Mandate to vaccinate New Orleans schoolchildren kicking in
NEW ORLEANS — As school systems across the U.S. struggle to keep classrooms open amid the pandemic, New Orleans is set to become the nation’s first major district to mandate COVID-19 vaccinations for children 5 and up, though state regulations will allow parents to opt out easily.
Omicron amps up concerns about long COVID and its causes
More than a year after a bout with COVID-19, Rebekah Hogan still suffers from severe brain fog, pain and fatigue that leave her unable to do her nursing job or handle household activities.
Rogan responds to Spotify protest, COVID advisories
NEW YORK — Following protests of Spotify kicked off by Neil Young over the spread of COVID-19 vaccine misinformation, the music streaming service said that it will add content advisories before podcasts discussing the virus.
Thousands in Ottawa protest COVID mandates, many rebuked
OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — Thousands of protesters gathered in Canada’s capital on Saturday to protest vaccine mandates, masks and lockdowns. Some parked on the grounds of the National War Memorial and danced on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, others carried signs and flags with swastikas and some used the statue of Canadian hero Terry Fox to display an anti-vaccine statement, sparking widespread condemnation.
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:
After huge pandemic losses, governments see rapid rebound
State and local governments lost at least $117 billion of expected revenue early in the pandemic, according to an Associated Press analysis, but many are now awash in record amounts of money, boosted partly by federal aid.
Omicron drives US deaths higher than in fall’s delta wave
Omicron, the highly contagious coronavirus variant sweeping across the country, is driving the daily American death toll higher than during last fall’s delta wave, with deaths likely to keep rising for days or even weeks.
COVID hits one of the last uninfected places on the planet
WELLINGTON, New Zealand — When the coronavirus began spreading around the world, the remote Pacific archipelago of Kiribati closed its borders, ensuring the disease didn’t reach its shores for nearly two full years.
Report: Hawaii safest state during COVID-19 pandemic
Hawaii is the safest state in the nation to weather the coronavirus, according to a study released Thursday by the online credit reporting company WalletHub.
Hilo Medical Center over capacity; 36 FEMA-funded medical workers assist
Hilo Medical Center is over capacity and has opened 24 additional beds in its extended care unit to accommodate more patients.
Anti-mask anger forces Colorado children’s museum to close
DENVER — A Colorado children’s museum is the latest casualty of harassment by people angry over mask mandates designed to curb the spread of the coronavirus.
Honua Ola takes fight against PUC back to high court
UPDATE: The Public Utilities Commission issued an order late Wednesday, after Tribune-Herald deadline, temporarily suspending proceedings, including an evidentiary hearing on the Honua Ola project scheduled for next week, “pending further details” on Honua Ola’s appeal to the Supreme Court.
Hospital patient without COVID shot is denied heart transplant
MENDON, Mass. — A Boston hospital is defending itself after a man’s family claimed he was denied a new heart for refusing to be vaccinated against COVID-19, saying most transplant programs around the country set similar requirements to improve patients’ chances of survival.
Hawaiian Electric to apply credit to some customers
Hawaiian Electric customers who have struggled to pay their power bills during the COVID-19 pandemic may receive a one-time $90 credit by the end of the month.
Ige’s latest proclamation codifies COVID rules for cruise ship passengers
Gov. David Ige has signed his latest COVID-19 emergency proclamation, which keeps in place current restrictions and officially adds cruise ship passengers to the list of travelers who must abide by Safe Travels Hawaii requirements, Ige’s office announced Wednesday in a press release.
Vaccine mandate set to kick in for 1st wave of health workers
Health care workers in about half the states – including Hawaii – face a deadline today to get their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine under a Biden administration mandate that will be rolled out across the rest of the country in the coming weeks.
China’s Olympics COVID measures test residents’ patience
BEIJING — Repeated COVID-19 testing of millions of Beijing residents is starting to test the patience of some as the city clamps down on the virus ahead of the coming Winter Olympics.
Two new Big Island COVID deaths
Two more people have died on the Big Island from COVID-19.
Quick start for wage bill: Proposal to hike minimum hourly rate to $18 advances on unanimous vote
A bill that would almost double Hawaii’s minimum wage — incrementally increasing it to $18 per hour by Jan. 1, 2026 — has broken quickly out of the gate at the start of this year’s legislative session.
What’s the ‘stealth’ omicron?
Scientists and health officials around the world are keeping their eyes on a descendant of the omicron variant that has been found in at least 40 countries, including the United States.
