Coronavirus

Israel Hayom reports: A popular rabbi urged his followers not to be vaccinated against the coronavirus, warning them that doing so, it might “turn them” into homosexuals. Rabbi Daniel Asor’s assertion goes against decrees issued by leading rabbis in Israel and around the world, who have called on ultra-Orthodox society to take every precaution against the global pandemic, including getting …

Gothamist reports: New York City will run out of COVID-19 vaccine supplies by the end of next week, Mayor Bill de Blasio warned on Friday. The shortage would disrupt the mayor’s goal of administering 1 million doses across the five boroughs by the end of January, delaying the prospect of rapidly achieving herd immunity and reopening safely. “We will run …

CNBC reports: President-elect Joe Biden plans to use FEMA and the National Guard to build coronavirus vaccine clinics across the United States, according to new details of his Covid-19 vaccination plan released by his transition team on Friday. The Biden administration will also “quickly jumpstart” efforts to make the vaccines available at local pharmacies across the U.S., which should ensure …

The Wall Street Journal reports: Operation Warp Speed leaders waited more than two months to approve a plan to distribute and administer Covid-19 vaccines proposed by U.S. health officials, administration officials said, leaving states with little time to implement a mass-vaccination campaign amid a coronavirus surge. State and local officials had been clamoring for months for help preparing for the …

The Christian Post reports: Pope Francis and Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI have both received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. The vaccination program at Vatican City began on Wednesday, with the current head of the Roman Catholic Church and his predecessor getting the shot. After a vaccine was developed for the coronavirus, some pro-life groups and others expressed concern …

ABC News reports: Researchers say the COVID-19 pandemic is lowering the average American’s life expectancy. A study by the National Academy of Sciences found the average lifetime for an American is now reduced by one year and six weeks. The reduction gets more drastic for communities hit hardest by the pandemic. Researchers say the life expectancy for African Americans has …

The New York Times reports: President-elect Joseph R. Biden Jr. will propose a $1.9 trillion rescue package to combat the economic downturn and the Covid-19 crisis, outlining on Thursday evening the type of sweeping aid that Democrats have demanded for months. The sprawling package includes more than $400 billion to combat the pandemic directly, including accelerating vaccine deployment and safely …

USA Today reports: Julia Letlow, the widow of U.S. Rep.-elect Luke Letlow, will run for the 5th Congressional District seat her husband was unable to fill because of his COVID-19 death Dec. 29. “Everything in my life and in my marriage has prepared me for this moment,” she said in a statement. “My motivation is the passion Luke and I …

The New York Times reports: As America slogs through this grimmest of winters, there is no relief in the daily tabulations of Covid-19 deaths: More than 4,400 were reported across the United States on Tuesday, according to a New York Times database, a number once unimaginable. Yet even as the disease touches thousands of families, the nation is distracted by …

From Yelp’s corporate blog: As consumers look for ways to continue supporting their favorite local businesses, their personal health and safety remains a critical part of the decision making process. And for businesses, we know it’s especially important to efficiently communicate their current service offerings and health and safety practices to customers — in fact, we saw consumer interest increase …

From the Orange County Board of Supervisors: In a vital step to help battle the spread of COVID-19, the County of Orange has established the first large Point-of-Dispensing (POD) site to provide COVID-19 vaccines to residents at Disneyland Resort in Anaheim. “The Disneyland Resort, the largest employer in the heart of Orange County, has stepped up to host the county’s …

Variety reports: Antonio Sabáto Sr., an Italian American actor known for his roles in “Grand Prix” and “Escape From the Bronx,” died this week due to COVID-19 complications. He was 77. The news of Sabáto’s death was confirmed in a tweet by his son, actor and model Antonio Sabáto Jr., who also posted an old family photo. He shared the …

The New York Times reports: Reports of a highly contagious new coronavirus variant in the United States, published on Friday by multiple news outlets, are based on speculative statements made by Dr. Deborah Birx and are inaccurate, according to several government officials. The erroneous report originated at a recent meeting where Dr. Birx, a member of the White House coronavirus …

CNN reports: The US reported more than 4,000 Covid-19 deaths Thursday — the most virus-related deaths the country has reported in one day since the pandemic’s start. It’s the third day in a row of record daily deaths from the disease, according to data from Johns Hopkins University, while the number of people who have been infected topped more than …

CNN reports: As the United States reported its highest single day of Covid-19 deaths, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned the overall toll could exceed 430,000 by the end of the month. The US reported 3,963 coronavirus deaths Wednesday, bringing the overall toll to 361,123 people in the US, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. In …

CNN reports: Texas Rep. Kevin Brady, the top Republican on the House Ways and Means Committee, has tested positive for coronavirus, he announced Tuesday. Brady — who was on the floor voting this week, including on Sunday — added that he will “Begin treatment tomorrow” and should “be fine.” News of Brady’s diagnosis comes on the heels of another member …

The New York Post reports: An anti-masker who believed the COVID-19 crisis was just a “political” stunt issued an emotional plea to skeptics from his hospital bed — after becoming seriously ill with the virus. In a Facebook video shared by a pal on Monday, Chuck Stacey gasps for breath as he admits he was wrong about the pandemic that’s …

The Hill reports: Eventbrite sites posing as local Florida health departments have reportedly targeted seniors in the state by charging money for fake vaccination appointments, prompting local health officials to issue warnings to residents Monday. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) issued an executive order on Dec. 23 mandating that those 65 and older would be among the first people of …

The Washington Post reports: There is compelling evidence that covid-19 will have long-term effects on the brains and nervous systems of survivors as they age, and researchers on Tuesday announced a large international study to investigate the correlation between the coronavirus and cognitive decline, Alzheimer’s disease and other dementia in later life. Decades of evidence from other respiratory viruses, along …

Via press release from the FDA: We have been following the discussions and news reports about reducing the number of doses, extending the length of time between doses, changing the dose (half-dose), or mixing and matching vaccines in order to immunize more people against COVID-19. These are all reasonable questions to consider and evaluate in clinical trials. However, at this …