hindering the ability of blind people to sign up for a potentially lifesaving vaccine, a KHN investigation has found.

Feds OK'd export of millions of N95 masks even as U.S. workers needed more

By Christina Jewett, Kaiser Health News

In the hours before President Joe Biden was inaugurated, the Federal Emergency Management Agency allowed a Texas mask maker to ship the high-quality masks overseas.

Black Lives Matter launches fund as wait for federal COVID-19 relief continues

By Aaron Morrison, Associated Press

The Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation is formally expanding a $3 million financial relief fund that it quietly launched earlier this month, to help people struggling to make ends meet during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Get whatever COVID-19 vaccine is available, Fauci says

By Associated Press

Dr. Anthony Fauci says it’s a race “between the virus and getting vaccines into people” and “the longer one waits not getting vaccinated, the better chance the virus has to get a variant or a mutation.”…

U.S. jobless claims still high at 730,000 but fewest in 3 months

By Christopher Rugaber, Associated Press

The number of Americans seeking unemployment benefits fell sharply last week in a sign that layoffs may have eased, though applications for aid remain at a historically high level.

Military begins delivering vaccines in Texas, New York

By Lolita C. Baldor, Associated Press

The U.S. military is beginning to deliver shots at coronavirus vaccination centers in Texas and New York and says service members will start staffing four centers in Florida and one in Philadelphia next week.