Health News

VIRUS TODAY: US states report COVID-19 vaccine shortage
The push to inoculate Americans against the coronavirus is hitting a roadblock as a number of states report they are running out of vaccine supplies
January 20, 2021

26 minutes ago

The Latest: Trial of arthritis drug for COVID-19 is halted

An arthritis drug tried in patients with severe COVID-19 showed no benefit in a study that was stopped early because of safety concerns

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People wait for free food outside an eatery in Ahmedabad, India, Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021. United Nations agencies are warning that more than 350 million people in the Asia-Pacific are going hungry as the coronavirus pandemic destroys jobs and pushes food prices higher. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)

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New York City postpones vaccine appointments as new shipments are delayed

Roughly 23,000 people will have to wait a week for their first dose.

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A health worker carries syringes to administer Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines at the opening of a new vaccination site at Corsi Houses in Harlem, New York, Jan. 15, 2021.

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Some COVID-19 mutations may dampen vaccine effectiveness

Scientists are reporting troubling signs that some recent mutations of the coronavirus may modestly curb the effectiveness of two current vaccines

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FILE - In this Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2021, file photo, a Walgreens pharmacist prepares a syringe with the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for residents and staff at the The Palace assisted living facility in Coral Gables, Fla. Scientists are reporting troubling signs that some recent mutations of the virus that causes COVID-19 may modestly curb the effectiveness of current vaccines but stress that the shots still remain protective. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky, File)

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New CDC director takes over beleaguered agency amid crisis

The incoming director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is arriving at an agency that has been relegated to the sidelines during the coronavirus pandemic

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FILE - In this Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2020 file photo, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, speaks during an event in Wilmington, Del., to announce President-elect Joe Biden's health care team. Walensky, 51, an infectious-diseases specialist at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, is expected to become CDC director after Biden is inaugurated. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

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New studies clarify which genes may raise breast cancer risk

Two large studies give a much sharper picture of which inherited mutations raise the risk of breast cancer for women without a family history of the disease

2 hours ago

States report vaccine shortages and cancel appointments

The push to inoculate Americans against the coronavirus is hitting a roadblock: A number of states are reporting they are running out of vaccine

2 hours ago

A nursing home resident receives the COVID-19 vaccine by a CVS Pharmacist at Harlem Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation, a nursing home facility, on Friday, Jan. 15, 2021 in Harlem neighborhood of New York. The push to inoculate Americans against the coronavirus is hitting a roadblock: A number of states are reporting they are running out of vaccine, and tens of thousands of people who managed to get appointments for a first dose are seeing them canceled.(AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

2 hours ago

California pins vaccine hopes on Biden administration

California has reported its second-highest number of COVID-19 deaths but also a dip in hospitalizations below 20,000 for the first time since Dec. 27

2 hours ago

People stand during a moment of silence to honor 400,000 US COVID-19 victims outside the Cathedral of Our Lady of Angels in Los Angeles Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2021. The Archdiocese of Los Angeles joined cities and towns across the country in a special memorial to remember and honor those who have lost their lives to COVID-19. Catholic parishes in the three counties of the Archdiocese, Los Angeles, Ventura and Santa Barbara have asked to ring their church bells today to participate in the national memorial. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

3 hours ago

Amid 'vaccine tourism' concerns, state to require proof of residency

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is cracking down on what's known as "vaccine tourism."

3 hours ago

Firefighter/paramedic John Kostyo Jr. administers a COVID-19 vaccination at the Tequesta Fire Department in Tequesta, FLa. Jan. 15, 2021.

4 hours ago

VIRUS TODAY: US states report COVID-19 vaccine shortage

The push to inoculate Americans against the coronavirus is hitting a roadblock as a number of states report they are running out of vaccine supplies

4 hours ago

People that received a COVID-19 vaccine socially distance as they wait the required fifteen minutes to monitor for adverse reactions after getting the shot at the Dallas County mass vaccination site at Fair Park Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021, in Dallas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

January 20

Portugal sets records in one of world's worst virus surges

Portugal’s new daily COVID-19 cases have jumped to more than 14,600 to set a new national record

January 20

A woman buys food at the door of a pastry shop in Lisbon, Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021. The pandemic has gained momentum in Portugal since Christmas, when restrictions on gatherings and movement were eased for four days. Restaurants and cafes are only allowed to serve food for takeaway. (AP Photo/Armando Franca)

January 20

Dutch propose curfew to rein in virus; will ban more flights

The Dutch government says it wants to impose a curfew as part of beefed-up restrictions to rein in the spread of a new more contagious coronavirus variant that already accounts for at least one in 10 Dutch infections

January 20

FILE- In this Thursday, Jan. 14, 2021, file photo, closed stores on Dam street and the Royal Palace on Dam Square, rear, are seen in Amsterdam. The Dutch government said Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021, that it wants to impose a curfew as part of beefed-up restrictions to rein in the spread of new more contagious variants of the coronavirus that already accounts for at least one in every 10 Dutch infections. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong, File)

January 20

EU sighs with relief as Biden readies to enter White House

The European Union’s top officials are sighing with relief as Joe Biden prepares to take over as president of the United States

January 20

European Commission President Ursula Von Der Leyen addresses European lawmakers during a plenary session on the inauguration of the new President of the United States and the current political situation, at the European Parliament in Brussels, Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco, Pool)

January 20

Belgium religious faiths want more worshippers at services

Representatives of all the religious faiths recognized in Belgium have joined forces to urge federal authorities to increase the number of people admitted inside places of worship during the coronavirus pandemic

January 20

FILE - In this Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2020 file photo, chairs are spaced at a distance from each other to prevent the spread of coronavirus inside of the St. Charles Borromeo Church in the historic city center of Antwerp, Belgium. Representatives of all the religious faiths recognized in Belgium have joined forces to urge federal authorities to increase the number of people admitted inside places of worship during the coronavirus pandemic, it was announced Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021. Under the current COVID-19 rules, such places can accommodate up to 15 people. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo, file)

January 20

Asia Today: China records new cases, defends response

China’s capital, Beijing, recorded seven more coronavirus cases amid a lingering outbreak in the country’s north

January 20

People wearing face masks to protect against the spread of the coronavirus wait to cross an intersection in Beijing, Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021. China is now dealing with coronavirus outbreaks across its frigid northeast, prompting additional lockdowns and travel bans. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

January 20

The COVID-19 challenges Biden faces on Day One

While bumps in the road are expected, experts are hopeful.

January 20

President-elect Joe Biden introduces key members of his White House science team at his transition headquarters in Wilmington, Del., Jan. 16, 2021.

January 19

UN: Pandemic, surging food prices leave many in Asia hungry

The United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization says more than 350 million people in the Asia-Pacific are going hungry as the coronavirus pandemic destroys jobs and pushes food prices higher

January 19

In this Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2018, file photo, Rohingya refugee children push each other to receive a packet of Khichdi, made from rice and lentils, at a food distribution centre in Balukhali refugee camp near Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh. United Nations agencies are warning that more than 350 million people in the Asia-Pacific are going hungry as the coronavirus pandemic destroys jobs and pushes food prices higher. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup, File)

January 19

California sees hopeful signs as counties fight for vaccines

Vaccine scarcity is continuing to plague California even as other indicators seem to show a slowing in the holiday-driven surge that led the state to be the first to top 3 million known coronavirus infections

January 19

People wait inside their vehicles in line at a mass COVID-19 vaccination site outside The Forum in Inglewood, Calif., Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2021. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

January 19

AP Explainer: Why are youth protests sweeping Tunisia?

A growing groundswell of youth unrest, tapping into a well of economic frustration, is sweeping Tunisia and worrying its leadership all the way to the top

January 19

FILE - In this Jan.18, 2021 file photo, demonstrators face police officers during clashes in Ibn Khaldoun City near Tunis. A growing groundswell of youth unrest, tapping into a well of economic frustration, is sweeping Tunisia and worrying its leadership all the way to the top. It is, after all, the country that triggered 2011's Arab Spring revolutions. (AP Photo/Hassene Dridi, File)

January 19

The Latest: Hawaii says scarcity hinders vaccination efforts

Hawaii’s leaders say limited supply is the main thing constraining distribution of the coronavirus vaccine in the state

January 19

FILE - In this Oct. 5, 2020, file photo, a member of the cleaning staff sprays The James Brady Briefing Room of the White House, Monday, Oct. 5, 2020, in Washington. The U.S. death toll from the coronavirus has eclipsed 400,000 in the waning hours in office for President Donald Trump. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)

January 19

Honolulu seeks to drop virus case against US surgeon general

Honolulu prosecutors submitted a motion Tuesday to dismiss charges against U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams after he was cited for being in a closed park during Hawaii’s summertime spike in coronavirus cases

January 19

Capitol photos, videos lead to California doctor's arrest

A Beverly Hills, California, doctor and coronavirus vaccine critic has been arrested in connection with her alleged role storming the U.S. Capitol earlier this month

January 19

Exhausted hospital chaplains bring solace to lonely, dying

Just like doctors, nurses and other medical-care providers, hospital chaplains have become part of the line of first responders when it comes to treating people with COVID-19

January 19

'Shameful': US virus deaths top 400K as Trump leaves office

The U.S. death toll from the coronavirus has surpassed 400,000, providing a grim coda to Donald Trump's presidency

January 19

FILE - In this May 2, 2020, file photo, Erika Bermudez becomes emotional as she leans over the grave of her mother, Eudiana Smith, at Bayview Cemetery in Jersey City, N.J., Bermudez was not allowed to approach the gravesite until cemetery workers had buried her mother, who died of COVID-19. Other members of the family and friends stayed in their cars. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File)

January 19

Plunged into virus 'dark winter,' Biden must lead US out

President-elect Joe Biden predicted he would take office amid a “dark winter,” and the outlook is only getting bleaker

January 19

FILE - In this Jan. 8, 2021, file photo, President-elect Joe Biden speaks during an event at The Queen theater in Wilmington, Del. A coronavirus action plan fromBiden centers on a mass vaccination campaign and closer coordination among all levels of government. The Biden plan comes as a divided nation remains caught in the grip of the pandemic’s most dangerous wave yet. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

January 19

Germany to extend virus shutdown until mid-February

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Tuesday that the country is extending its pandemic restrictions until mid-February amid concerns that new mutations of the coronavirus could trigger a fresh surge in cases

January 19

A man and his son walk in downtown Frankfurt, Germany, Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2021. German politics decides about further Coronavirus restrictions on Tuesday. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)

January 19

Wealthy residents got disproportionate share of vaccines in this Texas county

Disparities that have plagued every aspect of the pandemic continue.

January 19

A COVID-19 shot is administed at a mass vaccination site inside the Esports Stadium Arlington & Expo Center in Arlington, Texas, Jan. 11, 2021.

January 19

'We know this is real': New clinics aid virus 'long-haulers'

Dozens of clinics have cropped up around the U.S. to address a puzzling and troubling aspect of COVID-19 — the after-effects that can stubbornly afflict some people weeks or months after the infection itself has subsided

January 19

VIRUS TODAY: US death toll from COVID-19 passes 400,000

The U.S. death toll from the coronavirus has eclipsed 400,000 in the waning hours in office for President Donald Trump, whose handling of the crisis has been judged by public health experts to be a singular failure

January 19

Transporters Miguel Lopez, front, and Noe Meza wheel a gurney carrying a deceased COVID-19 patient at Providence Holy Cross Medical Center in the Mission Hills section of Los Angeles, Saturday, Jan. 9, 2021. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

January 19

US virus death toll tops 400,000 in Trump's final hours

January 19

FILE - In this Oct. 27, 2020, Artist Suzanne Brennan Firstenberg walks among thousands of white flags planted in remembrance of Americans who have died of COVID-19 near Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium in Washington. The U.S. death toll from the coronavirus has eclipsed 400,000 in the waning hours in office for President Donald Trump. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File)

January 19

US coronavirus death toll eclipses 400,000 in Trump's final hours

The grim milestone comes just over a month after surpassing 300,000 deaths.

January 19

Genoveva Garcia is supported by her daughters as she cries at her husband of 52 years Jose Garcia's funeral after he died from coronavirus disease in La Mesa, N.M., Dec. 22, 2020.

January 19

US death toll from the coronavirus tops 400,000, according to data from Johns Hopkins University

January 19

'Little old West Virginia' sets pace on vaccine rollout

West Virginia has emerged as an unlikely success in the nation’s otherwise chaotic coronavirus vaccine rollout

January 19

Dubai, party haven amid pandemic, faces its biggest surge

Coronavirus infections are surging to unprecedented heights in the United Arab Emirates

January 19

Tourists look at the skyline at sunset, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2021. Since becoming one of the world's first destinations to open up for tourism, Dubai has promoted itself as the ideal pandemic vacation spot. With peak tourism season in full swing, coronavirus infections are surging to unprecedented heights, with daily case counts nearly tripling in the past month, but in the face of a growing economic crisis, the city won't lock down and can't afford to stand still. (AP Photo/Kamran Jebreili)

January 19

Polling booths go to voters in Portugal's pandemic election

Local councils in Portugal are sending out teams to gather votes from people in home quarantine and from residents of elderly care homes ahead of a presidential election being held amid the COVID-19 pandemic

January 19

Municipal workers seal an envelope with a presidential election ballot from a resident at an elderly care home in Montijo, south of Lisbon, Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2021. For 48 hours from Tuesday, local council crews are collecting the votes from people in home quarantine and from residents of elderly care homes ahead of Sunday's presidential election. (AP Photo/Armando Franca)

January 19

Polish clinic wants to care for man in life-support dispute

A specialist clinic in Poland says it is ready to admit and treat a Pole who is at the center of a life-support dispute in Britain

January 19

EU commission urges member states to speed up vaccination

The European Union is urging member states to speed up the pace of COVID-19 vaccinations to ensure that at least 80% of the people most vulnerable to the virus, those over age 80, are vaccinated by March this year

January 19

European Commissioner in charge of Health Stella Kyriakides addresses European lawmakers during a plenary session at the European Parliament in Brussels, Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2021. (John Thys, Pool Photo via AP)

January 19

Dutch govt to beef up lockdown amid fears about new variants

The Dutch government says it needs to beef up lockdown measures “as soon as possible” to rein in the spread of the coronavirus amid fears about more transmissible variants

January 19

The capital's popular Nine Streets shopping area is near-deserted during lockdown in Amsterdam, Thursday, Jan. 14, 2021. The Dutch government this week extended by three weeks the tough lockdown in force since mid-December amid fears that coronavirus infection rates are not declining quickly enough and fears about a new more transmissible variant of the virus. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)

January 19

AP-NORC poll: Virus, economy swamp other priorities for US

Containing the coronavirus outbreak and repairing the economic damage it has inflicted are the top priorities for Americans as Joe Biden prepares to become the 46th president of the United States

January 19

A December AP-NORC survey showed higher percentages of Americans naming racial inequality and police as issues for the U.S. government to address in 2021, compared with those who said that for 2020.

January 19

Thai leader threatens punishment for false vaccine news

Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha is warning that his government will prosecute anyone who shares false information about coronavirus vaccines in social or mass media

January 19

A worker sprays disinfectant as a precaution against the coronavirus at Klong Toey market in Bangkok, Thailand, Friday, Jan. 15, 2021. The market was temporarily closed after a person there tested positive for the coronavirus earlier this week. Thailand's government recently announced new measures, including partial lockdowns with strict travel restrictions in some areas, after a surge of coronavirus cases. Schools, bars, gambling parlors and other public gathering places were closed. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

January 19

Asia Today: China sees virus outbreaks across its northeast

China is dealing with coronavirus outbreaks across its frigid northeast, prompting additional lockdowns and travel bans ahead of next month’s Lunar New Year holiday

January 19

A man wearing a face mask to protect against the spread of the coronavirus walks along a street during a snowy morning in Beijing, Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2021. A Chinese province near Beijing grappling with a spike in coronavirus cases is reinstating tight restrictions on weddings, funerals and other family gatherings, threatening violators with criminal charges. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

January 19

Spain's rising cases give pandemic hospital a second chance

As a surge of coronavirus infections is once again putting Spain’s public health system against the ropes, an emergency hospital once seen by many as an extravagant vanity project is getting a fresh opportunity to prove its usefulness

January 19

COVID-19 patients receive treatment at the new Nurse Isabel Zendal Hospital in Madrid Madrid, Spain, Monday, Jan. 18, 2021. As the coronavirus curve of contagion turned increasingly vertical after Christmas and New Year's, the Zendal has been busy. On Monday, 392 virus patients were being treated, more than in any other hospital in the Madrid region. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)

January 19

Why lawmakers tested positive for COVID-19 after Capitol riot, despite vaccinations

Full protection against the virus doesn't happen right after getting the shot.

January 19

Rep. Lou Correa and other members take cover as protesters attempt to disrupt the joint session of Congress to certify the Electoral College vote on Jan. 6, 2021.

January 19

Coronavirus deaths rising in 30 US states amid winter surge

Coronavirus deaths are rising in nearly two-thirds of American states as a winter surge pushes the overall toll toward 400,000 amid warnings that a new, highly contagious variant is taking hold

January 19

FILE - In this Jan. 12, 2021 photo provided by the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner, National Guard members assisting with processing COVID-19 deaths, placing them into temporary storage at the medical examiner-coroner's office in Los Angeles. The seven-day rolling average of daily deaths is rising in 30 states and the District of Columbia, and on Monday, Jan 18, 2021, the U.S. was approaching 398,000, according to data collected by Johns Hopkins University, by far the highest of any country in the world. (Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner via AP, File)

January 18

The Latest: China grapples with virus outbreaks in northeast

China is now dealing with coronavirus outbreaks across its frigid northeast, prompting additional lockdowns and travel bans

January 18

Students wearing face masks as a precaution against the coronavirus, attend classes as schools reopen after being closed for months due to the COVID-19 pandemic in New Delhi, India, Monday, Jan. 18, 2021. Delhi on Monday opened schools for students of grade 10 and 12 after a gap of more than nine months. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

January 18

NY gov explores buying virus vaccine directly from maker

Frustrated by the flow of coronavirus vaccine from the federal government, Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Monday floated the idea of buying shots for New Yorkers directly from one of the vaccine makers, Pfizer

January 18