Nation Feb 01 As New Orleans parades out vaccine rules, restaurants wonder if they’ll make it to Mardi Gras By Roby Chavez
Health Jan 18 U.S. faces a wave of omicron deaths in coming weeks, models predict The fast-moving omicron variant may cause less severe disease on average, yet COVID-19 deaths in the U.S. are climbing. Modelers forecast 50,000 to 300,000 more Americans could die by the time the omicron wave subsides this spring. By Carla K. Johnson, Associated Press
Health Jan 17 Watch 5:17 Everything you need to to know about at-home COVID testing, masks A shortage of COVID testing has been a major problem across the country. Beginning this Wednesday, people will be able to order free at-home rapid tests from a government website. While the site's launch is being anticipated, many people also… By Nicole Ellis, Karina Cuevas, Laura Santhanam
Health Jan 14 Watch 6:30 Health systems buckle under latest surge of COVID hospitalizations President Biden on Friday announced free tests to help combat the rapidly spreading omicron variant. But the surge is battering hospitals and stretching some to capacity, with COVID hospitalizations jumping 179 percent in the past two weeks. William Brangham reports,… By William Brangham, Courtney Norris
Health Jan 14 Watch 5:52 Boston schools face staff shortages amid sky-high COVID cases Most of the nation’s nearly 100,000 public schools are open. But as the omicron surge continues, some districts are struggling to keep in-person learning going. Boston Public Schools have been operating in person since last spring, though a high number… By Stephanie Sy, Claire Mufson
Jan 12 Watch 7:28 Hospitals near a breaking point with latest influx of COVID patients By William Brangham, Harry Zahn The Biden administration is pressing to ship more COVID test kits to schools amid growing criticism of shortages as infections pile up nationwide. But for hospitals dealing with the surge the worst is far from over. In the city of… Continue watching
Jan 12 White House promises 10 million COVID-19 tests will be sent to schools By Zeke Miller, Associated Press The Biden administration is increasing federal support for COVID-19 testing for schools in a bid to keep them open amid the omicron surge. Continue reading
Jan 10 Chicago fight with teachers union stretches into 2nd week By Sophia Tareen, Associated Press Chicago school leaders are canceling classes for a fourth day in the nation's third-largest school district, taking the dispute with the teachers union over remote learning and COVID-19 protocols into another week. Continue reading
Jan 08 Chicago mayor, teachers still at odds over COVID protocols By Kathleen Foody, Associated Press Negotiations resumed Saturday to resolve a standoff between Chicago school officials and the city's teachers union over COVID-19 precautions that canceled three days of classes, but the public war-of-words between union leaders and Chicago's mayor showed little sign of easing. Continue reading
Jan 05 Watch 6:34 Unvaccinated children among those driving COVID surge in Louisiana hospitals By William Brangham The omicron variant now accounts for 95 percent of COVID cases in the United States. Public health officials say its effects are milder than the delta variant, but omicron’s high transmissibility is still sending large numbers of people into the… Continue watching