COVID-19
Warner, Kaine vote to end COVID-19 national emergency
Virginia Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine were among 12 Senate Democrats who joined Republicans Tuesday to vote in favor of ending the national emergency related to the COVID-19 pandemic that was first declared by former President Donald Trump in March 2020. The resolution, which would need to be passed by the U.S. House before […]
Around Virginia, respiratory illnesses surge among children
Hospitals statewide are seeing an uptick in respiratory illnesses, especially among young children, with some pediatric units already full or close to full weeks before the typical season when flu and other respiratory viruses surge. “The thing that is surprising to all of us is the early onslaught and ferocity of this year’s respiratory season,” […]
Data limitations are making it harder to detect when COVID-19 is surging in Virginia
Since early July, Virginia’s COVID-19 case counts have remained relatively stable, with an average of around 3,000 new infections reported every day. But over the same time period, hospitalizations have risen, with more than 800 inpatients as of Wednesday, according to data from the Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association. The discrepancy, experts say, can be […]
Tyson asks U.S. Supreme Court to shield it from COVID-19 lawsuits in Iowa courts
Faced with court rulings that say a Trump administration directive doesn’t protect Tyson Foods from liability caused by workers’ deaths due to COVID-19, the food giant is now asking the U.S. Supreme Court to weigh in on the matter. Arguing that recent court rulings against the company will have “drastic consequences for the next national […]
Biden tests positive for COVID-19
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden has tested positive for COVID-19 and is experiencing mild symptoms, the White House announced Thursday morning. Biden, 79, is fully vaccinated against the virus and has twice received booster doses, according to the statement. He is taking Paxlovid, an antiviral prescription medication that is meant to reduce the severity of […]
COVID-19 cases and deaths in Virginia nursing homes rise for the second consecutive month
Coronavirus cases and deaths among nursing home residents rose statewide in Virginia for the second straight month after a long period of decline.
Youngkin’s anti-mandate approach fails to boost Virginia vaccination rates
Days after taking office, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin released a new COVID-19 action plan that pledged to boost vaccine uptake without mandating the shots. “My administration’s campaign to increase vaccination rates is taking a different approach than in the past,” the governor wrote in an editorial published by the Bristol Herald Courier a few weeks […]
‘Punched, kicked, spit on’: Va. health care workers say they face more violence since pandemic
Expressing frustration with what they say are increasing incidents of violence at work, doctors at the Virginia College of Emergency Physicians are urging federal lawmakers to support a U.S. Senate bill that would give greater protections to health care workers. “I have been assaulted by patients hundreds of times — have been punched, kicked, spit […]
FDA greenlights emergency use of COVID vaccines for kids under 5
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Friday authorized emergency use of two COVID-19 vaccines for children under 5, moving the country one step closer to having shots for all age groups. The decision leaves just one hurdle, a recommendation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, before parents can begin getting babies […]
FDA outside advisers recommend Pfizer, Moderna COVID vaccines for kids under 5
WASHINGTON — Parents of children under 5 are one step closer to vaccinating their young kids against COVID-19 after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s outside vaccine panel recommended emergency use authorizations of two COVID-19 vaccines Wednesday. The 21-person Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee voted unanimously to recommend the FDA approve emergency use […]
COVID-19 cases have climbed in Virginia over the spring
Seven-day COVID-19 case averages in Virginia have been climbing over the spring, from about 700 cases a day in early April to nearly 3,000 daily last week. Hospitalizations, currently with a seven-day average of 573, have seen a comparatively modest increase, but tend to lag behind case counts as infections take time to develop and […]
We’re closer to pre-pandemic normalcy, but I’m still masking up
Walk into most stores, gather at sit-down restaurants, or chat with fellow Virginians, and the signs are as clear as the faces you can now see: We are so over the pandemic – even though it’s killed more than 20,400 people and infected nearly 1.8 million in the commonwealth. These new, close-contact meetings make me […]