Dec 30 Job market remains strong as unemployment claims drop to 198,000 By Paul Wiseman, Associated Press The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits fell below 200,000, more evidence that the job market remains strong in the aftermath of last year's coronavirus recession. Continue reading
Dec 29 Watch 8:24 U.S. sees rise in pediatric COVID patients as WHO warns of global ‘tsunami’ of cases By Amna Nawaz, Dorothy Hastings The World Health Organization is warning of a global "tsunami" of COVID cases as the omicron surge builds on the delta wave. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is reporting a significant surge in U.S. pediatric hospital admissions in… Continue watching
Dec 28 Watch 8:45 Understanding the new CDC guidelines for those exposed to, or suffering from, COVID-19 The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now recommends a shorter isolation period for COVID-19 patients, from 10 days to five — if asymptomatic — followed by five days of mask wearing. The new guidance comes as the U.S. is… Continue watching
Dec 27 Watch 9:27 Why the CDC reduced COVID quarantine time despite omicron’s spread By Stephanie Sy, Dorothy Hastings The omicron variant of the coronavirus has upended plans to put the pandemic behind us. Instead, average daily U.S. COVID infections are up 80 percent in two weeks. Hospitals are hunkering down, and the White House is scrambling to respond. Continue watching
Dec 27 Watch 10:32 Amy Walter and Asma Khalid on the omicron variant, inflation and Dem agenda Amy Walter of the Cook Political Report with Amy Walter and NPR’s Asma Khalid join Amna Nawaz to discuss the latest political news, including the American public’s views on the U.S. response to the COVID-19 pandemic, rising inflation and how… Continue watching
Dec 27 CDC recommends shorter COVID isolation and quarantine period By Mike Stobbe, Associated Press U.S. health officials are cutting isolation restrictions for Americans who test positive for the coronavirus and shortening the time that close contacts have to quarantine. Continue reading
Dec 27 Over 4,000 flights cancelled as omicron, storms disrupt air travel for 4th consecutive day By Tali Arbel, Associated Press Flight cancellations that disrupted holiday travel stretched into Monday. Staffers calling out sick because of COVID-19 have left airlines short in recent days. Continue reading
Dec 27 Omicron spreads global gloom over New Year’s celebrations By Raf Casert, Associated Press New Year celebrations are approaching and across the world there is an urge to party. But the desire to let loose is being countered by the highly transmissible omicron variant. Continue reading
Dec 26 France sees over 100,000 daily virus infections for 1st time By Angela Charlton, Associated Press More than 1 in 100 people in the Paris region have tested positive in the past week, according to the regional health service. Most new infections are linked to the omicron variant, which government experts predict will be dominant in… Continue reading
Dec 25 Surging COVID cases, ‘jingle jabs’ make for somber Christmas By Nicole Winfield, Peter Smith, Associated Press In the United States, many churches canceled in-person services, but for those that did have in-person worship, clerics reported smaller but significant attendance. Continue reading