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YEAR OF COVID

2 years into pandemic, world takes cautious steps forward

BY Associated Press

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — With COVID-19 case numbers plummeting, Emily Safrin did something she hadn't done since the pandemic began two years ago: She put her fears aside and went to a concert.

The fully vaccinated and boosted restaurant server planned to keep her mask on, but as the reggaeton star Bad Bunny took the stage and the energy in the crowd soared, she ripped it off. Soon after, she was strolling unmasked in a trendy Portland neighborhood with friends.

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'The safety of Ohio’s children is paramount': Ohio health officials issue COVID-19 guidance for schools

BY Lydia Taylor

OHIO — The Ohio Department of Health released its guidance for the upcoming school year Monday, going along with recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Academy of Pediatrics.

ODH Chief Medical Officer Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff said the state's guidance has been carefully reviewed by many health officials, and reminded Ohioans that the recommendations are not mandates, but should be strongly taken into consideration.

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Cleveland Metropolitan School District will require masks for first few weeks of school

BY Lydia Taylor
UPDATED 8:03 AM ET Jul. 20, 2021

CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Metropolitan School District (CMSD) will require students, staff and visitors to wear masks for at least the first five weeks of school this fall, CEO Eric Gordon announced Monday.

The school district also plans to implement three-foot distancing where officials deem practical and touchless thermometer checks. Students will still be able to return full time for classes five days a week if they wish.

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Ohio Schools Address Learning Gaps After Year of Disruption for Young Students

BY Pete Grieve

COLUMBUS, Ohio — With all but one of Ohio’s K-12 public schools back to in-person learning as of Thursday, schools are now assessing the educational setbacks from a year of disruption.

After having to quickly switch gears when the pandemic began, going from classrooms to living rooms within a matter of days, students may have grown accustomed to learning in their own spaces.

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Hard Shifts, Complicated Patients: For Ohio Hospitals, Fight Still On

BY Pete Grieve

COLUMBUS, Ohio — While the state phases back to a more normal way of life — and possibly a summer without COVID-19 restrictions — health care professionals on the frontlines said a severe population of critically ill patients remains, and they warn the health crisis is anything but over.

Hospitals have more therapies at their disposal for COVID-19 patients a year into the pandemic. However, according to infectious disease experts, some patients infected with the virus don’t seem to respond to the treatments, and the health care workers remain busy in coronavirus wards.

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"Brighter Days Lie Ahead:" Looking Back on a Year of COVID-19 Nationwide

BY Jessica Yellin

It’s been one year since the World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 a pandemic — and at the time Dr. Fauci told lawmakers that "things will get worse."

This week he amended that statement. telling NBC’s Savannah Guthrie, "I did not in my mind think that 'much worse' was going to be 525,000 deaths."

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Year of COVID: Ohio's Ups and Downs

BY Jennifer Conn and Pete Grieve
UPDATED 10:45 AM ET Mar. 11, 2021

When the first COVID-19 warnings came out of China in December 2019, most Ohioans were still taking down Christmas decorations. But the Buckeye state was among the first in the nation to take the coronavirus threat seriously, announcing restrictions even before the first confirmed case.

The state quickly kicked into gear when COVID-19 made its way to the U.S., and state officials earned high praise for their swift response in March. As the summer approached, the pandemic worsened and hospitals began erecting ominous white tents outside emergency rooms to handle overflow.

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Pandemic Presidencies: How Donald Trump and Joe Biden Navigated a Year of COVID-19

BY Austin Landis
UPDATED 9:06 AM ET Mar. 10, 2021

The Biden administration has signaled a stark shift in its handling of the coronavirus pandemic, particularly when it comes to areas like transparency and boosting vaccine supply.

But while the difference in administrations is clear on the surface, a significant part of the operational and behind-the-scenes work from public health officials has remained in place from President Donald Trump’s time in office.

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DeWine Declares March 9 Day of Remembrance for COVID-19 Victims

BY Associated Press
UPDATED 12:51 PM ET Mar. 09, 2021

COLUMBUS, Ohio — As Tuesday marks the one-year anniversary of the first confirmed coronavirus cases in Ohio, Gov. Mike DeWine has declared it a Day of Remembrance for the more than 17,000 Ohioans who have died from COVID-19.

All U.S. and Ohio flags are being flown at half-staff to honor the victims.

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A Year of COVID: A Spectrum News Special

BY Spectrum News Staff
UPDATED 9:30 AM ET Mar. 04, 2021

OHIO — Gov. Mike DeWine’s announcement 12 months ago that the Arnold Sports Festival would not go on as planned sounded the alarm of the tsunami that would turn many lives upside down.

The novel coronavirus became real for Ohio that day, and its stranglehold on our economy, the political, educational and financial systems, as well as our homes has been unrelenting.

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CORONAVIRUS NEWS

Court blocks COVID-19 vaccine mandate for U.S. gov't workers

BY Associated Press

President Joe Biden's order that federal employees get vaccinated against COVID-19 has been blocked by a federal appeals court.

The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans, in a decision Thursday, rejected arguments that Biden, as the nation's chief executive, has the same authority as the CEO of a private corporation to require that employees be vaccinated.

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Biden signs bill on COVID origins declassification

BY Associated Press

President Joe Biden signed a bipartisan bill Monday that directs the federal government to declassify as much intelligence as possible about the origins of COVID-19 more than three years after the start of the pandemic.

The legislation, which passed both the House and Senate without dissent, directs the Office of the Director of National Intelligence to declassify intelligence related to China’s Wuhan Institute of Virology. It cites “potential links” between the research that was done there and the outbreak of COVID-19, which the World Health Organization declared a pandemic on March 11, 2020. The law allows for redactions to protect sensitive sources and methods.

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COVID vaccine efforts which helped save lives

BY Katie Priefer

OHIO — It’s been three years since the first person tested positive for COVID-19 in Ohio.

While the deaths continue to add up, numbers from the Ohio Department of Health show most of them are people who have not received a COVID-19 vaccine. ODH reports nearly 27,000 COVID-19 deaths in the state since January 1st, 2021, but fewer than 1,500 of them received a vaccine.

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U.S. to relax COVID testing rules for travelers from China

BY Associated Press

The Biden administration is preparing to relax COVID-19 testing restrictions for travelers from China as soon as Friday, according to two people familiar with the decision.

The people, who were not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the administration has decided to roll back the testing requirements as cases, hospitalizations and deaths are declining in China and the U.S. has gathered better information about the surge.

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Trump: China should pay damages for COVID-19 spread

BY Ryan Chatelain

If elected president again, Donald Trump says he’ll push for China to pay damages to countries around the world for the spread of COVID-19.

In an op-ed for The Daily Mail on Saturday, Trump wrote, “nothing should be off the table—tariffs, taxes, and a global summit on reparations.

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UC helps students overcome challenges after COVID crisis

BY Steve Oldfield

CINCINNATI — The fallout from the COVID crisis is still affecting colleges in Ohio and across the country, and some experts say it will be felt for years.

According to the National Student Clearing House, since 2020, a million fewer students have enrolled in college than before the pandemic.

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Sanders calls Moderna 'greedy' over COVID vaccine price hike plan

BY Ryan Chatelain

Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., on Sunday called Moderna’s plan to more than quadruple the price of its COVID-19 vaccine “enormously greedy.”

Sanders has been railing against the planned price hike since Moderna’s CEO told The Wall Street Journal last month the company is considering raising the price to $110 to $130 per dose after the government-purchased supply runs out later this year.

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Students face lingering effects of pandemic

BY Tonisha Johnson

Ohio — Learning loss because of the pandemic set a lot of school districts across the country into recovery mode to make sure kids didn’t get left behind.

High school students, in particular, faced some of their own challenges. Arvin Vhora, an Education Consultant and Learning Gap Tutor, said Algebra I is an area where they struggled the most with learning gaps.

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The pandemic missing: The kids who didn’t go back to school

BY Associated Press

She'd be a senior right now, preparing for graduation in a few months, probably leading her school's modern dance troupe and taking art classes.

Instead, Kailani Taylor-Cribb hasn't taken a single class in what used to be her high school since the height of the coronavirus pandemic. She vanished from Cambridge, Massachusetts' public school roll in 2021 and has been, from an administrative standpoint, unaccounted for since then.

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Survey: Nearly 40% of U.S. households hit by 'tripledemic'

BY Ryan Chatelain

The triple whammy of RSV, flu and COVID-19 has been felt in nearly 40% of U.S. households, according to a survey published Tuesday by the Kaiser Family Foundation.

Thirty-eight percent of those surveyed told the health policy think tank that someone in their household had been infected by one of the viruses in the previous month or so and the holiday season. The survey was conducted from Jan. 17-24.

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As COVID cases level off in Ohio, health officials continue to push for boosters

BY Lydia Taylor

OHIO — Over the past several weeks, Ohio has documented a decrease in COVID-19 cases. But Ohio Department of Health Director Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff said Ohioans still need to stay vigilant, especially those who are older than 65 or have a higher risk of infection.

“We need to recognize that none of these respiratory viruses have not disappeared," Vanderhoff said in reference to COVID-19 and influenza.

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FDA panel to consider simpler COVID vaccine process, making it more like flu shots

BY Ryan Chatelain
UPDATED 11:37 AM ET Jan. 26, 2023

The Food and Drug Administration wants to simplify the COVID-19 vaccination process by making it more like the one used for the flu.

The agency is proposing that a single COVID shot be approved each year for most people, one targeting a specific strain or strains of concern at the time of approval. A panel of independent advisers is set to consider and vote on the proposal Thursday.

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Study: Lack of awareness of new COVID boosters' availability, eligibility blamed for low uptake

BY Ryan Chatelain

More than four months after the first updated COVID-19 vaccine boosters became available to the public, uptake has been abysmal.

Just 16% of Americans ages 5 and older have received the bivalent booster, which targets the original COVID-19 strain and the omicron BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants. Among adults 18 and older, the number isn’t much better — 18%.

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China reports 60,000 COVID-related deaths, says peak passed

BY Associated Press

BEIJING (AP) — China on Saturday reported nearly 60,000 deaths in people who had COVID-19 since early December, offering hard numbers for an unprecedented surge that was apparent in overcrowded hospitals and packed crematoriums, even as the government released little data about the status of the pandemic for weeks.

Those numbers may still underestimate the toll, though the government said the “emergency peak" of its latest surge appears to have passed.

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Appeals court rules against vaccine mandate in 3 states

BY Spectrum News Staff and Associated Press

CINCINNATI, Ohio — An appeals court has affirmed a ban in three states on enforcing a federal vaccine mandate for workers who contract with the federal government.

A panel of the Sixth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals in Cincinnati on Thursday affirmed a lower court’s ruling that said the mandate was unconstitutional. President Joe Biden’s administration is not enforcing the rule while legal battles play out around the country.

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What to know about the XBB.1.5 COVID-19 subvariant

BY Ryan Chatelain

The latest COVID-19 strain spreading around the United States could be the most transmissible variant or subvariant yet, health experts say.

XBB.1.5, an omicron subvariant, has been detected in 38 countries, but 82% of known cases are in the U.S., according to the World Health Organization.

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Doctors in Ohio prep for rapid spread of new COVID-19 strain

BY Kristin Mazur

CLEVELAND — It’s a new year, and with it comes a new COVID-19 strain, a contagious strain expected to soon spread rapidly throughout Ohio.

The new omicron subvariant is known as XBB.1.5. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention it accounts, right now, for almost 41% of confirmed COVID-19 cases nationwide.

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Dr. Fauci, pandemic voice and acclaimed researcher, ends half a century of public service

BY Austin Landis and Julia Benbrook
UPDATED 4:20 PM ET Dec. 19, 2022

Dr. Anthony Fauci will step down from his roles as the president’s chief medical adviser and top infectious disease expert at the end of this year, closing out more than half a century in public service, defined by his legacy as a leading physician, researcher and national voice on diseases in the United States.

Though his national presence ascended in 2020 with the emergence of COVID-19, Fauci has spent more than half his life working for the U.S. government, after he first began in 1968 as a clinical associate at the National Institutes of Health, under Lyndon Johnson.

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CDC estimates 90% of U.S. kids have had COVID-19

BY Ryan Chatelain

Nine in 10 American children have been infected at least once by COVID-19 since the pandemic began nearly three years ago, according to an updated estimate from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The CDC tracks “seroprevalence” — the proportion of a population with antibodies from a previous virus infection. In data posted Thursday, the agency estimated that 90.3% of children 6 months to 17 years old had evidence of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, in their blood. That amounts to nearly 65 million children.

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White House reveals winter COVID-19 plans, more free tests

BY Spectrum News Staff and Associated Press
UPDATED 5:12 PM ET Dec. 15, 2022

The Biden administration is again making some free COVID-19 tests available to all U.S. households as it unveils its contingency plans for potential coronavirus surges this winter.

After a three-month hiatus, the administration is making four rapid virus tests available through covidtests.gov starting Thursday. COVID-19 cases have shown a marked increase after the Thanksgiving holiday, and further increases are projected from indoor gathering and travel around Christmas and New Year's.

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Ohio court: Insurance doesn’t cover business COVID losses

BY Spectrum News Staff and Associated Press

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — A commercial insurance policy doesn’t cover the income a business lost when the governor ordered a shutdown early in the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ohio Supreme Court said Monday in a decision consistent with multiple court rulings nationally weighing similar questions.

The state’s high court found that the temporary presence of COVID-19 in a community or at a business and the temporary presence of an infected person don’t amount to a direct physical loss that might be covered.

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First lady, top doctors urge Americans over 50 to get updated COVID shot

BY Austin Landis

First Lady Dr. Jill Biden on Friday urged Americans over 50 to prioritize getting their updated COVID-19 vaccine before the holidays, speaking at the White House alongside the administration’s medical advisers and in tandem with the AARP.

With a focus on seniors, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the president’s chief medical adviser, and Dr. Ashish Jha, who oversees the COVID-19 response, took questions gathered by the AARP from around the country — such as why they recommend another booster after last year’s or whether people should get their flu shot at the same time.

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China eases anti-COVID measures following protests

BY Associated Press

China rolled back rules on isolating people with COVID-19 and dropped virus test requirements for some public places Wednesday in a dramatic change to a strategy that confined millions of people to their homes and sparked protests and demands for President Xi Jinping to resign.

The move adds to earlier easing that fueled hopes Beijing was scrapping its "zero COVID" strategy, which is disrupting manufacturing and global trade. Experts warn, however, that restrictions can't be lifted completely until at least mid-2023 because millions of elderly people still must be vaccinated and the health care system strengthened.

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CDC steps up calls for vaccinations amid triple whammy of respiratory viruses

BY Ryan Chatelain

The United States is seeing its highest level of flu hospitalizations in a decade as it continues to grapple with a surge of respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, cases and COVID-19 infections are again on the rise, CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said Monday.

Walensky and Dr. Sandra Fryhofer, board chair of the American Medical Association, kicked off National Influenza Vaccination Week by holding a call with reporters in which they provided an update on the triple whammy of respiratory illnesses filling many hospitals and urged unvaccinated people to get their shots, both for flu and COVID. There is no RSV vaccine.

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China eases COVID rules after protests, keeps wider strategy

BY Associated Press

Chinese authorities eased some anti-virus rules but affirmed their severe "zero COVID" strategy Monday after protesters demanded President Xi Jinping resign in the biggest show of opposition to the ruling Communist Party in decades.

The government made no comment on the protests or the criticism of Xi, but the decision to ease at least some of the restrictions appeared to be aimed at quelling anger. Still, analysts don't expect the government to back down on its COVID strategy and note authorities are adept at stifling dissent.

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After a year, omicron still driving COVID surges and worries

BY Associated Press
UPDATED 3:32 PM ET Nov. 25, 2022

A year after omicron began its assault on humanity, the ever-morphing coronavirus mutant drove COVID-19 case counts higher in many places just as Americans gathered for Thanksgiving. It was a prelude to a wave that experts expect to soon wash over the U.S.

Phoenix-area emergency physician Dr. Nicholas Vasquez said his hospital admitted a growing number of chronically ill people and nursing home residents with severe COVID-19 this month.

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China expands lockdowns as COVID-19 cases hit daily record

BY Associated Press

Pandemic lockdowns are expanding across China, including in a city where factory workers clashed this week with police, as the number of COVID-19 cases hits a daily record.

Residents of eight districts of Zhengzhou, home to 6.6 million people, were told to stay home for five days beginning Thursday except to buy food or get medical treatment. Daily mass testing was ordered in what the city government called a “war of annihilation” against the virus.

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In 'final message,' Fauci urges Americans boost protection with updated COVID shot

BY Austin Landis
UPDATED 4:43 PM ET Nov. 22, 2022

In probably his final time briefing reporters at the White House podium, the nation’s top infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci on Tuesday ticked through data showing how the updated COVID boosters are safe and effective – an effort to inform that has drawn both praise and ire for the top doctor over the last two-and-half years.

Dr. Fauci will step down in December, he announced this summer, ending a five-decade career in government service, 38 years as head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. He also serves as President Joe Biden’s chief medical adviser.

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White House launches campaign to encourage COVID shots, with focus on seniors

BY Austin Landis
UPDATED 2:25 PM ET Nov. 22, 2022

The Biden administration on Tuesday launched a six-week campaign to encourage Americans to get their updated COVID-19 vaccine dose before the end of the year, with a focus on seniors and others most at-risk of severe illness.

The goal, according to a White House fact sheet, is to “help avoid thousands of preventable COVID-19 deaths,” which have typically spiked after holiday gatherings.

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New Moderna COVID booster triggers higher antibody response than earlier shot

BY Ryan Chatelain

Moderna’s updated COVID-19 vaccine booster generated a significantly greater antibody response in clinical trials than its original shot, the company announced Monday.

The data are noteworthy because the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention signed off in early September on reformulated boosters by Moderna, as well as Pfizer and BioNTech, without clinical trial data available.

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WHO reports 90% drop in world COVID-19 deaths since February

BY Associated Press

The World Health Organization chief on Wednesday said a nearly 90% drop in recent COVID-19 deaths globally compared to nine months ago provides “cause for optimism,” but still urged vigilance against the pandemic as variants continue to crop up.



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Massive learning setbacks show COVID's sweeping toll on kids

BY Associated Press

The COVID-19 pandemic devastated poor children's well-being, not just by closing their schools, but also by taking away their parents' jobs, sickening their families and teachers, and adding chaos and fear to their daily lives.

The scale of the disruption to American kids' education is evident in a district-by-district analysis of test scores shared exclusively with The Associated Press. The data provide the most comprehensive look yet at how much schoolchildren have fallen behind academically.

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Biden gets new COVID booster, encourages others to get shot for 'fresh' start on pandemic

BY Austin Landis and Justin Tasolides
UPDATED 4:18 PM ET Oct. 25, 2022

President Joe Biden on Tuesday received his updated COVID-19 booster shot on Tuesday, unveiling his administration’s latest efforts to encourage Americans to do the same and calling for the country to "start fresh" in this new phase of the pandemic.

Biden painted the shots as Americans' best bet to stay safe from the virus this fall and winter, ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday.

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Test scores show historic COVID setbacks for kids across U.S.

BY Associated Press

The COVID-19 pandemic spared no state or region as it caused historic learning setbacks for America's children, erasing decades of academic progress and widening racial disparities, according to results of a national test that provide the sharpest look yet at the scale of the crisis.

Across the country, math scores saw their largest decreases ever. Reading scores dropped to 1992 levels. Nearly four in 10 eighth graders failed to grasp basic math concepts. Not a single state saw a notable improvement in their average test scores, with some simply treading water at best.

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CDC director tests positive for COVID-19, has mild symptoms

BY Associated Press

ATLANTA (AP) — The director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has tested positive for COVID-19.

Dr. Rochelle Walensky, who is up to date on her vaccinations, tested positive Friday night and had mild symptoms, the CDC said in a statement.

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House panel accuses Trump officials of repeatedly interfering with CDC during pandemic

BY Ryan Chatelain
UPDATED 10:14 AM ET Oct. 20, 2022

Driven by politics, Trump administration officials repeatedly interfered with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s efforts to provide the public with information about the COVID-19 pandemic, a report released Monday by the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis found.

The Democratic-led panel charged that the Trump White House blocked the CDC from conveying accurate information to the public in the early months of the pandemic, installed political operatives who sought to downplay the risks of the coronavirus and retaliated against CDC scientists who contradicted the administration’s talking points.

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UH receives $200,000 grant to study COVID-19 long-term effects

BY Madison MacArthur

CLEVELAND — While the pandemic is not quite over, scientists are already investigating how coronavirus works and the best ways to treat it.

University Hospitals recently received a $200,000 grant from the American Lung Association to study COVID-19's long-term consequences and outcomes.

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COVID vaccines saved lives of 300K+ Medicare recipients in 2021, HHS report says

BY Ryan Chatelain

COVID-19 vaccines saved the lives of more than 300,000 seniors and other Americans enrolled in Medicare last year, according to a report released Friday by the Department of Health and Human Services.

Vaccines also were credited for more than 650,000 fewer COVID hospitalizations and a savings of $16 billion in direct medical costs, the report found.

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81% of U.S. adults with long COVID say it's limiting their activity

BY Ryan Chatelain

More than four out of five American adults who are living with long COVID say they’re experiencing some level of disability as a result.

According to CDC data released Wednesday, 81.4% of U.S. adults with long COVID, or roughly 18.5 million people, reported having their ability limited by the condition. Twenty-five percent of those adults describe those limitations as significant.

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3 COVID-19 subvariants growing amid fears of another winter spike

BY Ryan Chatelain

Amid concerns about another COVID-19 surge this fall and winter, a trio of new omicron subvariants are becoming more prevalent in the United States.

The BA.5 subvariant has been the dominant strain since early July and at one point accounted for 87% of new infections, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. At 82%, it remains the most common version of the virus, but cases involving a handful of other subvariants are on the rise, leaving scientists wondering if one will emerge as the next dominant strain.

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Pfizer submits application for updated COVID boosters for kids 5-11

BY Ryan Chatelain

Pfizer and BioNTech announced Monday morning they have applied for emergency use authorization from the Food and Drug Administration for COVID-19 booster shots that target the BA.4 and BA.5 omicron subvariants in children ages 5 to 11.

U.S. regulators earlier this month approved updated boosters by Pfizer and BioNTech as well as Moderna. Both of the shots are bivalent, targeting the original 2019 strain as well as BA.4 and BA.5, which today account for 96% of new COVID-19 infections in the United States. The Pfizer shot is authorized for people ages 12 and older, while the Moderna booster is approved for 18 and older.

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4.4M Americans roll up sleeves for omicron-targeted boosters

BY Associated Press

U.S. health officials say 4.4 million Americans have rolled up their sleeves for the updated COVID-19 booster shot. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention posted the count Thursday as public health experts bemoaned President Joe Biden's recent remark that "the pandemic is over."

The White House said more than 5 million people received the new boosters by its own estimate that accounts for reporting lags in states.

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Official: Canada likely to drop vaccine requirement to enter

BY Associated Press

TORONTO (AP) — Canada will likely drop the vaccine requirement for people who enter Canada by the end of September, an official familiar with the matter told The Associated Press on Tuesday.

Canada, like the United States, requires all people to be vaccinated when entering the country. It is not immediately known whether the U.S. will make a similar move by Sept. 30.

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Democrats, Republicans split on Biden's 'the pandemic is over' comment

BY Justin Tasolides and Ryan Chatelain
UPDATED 1:20 PM ET Sep. 20, 2022

In an interview with “60 Minutes” that aired Sunday, President Joe Biden declared that "the pandemic is over."

“We still have a problem with COVID,” the president added. “We’re still doing a lot of work on it. But the pandemic is over.”

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WHO: COVID end 'in sight,' deaths at lowest since March 2020

BY Associated Press

The head of the World Health Organization said Wednesday that the number of coronavirus deaths worldwide last week was the lowest reported in the pandemic since March 2020, marking what could be a turning point in the years-long global outbreak.

At a press briefing in Geneva, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the world has never been in a better position to stop COVID-19.

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COVID-19 long-haulers continue dealing with symptoms

BY Micaela Marshall
UPDATED 1:00 PM ET Sep. 14, 2022

OHIO — Samantha Leszkowicz takes meticulous notes of everything, every day.

“I won’t remember if I took my supplements, or I don’t remember if I turned the stove off, or just day-to-day basic tasks that I was once able to remember is just very difficult for me now," she said.

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FEMA distributes $2.7B to cover COVID-19 funeral costs

BY Corina Cappabianca and Eden Harris

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced last week that it has distributed over $2.7 billion to help Americans pay for the funerals of more than 441,000 who have died from COVID-19.

More than one million Americans have died from COVID-19. FEMA has helped pay funeral and cemetery costs for the families of more than 441,000 people who have died from COVID-19.

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Study: Nearly 1 in 4 young adults received mental health treatment during pandemic

BY Ryan Chatelain
UPDATED 1:35 PM ET Sep. 07, 2022

The number of American adults seeking mental health treatment has increased since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, and younger adults appear to be struggling the most, according to new federal data.

Nearly one in four Americans — 23% — ages 18 to 44 reported in a survey they had received mental health treatment in the previous 12 months, according to a study published Wednesday by the National Center for Health Statistics, which is part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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Officials say updated booster shots signal shift in COVID fight

BY Ryan Chatelain

The United States has likely entered a new phase in which receiving a COVID-19 vaccine is recommended annually, much like a flu shot, federal health officials said Tuesday.

That was the message from Biden administration officials during a COVID-19 news briefing, just days after the Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention signed off on new Pfizer and Moderna coronavirus booster shots that target both the original 2019 strain as well as the omicron BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants.

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CDC signs off on updated Pfizer, Moderna COVID boosters targeting omicron subvariants

BY Rachel Tillman and Ryan Chatelain
UPDATED 11:36 AM ET Sep. 02, 2022

The Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday authorized Pfizer’s and Moderna’s updated COVID-19 booster shots that target the BA.4 and BA.5 omicron variants.

On Thursday, an advisory panel for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also recommended the vaccines. The CDC signed off on the panel's recommendation shortly after, meaning shots could be available as soon as Friday.

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White House to pause free COVID-19 test kits

BY Corina Cappabianca and Eden Harris

On Monday, the White House announced it would pause sending out free at-home COVID-19 tests this coming Friday.

According to COVID.gov, every home is eligible to order a third round of free at-home tests before the looming deadline.

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Novavax COVID-19 vaccine now available for service members

BY Rachel Tillman

The Department of Defense on Monday announced it is now offering Novavax’s COVID-19 vaccine to service members a little over a month after U.S. health regulators approved the shot for adults aged 18 years and up.

The Food and Drug Administration updated the emergency use authorization to include individuals aged 12 and older. Novavax is the third vaccine to be approved for individuals 12 and up after the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna jabs; the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, which the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says should “only be considered in some cases,” is authorized for those aged 18 and older.

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Moderna sues Pfizer, BioNTech, alleges patent infringement in COVID-19 vaccine

BY Ryan Chatelain
UPDATED 11:57 AM ET Aug. 26, 2022

Moderna is suing Pfizer and BioNTech, accusing the companies of infringing on Moderna’s patents when they partnered to develop their own COVID-19 vaccine.

Moderna claims it spent years developing the mRNA technology used in the shots, that Pfizer and BioNTech had limited experience with the technology when the pandemic began and that the companies followed Moderna’s lead in developing their vaccine, marketed under the name Comirnaty.

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After Pfizer and Moderna submit applications, signs point to September rollout of updated COVID boosters

BY Ryan Chatelain

Updated COVID-19 booster shots are a step closer to being available in the United States after Pfizer and Moderna applied this week for emergency use authorizations.

Both of the shots are bivalent, targeting the original 2019 strain of the virus as well as the BA.4 and BA.5 omicron subvariants, which today account for 99.5% of COVID-19 infections in the country.

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Jill Biden has 'rebound' COVID-19 case, president negative

BY Associated Press

First lady Jill Biden has tested positive for COVID-19 again in an apparent "rebound" case, after she initially tested negative for the virus over the weekend.

President Joe Biden, three days with his wife at their Rehoboth Beach, Del. vacation home, continues to test negative, the White House said. He also suffered a rebound case earlier this month after an initial recovery from the virus.

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Jill Biden rejoins president after negative COVID-19 tests

BY Associated Press
UPDATED 2:47 PM ET Aug. 21, 2022

REHOBOTH BEACH, Del. (AP) — First lady Jill Biden left COVID-19 isolation on Sunday after twice testing negative for the coronavirus and reunited with President Joe Biden at their Delaware beach home.

She had been isolating in South Carolina, where she tested positive for the virus as the couple wrapped up a vacation there last week. The president made a brief stop at the White House before going to Wilmington, Delaware. He arrived in Rehoboth Beach on Saturday night.

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'Dollars for Doses' events continue through September

BY Tonya Charles

CLEVELAND — To get people vaccinated against COVID-19, a church in Cleveland’s Slavic Village is hosting “Dollars for Doses,” where participants can get paid to be vaccinated.

Elizabeth Baptist Church, at 6114 Francis Avenue, is hosting a clinic on Saturday, Aug. 20 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

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White House official says updated COVID boosters coming 'in a few short weeks'

BY Ryan Chatelain

Updated COVID-19 vaccine boosters are expected to be rolled out “in a few short weeks,” the White House’s coronavirus response coordinator said Wednesday.

In June, the Food and Drug Administration directed vaccine manufacturers to change their designs to start targeting the omicron BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants.

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First lady Jill Biden tests positive for COVID-19

BY Ryan Chatelain
UPDATED 11:17 AM ET Aug. 16, 2022

First lady Jill Biden has tested positive for COVID-19, her communications director said Tuesday.

Biden, 71, tested negative during a regular screening Monday but began to experience symptoms later in the day. She then initially tested negative on a rapid antigen test before testing positive on a PCR test, Communications Director Elizabeth Alexander said in a statement.

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CDC streamlines, updates guidance on COVID-19

BY Ryan Chatelain

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday streamlined its COVID-19 guidance in an attempt to make it easier for people to know what to do if they’re exposed or test positive for the virus.

The agency also updated its guidance for people who are not up to date on their vaccines and are exposed to COVID-19. They are no longer advised to quarantine at home for at least five full days.

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Kent State University to require masks indoors at several campuses

BY Madison MacArthur

KENT, Ohio — Kent State University joins other Ohio universities in requiring facemasks indoors as COVID-19 cases continue to rise.

According to the university's Coronavirus Updates page, several campuses will be requiring masks as the county levels rise.

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Biden tests negative again, leaves White House: 'I'm feeling great'

BY Justin Tasolides and Ryan Chatelain
UPDATED 9:01 AM ET Aug. 07, 2022

President Joe Biden tested negative for COVID-19 Sunday for the second day in a row, allowing him to leave isolation at the White House and travel to Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.

“I’m feeling great,” Biden told reporters before leaving the White House and boarding Marine One.

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Biden still testing positive, but feels 'well' and completed 'light workout,' doctor says

BY Justin Tasolides
UPDATED 12:08 PM ET Aug. 03, 2022

President Joe Biden continued to test positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday, but he "continues to feel well" and even completed a "light workout," his physician said in an update.

Dr. Kevin O'Connor wrote in a memo Wednesday that Biden "is still experiencing an occasional cough, but less frequently than" Tuesday.

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Doctor: Biden tests positive for COVID for 2nd day in a row

BY Associated Press
UPDATED 1:20 PM ET Jul. 31, 2022

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden tested positive for COVID-19 for the second straight day, in what appears to be in a rare case of “rebound” following treatment with an anti-viral drug.

In a letter noting the positive test, Dr. Kevin O'Connor, the White House physician, said Sunday that the president “continues to feel well” and will keep on working from the executive residence while he isolates.

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U.S. rules out summer COVID boosters to focus on fall campaign

BY Associated Press
UPDATED 4:18 PM ET Jul. 29, 2022

U.S. regulators said Friday they are no longer considering authorizing a second COVID-19 booster shot for all adults under 50 this summer, focusing instead on revamped vaccines for the fall that will target the newest viral subvariants.

Pfizer and Moderna expect to have updated versions of their shots available as early as September, the Food and Drug Administration said in a statement. That would set the stage for a fall booster campaign to strengthen protection against the latest versions of omicron.

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Fauci to Paul: 'Go ahead' and investigate me over COVID-19

BY Ryan Chatelain

As Sen. Rand Paul is reiterating his intention to investigate him if Republicans win back the Senate this fall, Dr. Anthony Fauci, arguably the face of the federal government’s COVID-19 response, said Tuesday he has nothing to hide.

Paul, R-Ky., told The Hill this week, “One way or another, if we are in the majority, we will subpoena his records and he will testify in the Senate under oath.”

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Biden improves ‘significantly,’ throat still sore from COVID

BY Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden continues to “improve significantly” despite a lingering sore throat from his coronavirus infection, according to an update Sunday from his doctor.

“The president is responding to therapy as expected,” wrote Dr. Kevin O’Connor in his latest note. Biden has been taking Paxlovid, an antiviral drug that helps reduce the chance of severe illness.

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Biden's COVID symptoms 'continue to improve,' doctor says; 'most likely' infected by BA.5 variant

BY Austin Landis , Justin Tasolides , Associated Press and Julia Benbrook
UPDATED 12:30 PM ET Jul. 23, 2022

In an update on Saturday, President Joe Biden's physician said that his symptoms "continue to improve," though he now also has sore throat and body aches.

Dr. Kevin O'Connor wrote in a letter to White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre that the president was "most likely" infected by the BA.5 variant, currently the most common strain in the United States, based on preliminary sequencing.

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Fauci: President Biden is 'doing fine' after COVID diagnosis

BY Kevin Frey and Eden Harris

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s leading infectious disease expert, told Spectrum News on Friday that President Joe Biden is "doing fine" after his COVID-19 diagnosis.

“The good news is that [Biden is] in generally good health," Dr. Fauci told Spectrum News' Kevin Frey, mentioning he spoke with President Biden's physician Dr. Kevin O'Connor on Friday morning. "He's been vaccinated, he's been doubly boosted. And he's on an antiviral drug, Paxlovid, which clearly has a very positive impact in preventing people from progressing to severe disease.”

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Columbus Public Health issues mask advisory amid COVID-19 case increase

BY James Massara

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Columbus Public Health issued a mask advisory for Franklin County on Friday because of an increase in COVID-19 transmission levels.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention moved Franklin County to the “high” level on its COVID-19 data tracker. It is one of more than 40 counties in Ohio to be labeled as high transmission.

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At-Home COVID-19 tests in high demand as cases rise

BY Camri Nelson

CINCINNATI — There are currently more than 2.8 million COVID-19 cases across Ohio, according to the latest data from the Ohio Department of Health. At-home COVID-19 tests are in high demand, with covid cases continuing to rise across the state.

Hamilton County is one area where these tests are in high demand, according to Hamilton County Public Health. As of Sunday, the county is at the “medium” COVID-19 community level- meaning people should be more cautious about protecting themselves against the virus.

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COVID-19 vaccines in Ohio: What you need to know

BY Pete Grieve
UPDATED 11:45 AM ET Jul. 18, 2022

COLUMBUS, Ohio — For Ohioans, COVID-19 vaccinations are available as walk-in appointments at pharmacies and local health clinics.

Vaccines are now recommended for children between six-months-old to four-years-old. Everyone age five and older is eligible for a booster shot.

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The latest coronavirus numbers in Ohio

BY Spectrum News Staff
UPDATED 11:30 AM ET Jul. 18, 2022

COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Ohio Department of Health updates the latest coronavirus case count on a weekly basis.

The graphics below are updated with information provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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25 million kids missed routine vaccinations because of COVID

BY Associated Press

About 25 million children worldwide have missed out on routine immunizations against common diseases like diptheria, largely because the coronavirus pandemic disrupted regular health services or triggered misinformation about vaccines, according to the U.N.



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FDA authorizes Novavax COVID-19 vaccine for adults 18 and older

BY Justin Tasolides and Associated Press
UPDATED 6:05 PM ET Jul. 13, 2022

The Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday issued an emergency use authorization for Novavax's COVID-19 vaccine for adults 18 and older, giving Americans an additional option to choose from to get vaccinated against the deadly coronavirus.

The two-dose vaccine is now the fourth COVID-19 inoculation available for use in the United States.

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In survey, public schools blame pandemic for rise in behavioral problems

BY Ryan Chatelain

Nearly 90% of U.S. public schools say the COVID-19 pandemic has hurt the socio-emotional development of their students, according to federal data released Wednesday.

In a May survey of 846 public schools conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics, part of the Education Department, 87% of schools said the pandemic negatively impacted socio-emotional development during the past academic year, and 83% agreed that students’ behavioral development also has been stunted.

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U.S. allows pharmacists to prescribe Pfizer’s COVID pill

BY Spectrum News Staff and Associated Press

Pharmacists can prescribe the leading COVID-19 pill directly to patients under a new U.S. policy announced Wednesday that’s intended to expand use of Pfizer’s drug Paxlovid.

The Food and Drug Administration said pharmacists can begin screening patients to see if they are eligible for Paxlovid and then prescribe the medication, which has been shown to curb the worst effects of COVID-19. Previously only physicians could prescribe the antiviral drug.

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For now, wary U.S. treads water with transformed COVID-19

BY Associated Press

The fast-changing coronavirus has kicked off summer in the U.S. with lots of infections but relatively few deaths compared to its prior incarnations.

COVID-19 is still killing hundreds of Americans each day, but is not nearly as dangerous as it was last fall and winter.

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U.S. buys 105 million COVID vaccine doses for fall campaign

BY Austin Landis and Associated Press
UPDATED 5:19 PM ET Jun. 30, 2022

U.S. health officials said they have agreed to purchase another 105 million doses of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine in anticipation of a fall booster campaign.

The $3.2 billion deal announced Wednesday by the Biden administration comes as federal scientists consider how to update the vaccines to better protect Americans from the rapidly evolving virus. Federal officials said the purchase agreement includes the option to purchase a total of 300 million doses, including a mix of doses for both adults and children.

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Fauci says he's experiencing COVID rebound following antiviral treatment

BY Ryan Chatelain

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the federal government’s top infectious disease expert, says he’s experiencing the mysterious phenomenon known as “COVID rebound,” which has been linked to the oral treatment Paxlovid.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the recurrence of COVID-19 symptoms or a new positive test after testing negative have been reported two to eight days after a patient initially recovers from the coronavirus following Paxlovid treatment.

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Pfizer says tweaked COVID-19 shots boost omicron protection

BY Associated Press

Pfizer announced Saturday that tweaking its COVID-19 vaccine to better target the omicron variant is safe and works — just days before regulators debate whether to offer Americans updated booster shots this fall.

The vaccines currently used in the U.S. still offer strong protection against severe COVID-19 disease and death -- especially if people have gotten a booster dose. But those vaccines target the original coronavirus strain and their effectiveness against any infection dropped markedly when the super-contagious omicron mutant emerged.

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Gravity Diagnostics closing two COVID testing sites with diminished demand

BY Sam Knef

FLORENCE, Ky. — An organization that has been one of the leaders in COVID-19 testing in northern Kentucky announced the closing of some of its testing sites.

While there is still a demand for getting tested, one Gravity Diagnostics leader said that demand is far less than it has been in the past, and the company is ready to move on, at least for now.

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Ohio doctor discusses CDC vaccine recommendation for children under five

BY Cody Thompson

Over the weekend, the Centers for Disease Control officially recommended the COVID-19 vaccine for children under the age of five. The CDC recommends all children receive this vaccine, even if they have already had COVID-19. The health organization maintains that the vaccine has undergone the "most intensive safety monitoring in U.S. history."

Joining us to discuss this recommendation is Dr. Shelly Senders, the founder and CEO of Senders Pediatrics.

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Biden adviser Jake Sullivan tests positive for COVID-19

BY Associated Press

REHOBOTH BEACH, Del. (AP) — White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan tested positive on Saturday for COVID-19, according to the White House.

Sullivan typically has frequent contact with President Joe Biden but last was in contact with the president early in the week, according to a senior administration official who spoke on condition of anonymity. Sullivan had been keeping his distance from Biden after “a couple” of people he had been in close contact with had tested positive for the virus, the official said.

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CDC recommends Pfizer, Moderna COVID-19 shots for kids under 5

BY Justin Tasolides and Associated Press
UPDATED 3:58 PM ET Jun. 18, 2022

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended COVID-19 shots for children as young as six months old, clearing the way for the youngest Americans to begin getting vaccinated next week.

Director Rochelle Walensky quickly signed off on the vaccines for children under five just hours after a panel of advisers to the CDC unanimously voted to recommend them.

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Dr. Anthony Fauci tests positive for COVID-19, NIH announces

BY Justin Tasolides
UPDATED 3:57 PM ET Jun. 15, 2022

Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and Chief Medical Advisor to President Joe Biden, has tested positive for COVID, the National Institutes of Health announced Wednesday.

Dr. Fauci, who was also one of the lead members of the White House Coronavirus Task Force under former President Donald Trump, tested positive on a rapid antigen test and is experiencing "mild symptoms."

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CDC update shows Summit County's COVID-19 community spread decreased

BY Madison MacArthur

AKRON, Ohio — Summit County dropped a level in the Center's for Disease Control Prevention's latest update for COVID-19 community spread.

Summit County is now reporting a Community Level Low/Green following a decrease in cases, dropping from the yellow level indicating moderate spread.

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Moral injury reveals itself in health care workers, Duke doctors say

BY Patrick Thomas

DURHAM, N.C. — Years into the pandemic, doctors and nurses are reporting symptoms that resemble those experienced by men and women in the military after tours of duty. And thirteen North Carolina counties are reporting a high risk of COVID-19 as the virus shows no signs of giving health care professionals a break.



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Health officials sound alarm on COVID fund diversion: 'Going to set us back'

BY Austin Landis

Top U.S. health officials on Thursday sounded the alarm on how their need to divert COVID-19 funding for things like test manufacturing and vaccine research could put the country in a dire position in the fall, as they continue to urge Congress to pass legislation to pay for future vaccine doses and other critical response measures.

The Biden administration had announced Wednesday that they were forced to reallocate more than $10 billion in coronavirus relief as it tries to come up with money to secure the next generation of vaccines and treatments for some high-risk Americans.

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White House COVID chief: Shots for kids under 5 could begin as early as June 21

BY Spectrum News Staff and Associated Press
UPDATED 12:30 PM ET Jun. 09, 2022

Millions of COVID-19 vaccine doses have been ordered for small children in anticipation of possible federal authorization next week, White House officials say.

The government allowed pharmacies and states to start placing orders last week, with 5 million doses initially available — half of them shots made by Pfizer and the other half the vaccine produced by Moderna, senior administration officials said.

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Moderna says updated COVID shot boosts omicron protection

BY Spectrum News Staff and Associated Press

Moderna's experimental COVID-19 vaccine that combines its original shot with protection against the omicron variant appears to work, the company announced Wednesday.

COVID-19 vaccine makers are studying updated boosters that might be offered in the fall to better protect people against future coronavirus surges.

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LOCAL RESOURCES
Symptoms

The 2019 novel coronavirus may cause mild to severe respiratory symptoms like:

  • cough
  • fever
  • trouble breathing and
  • pneumonia

The CDC believes symptoms may appear in as few as 2 days or as long as 14 days after exposure to the virus.

(Source: NYS DOH)