Unvaccinated staff linked to increased nursing home COVID-19 cases, deaths

Lagging vaccination rates among nursing home staff are being linked to a national increase in COVID-19 infections and deaths at senior facilities.

Former surgeon general: CDC should fix ‘premature, misinterpreted’ mask guidance

Former Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams, who once advised against mask-wearing, is now asking the CDC to change its guidance to recommend mask-wearing among both unvaccinated and vaccinated Americans.

CDC: Over 40% of COVID-19-related hospitalizations are patients 18-49

The CDC said that more than 40% of hospitalizations related to COVID-19 are made up of mostly 18 to 40-year-olds, and the numbers are increasing compared to those who are 65 and older.

Doctors are seeing rise in RSV and other respiratory viruses in young children

Since May, Georgia doctors have been reporting a jump in the number of children diagnosed with RSV, or respiratory syncytial virus, and other respiratory illnesses that typically peak in the winter months.

Louisiana residents took $1M in COVID funds from California

More than 100 false claims to California’s Employment Development Department netted $1 million for eight people, and five of them also got more than $60,000 that they weren’t due from the Louisiana Workforce Commission, officials said.

US extends restrictions on travel to Canada until Aug. 21

The United States has extended the non-essential travel ban to Canada until Aug. 21, days after Canada said the border would open to vaccinated U.S. citizens on Aug. 9.

More than 1.5M children lost at least 1 caregiver from a death related to COVID-19 last year

A recent study funded by the National Institutes of Health estimated that 1.5 million around the globe lost at least one caregiver to a death related to COVID-19 in the first 14 months of the pandemic.

Study: J&J COVID-19 vaccine significantly less effective against delta variant

Study authors found that while the two-dose vaccines were 94-95% effective in preventing COVID-19 from the delta and lambda variants, the Johnson & Johnson vaccine had only 66.9% efficacy “in preventing moderate to severe disease.”

Fauci: CDC ‘carefully looking’ at mask guidance for schools

Dr. Anthony Fauci said the American Academy of Pediatrics’ recent recommendation on universal masking in schools, even for those who are vaccinated, is out of an abundance of caution amid the surge in COVID-19 cases blamed on the delta variant of the coronavirus.

India's pandemic deaths could be 10X official toll, researchers say

India's deaths during the pandemic could be 10x the official COVID-19 toll, likely making it modern India’s worst human tragedy, researchers said.

Delta variant accounts for 83% of US COVID-19 cases, CDC says

The delta variant of the coronavirus now accounts for an estimated 83% of COVID-19 cases in the U.S., an increase of 50% from the week of July 3.

Atlanta man contracts COVID-19 breakthrough infection months after being vaccinated

Breakthrough infections in fully vaccinated people are rare, but they can happen. Jim Issa, a 50-year-old commercial director in Atlanta got vaccinated in April with the Pfizer two-dose vaccine. He was stunned when he and several vaccinated friends tested positive for the virus after a July Fourth getaway weekend at a lake house.

Japanese prime minister says the world needs to see a safe Olympics

Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said Tuesday the world needs to see that Japan can stage a safe Olympics amid a local state of emergency.

Stocks plunge over delta variant fears; Biden seeks to reassure over economy

Fears of the spreading delta variant of the coronavirus prompted a slide in stocks on Monday. Airlines, hotels, cruise ships, and other tourism-based companies had some of the biggest stock losses.

Fauci: Smallpox, polio would still exist if faced with same vaccine misinformation as COVID-19

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s leading expert on infectious diseases said he’s “certain” that the U.S. would not be able to contain other deadly illnesses like polio or smallpox if misinformation for those vaccines spread like it over COVID-19.

Olympic sponsor Toyota pulls Games-related ads in Japan, citing 'mixed sentiment' over event

One of the Olympic Games' top sponsors announced it will be pulling any Games-related TV ads in Japan, citing "many issues with these Games that are proving difficult to be understood."

COVID-19 pandemic recession ended in April 2020, shortest on record

The recession that broke out with the onset of the coronavirus pandemic lasted just two months, officially ended in April 2020. That makes it the shortest downturn on record, according to the committee of economists that determines when recessions begin and end.

Nurses union calls on CDC to reinstate universal mask guidelines

In a letter addressed to Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the CDC, the National Nurses Union called on the agency to reinstate universal mask-wearing guidelines and to implement more robust data tracking for infections among health care workers and breakthrough cases.