93,000 Americans died of overdoses last year, a new record

U.S. overdose deaths climbed to a record 93,000 last year amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The previous record was 72,000.

Child tax credit: First payments go out July 15

The IRS said that the first payments from the expanded child tax credit signed into law with President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package will begin hitting families’ bank accounts on July 15.

COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations in Georgia creep upward

The number of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations in Georgia has been creeping upward since the Fourth of July weekend.

Calls to be fully vaccinated as Georgia's COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations rise again

Georgia's COVID-19 cases are rising again. Health officials say it is still too soon to say if the state could be facing another surge in infections and hospitalizations.

New daily COVID-19 cases in US have doubled in past 3 weeks

New COVID-19 cases per day in the U.S. have doubled over the past three weeks, driven by the fast-spreading delta variant, lagging vaccination rates and Fourth of July gatherings.

Georgia hospital system requiring doctors get COVID-19 vaccine

Piedmont Healthcare says all doctors, providers, leadership and new employees will need to be vaccinated for COVID-19 starting in September.

CDC says J&J vaccine has ‘small possible risk’ of rare neurological disorder

Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine may pose a “small possible risk” of Guillain-Barré syndrome, a rare but potentially dangerous neurological reaction, U.S. health officials said Monday.

Georgia tax revenue leaps more than $3B over last year

Georgia’s state tax receipts jumped by more than $3 billion in the budget year ended June 30, Gov. Brian Kemp announced Monday, setting up an election-year session in which lawmakers will have many options for new spending or tax cuts.

Kids age 1 to 4 most at risk for drowning death, American Academy of Pediatrics study finds

A new report by the Amerian Academy of Pediatrics found that children between the ages of 1 and 4 are at the highest risk of die from drowning, followed by teens between 15 and 19 who were mostly male.

Georgia schools invited to apply for tests of lead in water

A group that will test for lead in drinking water at Georgia public schools is inviting schools to apply for the testing program.

Fire departments tackle a new foe in fighting blazes: cancer

For decades, American firefighters have been developing cancer at higher rates than people in other professions, many after decades of service. Veteran firefighter Jason Shivers says the elevated cancer risk was seen by some as "the cost of doing business." That attitude is changing in places like Forsyth County, Georgia.

Pfizer to discuss booster shots with US health officials Monday

Pfizer says it plans to meet with top U.S. health officials Monday to discuss the drugmaker’s request for federal authorization of a third dose of its COVID-19 vaccine.

Team USA gold medal favorite is refusing vaccination ahead of Olympic Games

The event is set to start on July 23, with no spectators planned to attend the event due to an ongoing spike in COVID cases challenging Tokyo.

Aduhelm: FDA head calls for review of Alzheimer's drug

Dr. Janet Woodcock, the acting head of the FDA, is calling for a review of highly unusual contacts between her agency’s drug reviewers and the maker of a controversial new Alzheimer’s drug.

Several countries in Asia reinstate COVID-19 restrictions amid rapid infections

Several countries around Asia and the Pacific that are experiencing their first major surges of the coronavirus have rushed to implement tough restrictions.