Omicron is latest blow to pandemic-weary front-line workers
BOSTON — Staff absences for COVID-19 tripled this month in London’s hospitals, and nearly 10% of the city’s firefighters called out sick.
Police plan traffic checkpoints, saturation patrols for the holidays
The Hawaii Police Department plans to have DUI checkpoints and saturation patrols on the Big Island’s roads for the Christmas and New Year’s Day weekends.
‘Omicron’s going to take off’: State health director urges caution as virus cases soar
State and county officials are urging residents to keep their holiday celebrations small as COVID-19 case numbers continue to rise statewide.
Jury trials suspended again due to virus surge
Hawaii Chief Justice Mark E. Recktenwald on Thursday issued an order once again postponing the start of jury trials in Hawaii’s courts until after Feb. 28.
US adds Merck pill as 2nd easy-to-use drug against COVID-19
WASHINGTON — U.S. health regulators on Thursday authorized the second pill against COVID-19, providing another easy-to-use medication to battle the rising tide of omicron infections.
Scores of plane flights nixed nationwide
Thousands of would-be travelers received the same troubling message Thursday: a last-minute cancellation of their Christmas Eve flight because of the recent spike of omicron cases.
Variant disrupts holiday planning
Dave Fravel and his wife invited several relatives to their Cape Cod home for Christmas to share food, gifts and the togetherness they’ve longed for during the lonely days of the pandemic. They were also looking forward to a holiday sightseeing trip to New York City.
UK data suggests hospitalization is less likely with omicron
LONDON — Preliminary data suggests that people with the omicron variant of the coronavirus are 50% to 70% less likely to be hospitalized than those with the delta strain, Britain’s public health agency announced Thursday in a finding that one researcher called “a small ray of sunlight.”
Hospitals prep for surge: ‘Don’t let your guard down over the holidays’
Big Island hospitals are preparing for a rough winter as all signs point to an omicron-fueled COVID-19 surge within the next month.
Pfizer pill OK’d to be 1st US home COVID-19 treatment
WASHINGTON — U.S. health regulators on Wednesday authorized the first pill against COVID-19, a Pfizer drug that Americans will be able to take at home to head off the worst effects of the virus.
China orders lockdown of up to 13 million people in Xi’an
BEIJING — China ordered the lockdown of as many as 13 million people in neighborhoods and workplaces in the northern city of Xi’an following a spike in coronavirus cases, setting off panic buying just weeks before the country hosts the Winter Olympic Games.
High court to hold special session on vaccine requirements
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court says it will hold a special session in just over two weeks to weigh challenges to two Biden administration policies covering vaccine requirements for millions of workers, policies that affect large employers and health care workers.
Case drop may show South Africa’s omicron peak has passed
JOHANNESBURG — South Africa’s noticeable drop in new COVID-19 cases in recent days may signal that the country’s dramatic omicron-driven surge has passed its peak, medical experts say.
DOH: 66 new cases on the Big Island; 2 new deaths
The state Department of Health is reporting 1,511 new COVID cases statewide today, with 66 on the Big Island.
Variant casts shadow over the recovery of economy
Just as Americans and Europeans were eagerly awaiting their most normal holiday season in a couple of years, the omicron variant has unleashed a fresh round of fear and uncertainty — for travelers, shoppers, party-goers and their economies as a whole.
Virus fears widen as omicron variant takes hold across US
BOSTON — The nation’s second-largest city called off its New Year’s Eve celebration Monday, and its smallest state re-imposed an indoor mask mandate as the omicron variant leaped ahead of other variants to become the dominant version of the coronavirus in the U.S.
HMC distributes COVID-19 home testing kits
COVID-19 home testing kits provided by Hilo Medical Center were given away Monday morning at the Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium.
Fauci says omicron variant is ‘just raging around the world’
WILMINGTON, Del. — The COVID-19 omicron variant is “just raging around the world,” the White House’s top medical adviser said Sunday as President Joe Biden prepares to issue “a stark warning of what the winter will look like” for unvaccinated Americans.
Netherlands ‘going into lockdown again’ to curb omicron
LONDON — Nations across Europe moved to reimpose tougher measures to stem a new wave of COVID-19 infections spurred by the highly transmissible omicron variant, with the Netherlands leading the way by imposing a nationwide lockdown.
OSHA vaccine mandate penalties to start Jan. 10
The Occupational Health and Safety Administration said Saturday that it would not issue citations tied to its coronavirus vaccination mandate before Jan. 10, so that companies have time to adjust to and implement the requirements.
