coronavirus
As the COVID public health emergency ends, prepping for a new pandemic is next
WASHINGTON — After more than three years and 1.1 million deaths, the United States on Thursday will end the public health emergency for COVID-19 — and Congress is attempting to better prepare for a possible resurgence of that virus or another. The expiration of the designation, originally put in place in January 2020, means alterations […]
Congress unanimously votes to require declassified information on COVID-19 origins
WASHINGTON — The divided 118th Congress approved its first bill Friday, after lawmakers in both the House and Senate voted unanimously to send President Joe Biden legislation that would require declassification of intelligence on the origins of COVID-19. The four-page bill, which the House voted 419-0 to clear, would require the Director of National Intelligence […]
What is the new COVID-19 variant BA.2, and will it cause another wave of infections in the U.S.?
A new omicron subvariant of the virus that causes COVID-19, BA.2, is quickly becoming the predominant source of infections amid rising cases around the world. Immunologists Prakash Nagarkatti and Mitzi Nagarkatti of the University of South Carolina explain what makes it different from previous variants, whether there will be another surge in the U.S. and […]
Congress seals the deal on emergency relief after dispute over Fed lending settled
WASHINGTON — A deal on a coronavirus relief package finally emerged on Sunday night, after members of Congress resolved a days-long impasse over a provision sought by U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania to ensure that several temporary Federal Reserve lending programs will end this year. Working through that disagreement over the Fed was a […]
Parents are pushing back against mandatory testing during the pandemic
With the state breaking records for coronavirus infections and hospitalizations, parents are worried about sending children into classrooms to take required state exams. High school students began returning to school buildings this week for state End of Course (EOCs) exams and career and technical education assessment exams. The state is requiring students to report to campuses to take those exams in person, even if they’ve chosen to take online classes. But some parents are pushing back against sending children […]
COVID-19 vaccines are on the way, but plenty in NC say they won’t take them
Vaccines heralded as the way to keep so many from dying from COVID-19 complications and as the path to eased pandemic restrictions are likely just days from initial distribution. But even as new coronavirus cases and hospitalizations soar, significant numbers of people say in surveys that they won’t take a vaccine when the FDA approves […]
Two hopeful signs on Job Number One for the Biden team
There is no single, near-term issue of greater importance right now than the coronavirus pandemic. If the United States can’t get a handle on the issue that Donald Trump so horrifically botched — a failure that almost assuredly cost him reelection — then just about everything else is in jeopardy. Fortunately, the morning headlines have […]
UNC-Chapel Hill providing COVID-19 tests for students ahead of winter break
UNC-Chapel Hill announced plans Thursday to provide COVID-19 tests for students leaving campus for the winter break. The move comes after North Carolina saw a single COVID-related death record Tuesday with 67 and reported the second highest single-day infection rate since the start of the pandemic on Thursday with 2,859. “Taking a COVID-19 test is an […]
Momentum for national mask mandate builds with Fauci endorsement
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s most recognized infectious disease expert expressed support this morning for a national mask mandate to help control the spread of COVID-19. According to the Washington Post, Fauci told CNBC and the Journal of the American Medical Association, that he “regretted the fact that masks haven’t been adopted more widely and […]
New lethal virus projections offer bad news for key electoral swing states like NC
The Center for American Progress reported the sobering news this morning that the election will conclude next week at the same moment that the COVID-19 pandemic is spiking. What’s more, several key swing states like North Carolina will be among the hardest hit. This is from the news release the group distributed: The election will […]
NC prison termed “deadliest of all federal facilities” for COVID-19 in new lawsuit
With the aid of a major international law firm, a pair of civil rights organizations sought immediate assistance today for inmates endangered by the COVID-19 pandemic at a North Carolina federal prison. As the release below from the ACLU of North Carolina spells out, the plaintiffs say the federal prison complex in Butner has become […]