South African doctors see signs omicron is milder than delta
JOHANNESBURG — As the omicron variant sweeps through South Africa, Dr. Unben Pillay is seeing dozens of sick patients a day. Yet he hasn’t had to send anyone to the hospital.
National Guard helping virus-sapped states, hospitals
More U.S. states desperate to defend against COVID-19 are calling on the National Guard and other military personnel to assist virus-weary medical staffs at hospitals and other care centers.
Companies rethink return-to-office plans amid omicron cases
NEW YORK — Companies of all sizes are rethinking their plans to send workers back to the office as the new omicron variant adds another layer of uncertainty.
US expands Pfizer COVID boosters, opens extra dose to age 16
U.S. health authorities again expanded the nation’s booster campaign Thursday, opening extra doses of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine to several million 16- and 17-year-olds.
Cases spike even as US hits 200M vaccine milestone
PROVIDENCE, R.I. — The number of Americans fully vaccinated against COVID-19 reached 200 million Wednesday amid a dispiriting holiday-season spike in cases and hospitalizations that has hit even New England, one of the most highly inoculated corners of the country.
CDC chief says omicron mostly mild so far
NEW YORK — More than 40 people in the U.S. have been found to be infected with the omicron variant so far, and more than three-quarters of them had been vaccinated, the chief of the CDC said Wednesday. But she said nearly all of them were only mildly ill.
As infections climb, world health leaders urge a vaccine speedup
The World Health Organization estimated Tuesday that by the end of the year, 1 in 10 people across Europe and Central Asia overall will have had a confirmed case of the coronavirus, and called on governments to speed up vaccination efforts as the world races to curb the spread of the delta and omicron variants.
Judge blocks Biden vaccine mandate for federal contractors
A federal judge on Tuesday blocked President Joe Biden’s administration from enforcing a COVID-19 vaccine mandate for employees of federal contractors, the latest in a string of victories for Republican-led states pushing back against Biden’s pandemic policies.
NYC to impose vaccine mandate on private sector employers
NEW YORK — From big Wall Street banks to corner grocery stores, all private employers in New York City will have to require their workers to get vaccinated against COVID-19, the mayor announced Monday in the most sweeping vaccine mandate of any state or big city in the U.S.
Fauci says early reports encouraging about omicron variant
U.S. health officials said Sunday that while the omicron variant of the coronavirus is rapidly spreading throughout the country, early indications suggest it may be less dangerous than delta, which continues to drive a surge of hospitalizations.
Two more omicron cases confirmed in Hawaii; DOH alerts public about possible exposure sites
The state Department of Health late this afternoon reported two additional confirmed omicron variant COVID-19 cases and several possible points of exposure.
Merkel: Virus death toll ‘so bitter because it is avoidable’
BERLIN (AP) — Outgoing Chancellor Angela Merkel on Saturday made what is likely her final appeal before leaving office next week for Germans to get vaccinated against COVID-19.
UK tightens travel testing rules amid omicron concerns
LONDON (AP) — Britain’s government tightened travel restrictions Saturday amid concerns about the spread of the omicron coronavirus variant, saying all travelers arriving in England will need to take a COVID-19 test before they board their flight.
Former governors defend emergency proclamations
Two of Hawaii’s former governors defended the statutory power assigned to the state’s chief executive to proclaim emergencies during public crises.
More omicron detected as hospitals strain under delta surge
New York announced three more cases of the omicron variant of the coronavirus Saturday, bringing the number of state cases linked to the new variant to eight.
NOT REAL NEWS: A look at what didn’t happen this week
A roundup of some of the most popular but completely untrue stories and visuals of the week. None of these are legit, even though they were shared widely on social media. The Associated Press checked them out. Here are the facts:
Contact tracing revs up in some states as omicron reaches US
The arrival of the omicron variant of the coronavirus in the U.S. has health officials in some communities reviving contact tracing operations in an attempt to slow and better understand its spread as scientists study how contagious it is and whether it can thwart vaccines.
Omicron and delta spell return of unpopular restrictions
PARIS — Greeks over 60 who refuse coronavirus vaccinations could be hit with monthly fines of more than one-quarter of their minimum pensions — a get-tough policy that the country’s politicians say will cost votes but save lives.
Omicron coronavirus variant found in multiple US states
NEW YORK — The omicron variant of COVID-19, which had been undetected in the U.S. before the middle of this week, had been discovered in at least five states by the end of Thursday, showing yet again how mutations of the virus can circumnavigate the globe with speed and ease.
Omicron reaches Hawaii
The omicron variant of the novel coronavirus has been found in Hawaii, the state Department of Health confirmed Thursday.
