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COVID-19

De Blasio says ‘No more shutdowns’ as NYC faces virus spike

NEW YORK (AP) — New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said he's committed to keeping the city open as it grapples with yet another spike in coronavirus cases. The Democratic mayor said today that New York can't see schools and businesses closed again like the city did in 2020 when COVID-19 first spread widely. De Blasio has faced questions over the past week about whether he would call for closures as a wave of new cases fueled by the omicron variant has broken over the city. "Adamantly I feel this: No more shutdowns. We've been through them," de Blasio said at a virtual news ...

Tue. 11:08: Stocks rise after 3-day slump over virus, inflation worries

Stocks rose on Wall Street this morning after three days of losses brought on by worries over the spread of the omicron variant and lingering concerns about rising inflation. The S&P 500 index rose 0.8 percent as of 10:18 a.m. Eastern. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 381 points, or 1.1 ...

Tue. 11:02 a.m.: US population growth at lowest rate in pandemic’s 1st year

U.S. population growth dipped to its lowest rate since the nation's founding during the first year of the pandemic as the coronavirus curtailed immigration, delayed pregnancies and killed hundreds of thousands of U.S. residents, according to figures released this morning. The United States grew by only 0.1 percent, with only an additional 392,665 added to the U.S. population, from July 2020 to July 2021, according to population estimates released by the U.S. Census Bureau. The U.S. has been experiencing slow population growth for years but the pandemic exacerbated that trend. This ...

Tue. 10:41 a.m.: Highly vaccinated UAE reports most virus cases in months

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The United Arab Emirates today recorded its highest daily virus caseload in months, a spike that comes as the omicron variant races across the globe and the Mideast tourist hub prepares to welcome hordes of tourists for the holidays. The emirate reported ...

Tue. 9:37 a.m.: Biden to pledge 500M free COVID-19 tests to counter omicron

WASHINGTON (AP) — With the omicron variant on the march, President Joe Biden plans to announce 500 million free rapid tests for Americans, increased support for hospitals under strain and a redoubling of vaccination and boosting efforts. In a speech scheduled for this afternoon, Biden is ...

Tue. 9:07 a.m.: NFL could become trend-setter for COVID-19 testing policies

The NFL's decision to reduce COVID-19 testing for asymptomatic, vaccinated players could signal a trend for pro sports leagues and provide an example for society to follow heading into 2022. Despite a rising number of positive cases that forced three games to be rescheduled over the weekend, ...