Fed dialing back COVID-19 economic aid amid high inflation

In a statement Wednesday after its latest policy meeting, the Fed said it will start reducing its $120 billion in monthly bond purchases in the coming weeks, by $15 billion a month, though it reserved the right to change that pace.

Arizona Supreme Court upholds ruling blocking school mask bans

Justices on the Arizona State Supreme Court have upheld a judgment from a lower court that found a mask mandate ban passed by the GOP-controlled state legislature as unconstitutional, due to the way it was passed.

NIH to study ‘long COVID-19’ in pregnant women

The agency announced Tuesday that it will support a four-year follow-up study to learn about the potential long-term effects of COVID-19 on women who contracted the disease during pregnancy.

Expert breaks down factors contributing to the labor shortage

Businesses big and small are struggling to fill their job openings. According to numbers from the US Labor Department, there were 10.4 million jobs open in August.

U.S. military weighs penalties for service members who refuse COVID vaccine

As deadlines loom for military and defense civilians to get mandated COVID-19 vaccines, senior leaders are wrestling with the fate of tens of thousands who flatly refuse the shots or are seeking exemptions, and how to make sure they are treated fairly and equally. It could be a career-ending decision, or could trigger transfers, travel restrictions and requirements to repay bonuses.

Civil complaint filed over nasal spray falsely advertised as COVID-19 treatment, DOJ says

The Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission filed a civil enforcement action against a Utah company after it claimed its nasal spray could prevent or treat COVID-19.

Shanghai Disneyland closes after mass COVID-19 testing over 1 contact

After testing everyone, the park will remain shut on Monday and Tuesday as it continues to cooperate with pandemic prevention efforts, Shanghai Disneyland said in a statement Monday.

Los Angeles, Long Beach ports will issue fines for backlogged cargo

The Los Angeles-Long Beach port complex will start issuing fines to shipping companies if they let cargo containers stack up as the nation’s busiest twin harbors deal with an unprecedented backlog of vessels.

White House outlines plans to increase COVID-19 testing in schools

The Department of Education (ED) is prepared to ramp up its COVID-19 screening efforts in schools across the U.S., the White House said on Friday.

Georgia schools mandate vaccines even as state sues feds

Some Georgia public universities are mandating vaccines for federal contract employees, even as Georgia’s state government sued President Joe Biden’s administration on Friday to block the requirement.

Supreme Court rejects appeal to stop Maine's COVID-19 vaccine mandate

The Supreme Court has rejected an emergency appeal from health care workers in Maine to block a vaccine mandate that went into effect Friday.

FBI: Nearly 4 times as many police officers have died from COVID-19 as guns in 2021

According to data from the FBI, there have been 279 line-of-duty deaths in the first nine months of 2021, with 169 of those deaths from COVID-19 alone. Gunfire claimed the lives of 43 officers, the FBI reported.

CDC: Vaccine immunity more protective than previous COVID-19 infection

A new CDC study published Friday shows how much more protective vaccines are against COVID-19 than immunity achieved through a previous infection.

Iowa governor signs COVID-19 vaccine mandate exemption into law

Gov. Kim Reynolds has signed into law a bill that allows Iowa workers to seek medical and religious exemptions from COVID-19 vaccine mandates and guarantees that those who are fired for refusing a vaccine will qualify for unemployment benefits.