pandemic

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After Forfeited Games, Int'l. Hockey Tourney Ends Early

Remainder of world juniors in Canada has been called off amid fears of a COVID outbreak

(Newser) - Update: The remainder of the world junior hockey championship in Canada has been canceled over fears of a COVID-19 outbreak. The International Ice Hockey Federation made the announcement Wednesday on the recommendation of medical officials, per the AP . Citing the spread of the omicron variant, the IIHF canceled the rest...

British DJ 'Devastated' for Bringing Omicron to NZ

Nation's health officials say Robert Etheridge left required self-isolation before getting test result

(Newser) - New Zealand health officials are reeling after a British DJ set to play a New Year's Eve music fest left his required self-isolation before getting the results of a final COVID test back. He subsequently tested positive for omicron, the country's first community case of the variant. The...

With New Variant Comes Potential New Testing Issue

FDA warns that rapid antigen tests may not pick up on omicron that well

(Newser) - Not all news regarding the latest COVID-19 variant is gloomy, with very early signs pointing to less severe illness overall—meaning fewer hospitalizations and deaths—with omicron. When it comes to testing, however, the latest development doesn't bode well, per a warning issued by the Food and Drug Administration...

With Teams Short of Players, 2 Bowl Games Are Called Off

3 games have been called off so far because of COVID outbreaks

(Newser) - Two more college football bowl games were called off Sunday because of a shortage of players, caused by injuries and COVID-19 outbreaks. Boston College withdrew from the Military Bowl, which had been scheduled for Monday in Annapolis, Maryland, USA Today reports. Positive tests had increased since the team arrived for...

Belgian Acts Protest Cultural Shutdown
Belgians Protest
Cultural Shutdown 
Dec 26, 2021 11:40 AM CST

Belgians Protest Cultural Shutdown

New pandemic restrictions began Sunday

(Newser) - Thousands of Belgian performers, cinema operators, event organizers, and others joined together Sunday to protest the government's decision to close down the country's cultural life to stem the spread of the surging omicron variant. Waving posters reading "The show must go on" or "No culture, no...

Queen Joins Those Finding ‘Christmas Can Be Hard’

Elizabeth says she'll still find joy in holiday after her husband's death

(Newser) - In her Christmas address to her subjects, Britain's Queen Elizabeth II had a message for those who, like her, suffered a loss in the past year. "Although it's a time of great happiness and good cheer for many, Christmas can be hard for those who have lost...

Health Care Workers Can Get Back on the Job Sooner

CDC shortens isolation period after positive COVID test

(Newser) - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention relaxed a pandemic rule for health care workers on Thursday, but it's not because COVID-19 is under control. Fearing hospital staffs will be overwhelmed by the surge in cases, the CDC will allow workers who tested positive for the disease to end...

2nd COVID Pill Is Headed Our Way, but With Caveats

Experts think Merck's molnupiravir will take second stage to Pfizer's Paxlovid due to safety risks

(Newser) - US 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. The Food and Drug Administration's authorization of Merck's molnupiravir comes one day after the agency cleared a competing drug from Pfizer . That pill, Paxlovid, is...

Out of South Africa, a 'Tantalizing Hint' on Omicron

Case count is dropping, at least in recent days

(Newser) - A new study out of South Africa offers some positive news on the omicron variant, but with an asterisk. The study, which appeared Tuesday in the preprint medical publication MedRxiv , found that South Africans who came down with the omicron variant were 80% less likely to be hospitalized compared to...

Scientists Playing 'Long Game' Have Big Vaccine News

US Army researchers say they have a COVID vaccine that fights all variants, even future ones

(Newser) - With the chaotic entry of omicron onto the pandemic stage, there's concern that current vaccines may not be as effective against this variant as they were against others. Which is why news out of the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research is especially noteworthy: Defense One reports that scientists...

Trump: I Got My Booster
Trump: I Got My Booster
Dec 20, 2021 12:21 PM CST

Trump: I Got My Booster

Remark is met with some booing at event with Bill O'Reilly

(Newser) - Only about one-third of the US population has received a COVID booster shot, notes the Washington Post , but one of the recipients has a particularly high profile. Donald Trump said Sunday that he received his third shot, reports Newsweek . The reveal came during a public forum with former Fox anchor...

COVID Outbreak on Cruise Ship: 'They Were So Overwhelmed'

4 dozen passengers, crew on Royal Caribbean's Symphony of the Seas tested positive

(Newser) - About four dozen passengers and crew on a Dec. 11 sailing on Royal Caribbean's Symphony of the Seas tested positive for COVID before the ship made it back to Miami on Saturday, the cruise line announced. USA Today reports the number as 44 infected, while NBC Miami puts it...

Ohio Hospitals' One-Word Plea on COVID: 'Help'

Medical centers in Cleveland area, Minnesota beg people to get vaxxed in major newspaper ads

(Newser) - One word dominates a full-page advertisement that appeared in Sunday's Plain Dealer, Ohio's biggest newspaper. "Help," reads the bold-font plea, surrounded by white space, smack in the middle of the ad placed by the heads of six of the Cleveland area's medical facilities to try...

Church Attendance Hasn't Recovered, Polls Show

People don't seem to want to leave home, pastor says

(Newser) - When Westminster United Methodist Church in Houston resumed in-person services late last year, after a seven-month pandemic halt, there were Sundays when only three worshippers showed up, said the pastor, Meredith Mills. Since then, attendance has inched back up, but it's still only about half the pre-pandemic turnout of...

House Panel: Trump Tried to Undermine COVID Response

Congressional subcommittee interviewed former officials over several months

(Newser) - A report from Congress released Friday says officials in the Trump administration deliberately undermined the public health response and messaging around the coronavirus pandemics, CNN reports. The findings are a result of months of interviews with former officials, and some of the information has been released before. But there’s...

Harvard Extends Big Pandemic Change for 4 More Years

Candidates won't be required to send in their SAT, ACT scores until at least 2026

(Newser) - It was a change brought about by the pandemic, and one that Harvard University now plans on continuing for at least four more years—and maybe even for good. The New York Times reports the Ivy League school has decided to go the test-optional route, not requiring SAT and ACT...

Better Omicron News Emerges in South Africa

Hospitalizations are down significantly when compared to the delta wave

(Newser) - Stories raising the alarm about the fast-spreading omicron variant aren't hard to find. For example, Britain estimates that 200,000 people are becoming infected with it each day at this point, notes the New York Times . And the same trend appears inevitable in the US. "No part of...

Fla. Man Wearing Thong on Face Gets Booted From Flight

Adam Jenne compares actions on 'absurd' mask rules to those of Rosa Parks; United disagrees

(Newser) - As far as masks-on-planes incidents go, it's a new one: A Cape Coral, Florida, man has been banned for the time being from United Airlines after he tried to fly from South Florida to Washington, DC, wearing a red thong on his face instead of an approved mask. WFTX...

Kroger Cuts a Key Benefit for Unvaccinated Workers

They'll no longer receive COVID sick pay

(Newser) - To boost employee vaccination rates earlier this year, Kroger used the carrot—a $100 bonus for every fully vaccinated worker. Now, it's going for the stick. The grocery giant says it will end some benefits for unvaccinated employees and bring in insurance surcharges as of Jan. 1, the New ...

Royal Family: Sorry for Princess's Birthday Bash

Dutch heir Amalia welcomed 21 guests for celebration amid rising COVID-19 cases

(Newser) - The Dutch royal family says it regrets hosting an 18th birthday party for future queen Princess Amalia amid rising cases of COVID-19. Prime Minister Mark Rutte says 21 people attended Saturday's party in the gardens of the Huis ten Bosch royal palace in the Hague, where canopies were erected...

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