Times Square New Years Eve ball drop being scaled back
With COVID cases surging in hotspot New York City, plans for New York's NYE in Times Square are being scaled back. Some local events are canceled in New York City.
Omicron variant causes Christmas flight cancellations and holiday travel headaches
United Airlines has been forced to cancel 121 flights on Christmas Eve, in part, due to the coronavirus omicron variant.
Severe sore throat, runny nose -- COVID-19 omicron symptoms resemble flu, cold
Symptoms of the omicron COVID-19 variant may make you think you have the flu or a cold.
COVID-19 treatment pill: When will it be available, and where will it be available?
Pfizer's COVID-19 treatment pill Paxlovid will be shipped to states in early January but will be limited in availability at first.
Merck COVID-19 pill: FDA approves 2nd at-home treatment
Merck’s COVID-19 pill has been authorized by the FDA, providing another easy-to-use medication to fight the rapidly-spreading omicron variant.
Mohave County board refuses to declare state of emergency over hospital staffing
Mohave County, a conservative part of the state that has several small cities but is largely rural, has one of the state’s lowest COVID-19 vaccination rates at 43.4% of eligible people, and its hospitals report being packed with unvaccinated virus patients.
Michigan man who defied state pandemic orders to keep diner open dies of COVID-19
John Parney said he kept the Quincy Diner open partly to pay for medical bills. The south Michigan man wasn't vaccinated when he got infected, but pledged during his illness he would, arguing "the battle, at this point, was worse than any training he endured in the military."
Supreme Court to hold special session on Biden's COVID-19 vaccine mandates
The Supreme Court says it will hold a special session in just over two weeks to hear arguments on the Biden administration’s vaccine or testing requirement for large employers and a separate vaccine requirement for health care workers.
Omicron variant less likely to require hospitalization, studies show
Scientists stress that even if the findings of these early studies hold up, any reductions in severity need to be weighed against the fact omicron spreads much faster than delta and is more able to evade vaccines.
Disturbing Houston nursing home experience shared by victim's granddaughter
One Houston woman says she was horrified when she finally saw her grandmother after COVID restrictions lightened. Her grandmother didn't last much longer after restrictions lifted.
Arizona health officials push COVID-19 booster shots as omicron variant continues to spread rapidly
Health officials in Arizona are urging people to get their COVID-19 booster shots, as the omicron variant of the virus has been detected in all 50 U.S. states.
Minnesota teen jumps out of McDonald’s drive-thru window to save choking customer
Sydney Raley didn’t think twice about jumping through a McDonald’s drive-through window to render first-aid to a choking customer.
DC to require proof of vaccination for restaurants, bars, other indoor venues
D.C. will soon require proof of vaccination for many indoor venues, Mayor Muriel Bowser announced Wednesday.
COVID-19 at-home test kit purchases capped at CVS, other stores
Customers seeking at-home COVID-19 test kits from CVS stores will be limited to no more than six, according to a company spokesperson.
Student loan payment pause extended through May 1
President Joe Biden said financial recovery from the pandemic will take longer than job recovery, especially for those with student loans.
WHO chief: Blanket COVID booster drives risk prolonged pandemic
The head of the World Health Organization warned Wednesday that blanket booster programs in rich countries risk prolonging the world's battle with COVID-19 and said that “no country can boost its way out of the pandemic.”
Nearly $100B in COVID-19 relief funds stolen, Secret Service says
Most of that figure comes from unemployment fraud. The Labor Department reported about $87 billion in unemployment benefits could have been paid improperly, with a significant portion attributable to fraud.
Former USC football player charged in COVID-19 unemployment benefits fraud scheme
Former USC football player Abdul-Malik McClain allegedly organized and assisted a group of other USC football players in filing fraudulent claims for hundreds of thousands of dollars of COVID-19 unemployment benefits.
Judge rules against California school district in COVID vaccine suit
San Diego Unified is one of several large school districts in California to announce such mandates. Other districts with similar mandates include Los Angeles, Oakland, Sacramento and West Contra Costa Unified school districts.
At-home COVID tests are hard to come by
The Walgreens pharmacy was sold out of at-home COVID tests. The shelves were empty and a sign at the pharmacy window said they were out of stock. Shoppers faced the same shortage at the CVS pharmacy nearby where the shelf was bare.