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 Democrats balance keeping schools open against confronting teachers’ unions By Nicholas Riccardi, Collin Binkley, Associated Press Nearly two years into a pandemic that shows no signs of waning, Democrats are speaking out against COVID-19 school closures, recognizing a rising anger among parents worried that their kids are falling behind. Continue reading
Jan 11 Watch 8:13 COVID hospitalizations reach record high as the White House rushes to ramp up testing During Tuesday's congressional hearing about the pandemic, there were tough criticisms of the Biden administration and the lack of available testing. Biden has announced plans to ramp up the response, from requiring insurers to pay for rapid at-home testing to… Continue watching
Jan 11 Watch 7:39 Examining the human toll of China’s stringent COVID policy By Nick Schifrin, Dan Sagalyn, Layla Quran Chinese authorities locked down after discovering two cases of omicron in Anyang, a city of 5.5 million people about 300 miles outside Beijing. It’s the third Chinese city now in lockdown and comes less than a month before the Beijing… Continue watching
Jan 11 Watch 9:50 Chicago teachers agree to return to school after a protracted standoff By Stephanie Sy, Sam Lane With the spread of omicron exacerbating staffing shortages, returning to school after winter break has been a significant struggle in many parts of the country. The overwhelming number of districts are back in person, but some have gone virtual for… Continue watching
Jan 09 Thousands rally in Prague against vaccination mandate By Associated Press The previous government released an order in early December, making vaccination mandatory for the 60 and over age group, as well as medical personnel, police officers, firefighters and medical students. Continue reading
Jan 08 Omicron explosion spurs nationwide breakdown of services By Jennifer Sinco Kelleher, Terry Tang, Associated Press First responders, hospitals, schools and government agencies have employed an all-hands-on-deck approach to keep the public safe, but they are worried how much longer they can keep it up. Continue reading
Jan 07 As Chicago teachers union negotiations continue, school closures enter third day By Sophia Tareen, Associated Press Classes in Chicago were canceled for a third consecutive day amid an ongoing fight with the teachers union over remote learning and other COVID-19 safety protocols. Continue reading
Jan 07 As omicron continues to surge, families despair over return to remote learning By Corey Williams, Associated Press A growing number of U.S. school districts are moving back to online classes because of the winter surge in COVID-19 cases. Continue reading
Jan 06 Schools, hit by teacher shortages due to COVID-19, rely on administrators and parents By Michael Melia, Associated Press Principals, superintendents and counselors are filling in as substitutes in classrooms around the United States as the surge in coronavirus infections further strains schools already struggling with staffing shortages. Continue reading