Coronavirus

GOP Gov Thanks Biden For Bid To “Depoliticize” COVID

The Hill reports: Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson (R) on Monday thanked President Biden for his efforts to “depoliticize” the nation’s response to the coronavirus pandemic as the omicron variant surges across the country. Biden held a call with numerous governors to discuss the response to the latest COVID-19 variant, which is highly contagious. “I want to thank all of the …

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Widespread Flight Cancellations Continue For 4th Day

CNN Business reports: More than 2,000 flights have been canceled Monday as Covid cases surge across the globe. Of the more than 2,400 canceled flights, nearly 900 were within, into or out of the United States, according to FlightAware. More than 6,500 flights are delayed. The cancellations come at the busiest time of year for air travel. The US Transportation …

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Fauci: “Seriously Consider” Vax Proof For Air Travel

Axios reports: A COVID vaccine requirement should “seriously” be considered for domestic air travel in the U.S. as a response to the Omicron variant of the virus, NIAID director Anthony Fauci told MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” on Monday. When you make vaccination a requirement, that’s another incentive to get more people vaccinated,” Fauci said. “If you want to do that with …

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NYC’s Workplace Vaccine Mandate Goes Into Effect

The Associated Press reports: New York City’s sweeping mandate requiring nearly all private-sector businesses to ban unvaccinated employees from the workplace has taken effect amid a spike in coronavirus infections. Workers at roughly 184,000 businesses were required to show proof they have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine by Monday. Businesses that don’t comply could face fines …

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NYC Subway Cuts Train Frequency Amid COVID Surge

The Insider reports: Subway services across New York City are set to run less frequently from Monday to Thursday as COVID-19 cases swell. The New York City Transit Authority, a division of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, said on Sunday that subways would be less frequent and passengers may have to wait longer for their train. It advised people to check …

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NYC Trump Restaurant Refuses To Seat Anti-Vaxxers

The Daily Mail reports: A group of anti-vaxxers protested outside Trump Grill in New York City on Thursday after they were denied entrance to the restaurant. A police officer was recorded trying to reason with the handful of protesters, who appeared to be in the restaurant’s lobby. “Prove to us. that we are a threat. Yeah, so the burden of …

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1200+ US Flights Canceled Yesterday, 5000+ Delayed

CNN Business reports: Major US airlines canceled hundreds more flights Sunday, the third day in a row of mass cancellations and delays over Christmas weekend, as staff and crew call out sick amid the Omicron surge. More than 1,200 US flights were canceled and more than 5,000 were delayed Sunday, according to FlightAware. Globally, there were over 2,000 cancellations. Delta …

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Two More College Bowl Games Canceled Due To COVID

ESPN reports: The Military and Fenway bowls were canceled Sunday as a result of COVID-19 issues with participating teams. Boston College had over 40 players unavailable to play in the Military Bowl against East Carolina on Monday. Virginia also had players test positive for COVID-19, making it unable to travel and play SMU at the Wasabi Fenway Bowl, set for …

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Study: COVID Can Remain In Body For Up To 8 Months

The Washington Post reports: The coronavirus spreads rapidly to multiple organs and can remain in the body for as long as 230 days after infection, according to a study by researchers at the National Institutes of Health and the University of Maryland. Upon infection, the coronavirus “disseminates across the human body and brain early in infection at high levels,” researchers …

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MN Man Gets One Year For Anti-Mask Hammer Attack

The Associated Press reports: A Minnesota man who attacked a Menards employee after the worker told him to wear a mask and then assaulted a responding police officer with a hammer has been sentenced to a year in prison. Luke Oeltjenbruns, 61, of Hutchinson, pleaded guilty to charges of first- and second-degree assault for the April incident. In addition to …

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Cleveland’s Hospital Situation Among “Bleakest” In USA

The New York Times reports: In Cleveland, the Covid picture is one of the bleakest in the country. Intensive care units are crammed with patients with the Delta variant, with a surge of new Omicron infections looming. New infections in Cuyahoga County, which includes Cleveland, have grown by 234 percent in the past two weeks. Ohio, where 60 percent of …

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Fauci: Needing Proof Of Vax To Fly “Would Be Welcome”

The Hill reports: In an appearance on ABC News’s “This Week,” co-anchor Jonathan Karl asked Fauci if he agreed with President Biden who said in a recent interview that his team said vaccine mandates for domestic air travel “isn’t necessary at this time.” Fauci told Karl, “Well, it depends on what you want to use it for. I mean, vaccine …

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High Volume Of Flight Cancellations Enter Third Day

The Associated Press reports: FlightAware, a flight-tracking website, noted 941 flights entering, leaving or inside the U.S. canceled Saturday, up from 690 Friday. Over 200 more flights were already canceled for Sunday. Delta, United and JetBlue on Friday had all said the omicron variant was causing staffing problems leading to flight  According to FlightAware, the three airlines canceled more than …

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Florida Breaks All-Time Record For New COVID Cases

The Associated Press reports: Florida hit a new record in the pandemic for the second day in a row as the state reported 32,850 daily new cases on Saturday. Only a day earlier, with 31,758 new daily cases reported, Florida broke its previous record of more than 27,000 cases set in August during the height of the delta wave in …

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FDA Approves At-Home Test For All Known Variants

NBC News reports: Tens of millions. That’s how many rapid COVID-19 tests Indianapolis-based Roche Diagnostics plans to make, now that they have the green light from the Food and Drug Administration. The FDA granted emergency use authorization Friday for an at-home COVID-19 test developed by Roche. The test is for individuals ages 2 and older and can be collected and …

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Pope Prays For End To COVID In Christmas Address

The Associated Press reports: Pope Francis prayed Saturday for an end to the coronavirus pandemic, using his Christmas Day address to urge health care for all, vaccines for the poor and for dialogue to prevail in resolving the world’s conflicts. Amid a record-setting rise in COVID-19 cases in Italy this week, only a few thousand people flocked to a rain-soaked …

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Britain Breaks All-Time Record For New COVID Cases

Sky News reports: The UK has recorded 122,186 new cases of coronavirus and a further 137 deaths, the latest daily figures show. It is the highest number of new infections reported since the beginning of the pandemic. Yesterday there were 119,789 cases and 147 fatalities within 28 days of a positive test recorded. Head of the UKHSA, Dr Jenny Harries, …

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Omicron Havoc: 4500+ Flights Canceled, 10K Delayed

Reuters reports: Commercial airlines around the world canceled more than 4,500 flights over the Christmas weekend, as a mounting wave of COVID-19 infections driven by the Omicron variant created greater uncertainty and misery for holiday travelers. Airline carriers globally scrapped at least 2,401 flights on Friday, which fell on Christmas Eve and is typically a heavy day for air travel, …

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62% Of Unvaxxed Say They Will Never Get The Shot

From a new Economist/YouGov poll: Respondents were asked to describe their vaccination status, and 31 percent said that “I have NOT received ANY shots of ANY manufacturer’s COVID-19 vaccine,” while 69 percent said they’d gotten at least one shot. Of those who have gotten the vaccine, 92 percent have gotten either two doses (43%) or have also gotten a third …

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3000+ Flights Canceled Worldwide Due To COVID Surge

The Washington Post reports: Thousands of Christmastime flights have been canceled around the world as airlines say the fast-spreading omicron variant of the coronavirus is preventing staffers from working. More than 3,000 flights were canceled globally for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, according to the website FlightAware, while another 2,000 flights were scrapped on Thursday. FlightAware said more than 20 …

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