Coronavirus

Chattanooga’s NBC News affiliate reports: Hamilton County officials say miscalculations led to late-evening vaccinations in the Tennessee Riverpark on New Year’s Eve, long after people were turned away and told there were no more vaccines available. Acting on a tip, Channel 3 returned to the Riverpark after dark to find cars leaving the property. The people in those vehicles told …

The Texas Tribune reports: The Supreme Court of Texas on Friday blocked Austin-area orders that restricted dining-in and drinking at restaurants through January 3. The order followed a New Year’s Day appeal by Attorney General Ken Paxton. Austin Mayor Steve Adler and Travis County Judge Andy Brown announced the orders on Dec. 29 in a bid to slow spiraling coronavirus …

PBS NewsHour reports: The U.S. continued to surpass other countries in COVID-19 cases as it reached 20 million at the start of the new year, according to data kept by Johns Hopkins University. America exceeded the mark Friday, less than a week after the country reached 19 million cases. COVID-19 deaths have also increased in the country, now totaling more …

The Argus Leader reports: A federal judge says a state court can’t use the COVID-19 pandemic as an excuse to delay a Codington County trial and in the same breath criticized South Dakota’s response to the pandemic, saying it has done “little, if anything,” to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann ordered that unless the …

CNN reports: Florida’s county-by-county plan to vaccinate its elderly population has created a mass scramble for a limited number of doses, leading to hourslong lines at vaccination sites and overwhelmed county hotlines and websites. The first-come, first-serve plan led to huge lines forming overnight Tuesday as people camped out on lawn chairs and waited for hours. Bruce Scott told CNN …

Via press release from Sen. Mitt Romney: That comprehensive vaccination plans have not been developed at the federal level and sent to the states as models is as incomprehensible as it is inexcusable. I have experience organizing a major logistical event but nothing on the scale of what is called for today. Nor do I have any relevant medical or …

The Hill reports: President-elect Joe Biden and his wife Dr. Jill Biden honored frontline workers in a New Year’s Eve address Thursday during ABC’s “New Year’s Rockin’ Eve” broadcast from Times Square. “My mother used to have an expression,” Biden said. “Bravery resides in every heart and someday it’ll be summoned. [In] the people we’re honoring tonight, it was summoned …

Politico reports: New York City will launch a campaign to vaccinate a million residents for the coronavirus in January, Mayor Bill de Blasio said Thursday. “This city can do it,” the mayor said. “The amazing health care professionals of this city are ready. We’re going to set up new sites all over the city, on top of the many, many …

Milwaukee’s NBC News affiliate reports: Grafton Police have arrested the Aurora Health Care pharmacist who intentionally spoiled more than 500 doses of the Moderna coronavirus vaccine on Thursday, officials said. He has been arrested on charges of first degree recklessly endangering safety, adulterating a prescription drug, and criminal damage to property. He is currently held at the Ozaukee County jail. …

CNBC reports: Sen. David Perdue of Georgia is quarantining after contact with someone who tested positive for Covid-19, his campaign said Thursday, less than a week before the Republican’s runoff election against Jon Ossoff. His runoff against Ossoff is one of two runoffs in Georgia that will determine whether Republicans or Democrats have majority control over the U.S. Senate in …

The Texas Tribune reports: Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said Wednesday that he has sued the City of Austin and Travis County, a declaration that came a day after local leaders declared new restrictions for when restaurants and bars can serve customers during New Year’s weekend. Paxton filed a petition for temporary injunction and a temporary restraining order in Travis …

CNBC reports: “We would’ve liked to have seen it run smoothly and have 20 million doses into people today, by the end of the (year) 2020, which was the projection. Obviously, it didn’t happen and that’s disappointing,” Fauci said Thursday on NBC’s “TODAY” show. “Hopefully, as you get into the first couple of weeks in January, the gaining of momentum …

NBC News reports: Congresswoman-elect María Elvira Salazar of Florida announced Thursday that she will miss the swearing-in ceremony for new members of Congress on Sunday in Washington after testing positive for the coronavirus. Salazar, a Republican from the Miami area who defeated Democratic Rep. Donna Shalala in one of the biggest House upsets of the election year, was admitted to …

The Washington Post reports: President-elect Joe Biden’s scaled-back inaugural activities will include a nationwide memorial service ahead of his swearing-in to honor the lives lost to the coronavirus, the committee planning the events announced Thursday. The Presidential Inaugural Committee said it would host a lighting ceremony at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool late in the afternoon on Jan. 19, a …

The Hill reports: As 2020 comes to an end, the United States broke the record for coronavirus deaths for the second consecutive day. The country reported at least 3,903 COVID-19 related deaths on Wednesday, according to The Atlantic’s COVID Tracking Project. The previous fatality record was recorded just the day before, with 3,725 deaths reported on Tuesday. Across the country, …

The Associated Press reports: China authorized its first homegrown COVID-19 vaccine for general use Thursday, adding another shot that could see wide use in poorer countries as the virus surges back around the globe. The Sinopharm vaccine had already been given to groups such as health care professionals and essential workers under emergency-use guidelines as part of China’s program to …

Politico Europe reports: People must stop socializing in each other’s homes for several weeks under new pandemic restrictions announced Wednesday by the Irish government. The Cabinet took action in emergency session after public health chiefs warned that the rate of COVID-19 infections was growing much faster than during the first and second waves. Some measures, while immediately intended to discourage …

The Victor Harbor Times reports: Sydney has largely banned crowds for its world-renowned pyrotechnic display, while Melbourne’s fireworks are cancelled. NSW restrictions were tightened further on Wednesday as the state battles to control its growing outbreak. Residents in Greater Sydney, including Wollongong, Central Coast and Blue Mountains, will be restricted to hosting five visitors in their homes, including children. And …

Milwaukee’s Fox News affiliate reports: More than 500 doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine had to be “discarded” after they were removed from a pharmacy refrigerator at the Aurora Medical Center in Grafton on Saturday, Dec. 26 in an intentional act, officials said in an update Wednesday, Dec. 30. Grafton police late Wednesday night confirmed the FBI and FDA are …

Reuters reports: Canada will soon require that air travelers test negative for COVID-19 before arrival, federal ministers said on Wednesday, after social media images of maskless tourists prompted a call for stricter measures to curb the virus. “Canada will quickly implement the requirement for all arriving passengers to have a negative PCR COVID test three days before arriving in Canada,” …