California will end mask mandate on Feb. 15, LA County will not align with state's changes
California's indoor masking requirement will end next week for vaccinated people but masks still are the rule for schoolchildren. However, local health officials can continue their own requirements.
New Jersey mask mandate: Murphy to drop school mask requirement
New Jersey's governor announced plans Monday to lift the statewide mask requirement in schools a month from now because of the rapid easing of COVID-19's omicron surge, calling the move “a huge step back to normalcy for our kids.”
Donors needed: Breast milk in short supply amid COVID-19 surge, winter weather woes
The Human Milk Banking Association of North America said it is in urgent need of donor breast milk which is essential to “saving the most vulnerable babies’ lives.”
Delaware mask mandates in schools, indoor settings to be lifted, Gov. Carney says
Delaware Gov. John Carney says the state will lift its universal indoor mask mandate later this week, while an school mask requirement will be lifted next month.
US COVID-19 death toll hits 900,000, sped by omicron
Propelled in part by the wildly contagious omicron variant, the U.S. death toll from COVID-19 hit 900,000 on Friday, less than two months after eclipsing 800,000.
US job growth soars past expectations with 467,000 added, shaking off omicron surge
U.S. job growth blew past expectations in January, as the economy brushed off a record-breaking surge in COVID-19 cases nationwide that threatened to sideline millions of workers and kept many consumers at home.
COVID falling in 49 of 50 states as deaths near 900,000
With the brutal omicron wave rapidly loosening its grip, new cases of COVID-19 in the U.S. are falling in 49 of 50 states, even as the nation's death toll closes in on another bleak round number: 900,000.
Spain to drop masks outdoors as omicron surge decelerates
Spain will end a mandate to wear masks outdoors next week, reversing a late December order against an unprecedented surge of coronavirus infections fueled by a highly contagious mutation, Health Minister Carolina Darias said.
Cloth masks alone are no longer allowed in Philadelphia public schools
The School District of Philadelphia has updated its mask protocol for students and staff, stating that cloth masks alone are no longer considered to be effective protection against the spread of COVID-19.
CVS removes COVID-19 test purchasing limits
CVS, Amazon and Walgreens previously placed purchasing limits on tests
Mayor Garcetti says he holds his breath when taking photos maskless at Rams NFC Championship game
“I wore my mask the entire game and when people ask for a photograph I hold my breath and put it [mask] here and people can see it. There’s a 0% chance of infection from that,” Garcetti said.
COVID could become endemic in 2022, Wisconsin health official says
Wisconsin's top medical officer said COVID-19 could become endemic by the end of 2022, anticipating a stage where case numbers remain fairly constant.
Johns Hopkins study shows lockdowns only reduced COVID-19 death rate by .2%
Lockdowns during the first COVID-19 wave in the spring of 2020 only reduced COVID-19 mortality by .2% in the U.S. and Europe, according to a Johns Hopkins University meta-analysis of several studies.
Philadelphia not ready to lift indoor mask mandate as COVID surge wanes
While Philadelphia health officials remain optimistic that the city will eventually lift its indoor mask mandate as the wave of COVID-19 cases recedes, they're not ready to pull back restrictions just yet.
Philadelphia mask mandate: Officials will 'eventually' end mandate, but say case counts still too high
Philadelphia city health officials say they aren't ready to drop the mask mandate yet, but said “eventually” the mask mandate will end.
Philadelphia police officers must be vaccinated against COVID, arbitrator rules
All officers and Philadelphia employees now have until Friday, Feb. 11th to get at least one dose of the available COVID-19 vaccines or request a medical or religious exemption.
Pfizer asks FDA for emergency approval of COVID-19 vaccine for kids under 5
Children 6 months to 5 years old are one step closer to receiving the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine after the company officially submitted the two-dose regimen to the FDA for emergency approval.
Free COVID-19 tests: At-home kits expected to arrive this week
If you belong to one of the 66 million U.S households that ordered the free COVID-19 at-home tests from the federal government, you might see them arrive in your mailbox soon.
Omicron variant raises concerns about long-term COVID-19
Omicron's race across the globe has amped up concerns about long COVID, which some estimates suggest affects a third of COVID-19 survivors.
USPS worker helps save woman’s life after seeing mail pileup
U.S. Postal Service employee Kayla Berridge noticed her customer’s mail was piling up. Officers later found the elderly woman trapped inside her home for at least three days.