Coronavirus

Paris Police Block Trucker Convoy From Entering City

Reuters reports: Paris police intercepted at least 500 vehicles attempting to enter the French capital Saturday, in defiance of a police order, to take part in protests against virus restrictions inspired by Canada’s horn-honking “Freedom Convoy.” The police said on Twitter that several convoys were stopped from entering at key city arteries and over 200 motorists were handed tickets. Elsewhere, …

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SCOTUS Rejects Appeal From Anti-Vax NYC Teachers

The Hill reports: The Supreme Court on Friday denied a request from a group of New York City public school teachers seeking to block a vaccine mandate for employees who were not given a religious exemption. Their appeal was directed to Justice Sonia Sotomayor, who handles cases from that region. She rejected an earlier challenge, filed in October, to the …

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Pfizer Postpones FDA Request On Vax For Kids Under 5

NBC News reports: Pfizer-BioNTech is postponing its rolling application to the Food and Drug Administration to expand the use of its two-dose Covid-19 vaccine for children ages 6 months to 4 years. The move means that vaccines for this age group will not be available in the coming weeks, a setback for parents eager to vaccinate their young children. Pfizer …

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New Zealand Anti-Vaxxers Dig Trench On Parliament Lawn After Police Use Sprinklers To Drive Them Off

The Insider reports: When anti-vaccine mandate protesters showed up to New Zealand’s parliament on Friday, officials activated the sprinklers to drive them off. But demonstrators have responded to the inconvenience by digging trenches to redirect water away from tents, according to local media reports. Hundreds of anti-mandate supporters have occupied the grounds outside the nation’s parliament in Wellington this week. …

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NYC Set To Fire 3000 Vaccine Refusers Today [VIDEO]

New York City’s CBS News affiliate reports: As many as 3,000 New York City public employees are expected to be fired Friday for failing to obey the COVID vaccine mandate. It was put in place by Mayor Bill de Blasio, and Mayor Eric Adams says he’s ready to enforce it. Adams says as far as he’s concerned, he’s not firing …

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White Evangelicals Remain Least Vaccinated US Group

The Christian Post reports: A new survey reveals that while a supermajority of white evangelical Protestants have taken at least one dose of the coronavirus vaccine, the group has the lowest vaccination rate among all demographic subgroups questioned. Broken down by religious affiliation, vaccination rates were highest among Catholics, with 85% reporting that they had taken at least one dose …

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DC Metro Won’t Return To Pre-Pandemic Service Levels

The Washington Post reports: The public transit service that riders were accustomed to before the pandemic is not coming back, a result of fewer trips to downtown Washington and a rise in workers abandoning commutes, Metro leaders testified Wednesday at a hearing on problems plaguing the transit agency. Hundreds of suspended rail cars could return in April, but Metro officials …

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Illinois Gov To Lift Indoor Mask Mandate On Feb. 28th

The Chicago Sun-Times reports: Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Wednesday announced he’ll lift his indoor mask mandate for most public settings by Feb. 28, but he’ll still push to keep face coverings on in schools for a few weeks beyond that. The Democratic governor’s latest pandemic directive means Illinoisans — vaccinated or not — can go bare-faced in grocery stores, restaurants, …

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Joe Rogan: How Stupid Must You Be To Listen To Me?

“I talk shit for a living — that’s why this is so baffling to me. If you’re taking vaccine advice from me, is that really my fault? What dumb shit were you about to do when my stupid idea sounded better? ‘You know that dude who made people people eat animal dicks on TV? How does he feel about medicine?’ …

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New York Gov Lifts Statewide Indoor Mask Mandate

NBC News reports: New York Gov. Kathy Hochul lifted a statewide mask mandate Wednesday amid a battle over the rule’s legality and as a surge in Covid-19 infections continues to recede. With infection numbers now trending down, Hochul said the “tremendous progress” has allowed the state to move into a “new phase.” Hospitalizations also decreased 63 percent between Jan. 12 …

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Anti-Vax “Freedom Convoy” Starts In France [VIDEO]

Reuters reports: Protesters gathered in southern France on Wednesday for what they say will be a “freedom convoy” that will converge on Paris and Brussels to demand an end to COVID-19 restrictions, inspired by protesters who have blocked a Canadian border crossing. About 200 protesters assembled in a parking lot in Nice, on France’s Mediterranean coast, with many displaying Canadian …

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NYC Poised To Do Away With Outdoor Dining Sheds

NY1 reports: The outdoor dining sheds that changed the landscape of New York City’s streets during the pandemic may soon get packed up for good. During a City Council hearing on Tuesday, Department of Transportation officials said that a revised outdoor dining program likely won’t feature sheds at all. “We don’t envision sheds in the permanent program, we’re not planning …

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Struggling NYC Subway To Test Fare-Capping Program

Gothamist reports: The MTA will launch a four-month long fare-capping pilot as it hopes to lure riders back after two years of pandemic-related losses, the authority announced Monday. Starting Feb. 28, from Monday to Sunday during each week of the pilot, any subway or bus rider who uses the OMNY contactless payment system and takes 12 trips within that week …

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REPORT: New York Gov To Drop Indoor Mask Mandate

The New York Times reports: Gov. Kathy Hochul will drop New York’s stringent indoor mask mandate on Wednesday, ending a requirement that businesses ask customers for proof of full vaccination or require mask-wearing at all times, and marking a turning point in the state’s coronavirus response. The decision will eliminate a rule that prompted legal and interpersonal clashes over mask …

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Ten Anti-Vaxxers Arrested For Storming NYC Theater

The New York Post reports: At least 10 people were taken into police custody after a group of anti-vaccine protestors stormed the AMC Empire 25 movie theater in Midtown on Monday night, police said. At least 10 people were taken into police custody after a group of anti-vaccine protestors stormed the AMC Empire 25 movie theater in Midtown on Monday …

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Italian Parents Refuse Vaxxed Blood For Sick Child

Italian wire service ANSA reports: The anti-vax parents of a boy who has to get blood transfusions during a delicate heart operation have refused to allow him to received blood from COVID-vaccinated donors, the Gazzetta di Modena reported Monday. A judge’s ruling is expected later Monday on the boy, who is at Bologna’s Sant’Orsola Hospital. Meanwhile an appeal to set …

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Canada’s Anti-Vaxxers Galvanize Extremists Worldwide

Politico reports: While the Canadian standoff against Covid-19 restrictions paralyzes Ottawa, it’s becoming viral online as a rallying cry for leading U.S. Republican politicians, far-right influencers and white supremacist groups who have transposed the criticism of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government to an international audience for their own political gain. Politicians from former President Donald Trump to Rep. Marjorie …

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Spotify CEO: We Won’t Be “Silencing” Joe Rogan

Axios reports: Spotify CEO Daniel Ek told employees Sunday that while he strongly condemns past racial slurs used by Joe Rogan, he won’t cut ties with the platform’s most popular podcaster, according to an internal memo obtained by Axios. Spotify has come under fire in recent weeks for anti-vaccination comments made by Rogan — which prompted boycotts from several musicians. …

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Ottawa Mayor Declares State Of Emergency [VIDEO]

ABC News reports: Canada’s capital declared a state of emergency on Sunday because of trucker-led protests against COVID-19 vaccine mandates and other pandemic-related restrictions. The move by Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson “reflects the serious danger and threat to the safety and security of residents posed by the ongoing demonstrations and highlights the need for support from other jurisdictions and levels …

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Russia Reports Tenfold Increase In New COVID Cases

The Associated Press reports: Russia is reporting a record daily count of new coronavirus infections, a tenfold spike from a month ago as the highly contagious omicron variant spreads through the country. The figure of 189,071 new infections released by the state coronavirus task force on Sunday was about 2,800 cases more than the previous day and continued a surge …

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