Month: March 2021

Trinity Health RN Kayla Bennett gives Hartford, Conn., resident James Watts his first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at a neighborhood vaccine clinic at the at the Parker Memorial Community Center. Ryan Caron King/Connecticut Public hide caption toggle caption Ryan Caron King/Connecticut Public Trinity Health RN Kayla Bennett gives Hartford, Conn., resident James Watts his first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at a neighborhood vaccine clinic at the at th...

The coronavirus variant first spotted in South Africa alarms scientists because it evolved a mutation, known as E484K, that appears to make it better at evading antibodies produced by the immune system. Juan Gaertner/Science Source hide caption toggle caption Juan Gaertner/Science Source The coronavirus variant first spotted in South Africa alarms scientists because it evolved a mutation, known as E484K, that appears to make it better at evading anti...

RIO DE JANEIRO — Covid-19 has already left a trail of death and despair in Brazil, one of the worst in the world. Now, a year into the pandemic, the country is setting another wrenching record. No other nation that experienced such a major outbreak is still grappling with record-setting death tolls and a health care system on the brink of collapse. Many other hard-hit nations are, instead, taking tentative steps toward a semblance of normalcy. But Brazil is battling a more contagious variant that has trampled one major city and is spreading to others, even as Brazilians toss away precautionary measures that could keep them safe. On Tuesday, Brazil recorded more than 1,700 Covid-19 deaths, the highest single-day toll of the pandemic. “The acceleration of the epidemic in various state...

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is finalizing guidance aimed at clarifying what Americans who have received COVID-19 vaccines should and shouldn't do, according to two sources at the agency familiar with its drafting.  The upcoming guidance, first reported by Politico, is expected to include that fully vaccinated individuals should be able to gather in small groups with other people who have also been vaccinated. The CDC currently does not recommend in-person gatherings with the general public, saying "gathering virtually or with the people you live with is the safest choice."  Even for people who have been fully vaccinated, other mitigation measures will still be recommended, including wearing a mask in public and social distancing. The sources wouldn't specify whe...

The mass vaccination site at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center will begin administering shots on Wednesday, adding another avenue for area residents to receive coronavirus vaccines as officials prepare for increased supplies. About 700 people will receive the shots at the facility on Wednesday, according to officials from LCMC Health, which will operate the federally funded facility along with the New Orleans Health Department and the state. Hundreds more doses will be offered at the site on Thursday and Friday, when LCMC is expected, like other health care providers throughout Louisiana, to receive the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine. "We will start tomorrow and move into Thursday and the weekend," Dr. Jeffrey Elder of University Medical...

But on Wednesday, the state announced that bars could open Friday at 30 percent of their indoor capacity. With two days’ notice to reopen, he called old employees, who were eager to return to work, and restocked the inventory. Then on Friday, he opened his doors and welcomed back regular customers he had not seen in a year to have a drink at the bar. “It was an exhilarating feeling to see that happen,” said Mr. Medford, who is also the president of the state’s bar and tavern association. “It really was the first time in a year that I got out of bed and was excited, had something to look forward to.” After some counties in Washington State allowed movie theaters to reopen, Nick Butcher, 36, made up for lost time by attending screenings of the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy for three straight ...