NPR reports the Food and Drug Administration Tuesday authorized the first COVID-19 vaccine booster for children ages 5 to 11. The authorization makes all children in that age group who received their second shot at least five months ago eligible … [Read more...]
U.S. Justice Dept. Files Appeal in Mask Mandate Overule for Public Transportation
NPR reports the U.S. Justice Department is appealing the ruling by a federal judge that voided the mask mandate for public transportation. DOJ spokesperson Anthony Coley said a notice of appeal had been filed in light of the determination by … [Read more...]
Federal Transportation Mask Mandate Extended Until May 3
The Federal transportation mask mandate is being extended for another 15 days. CNN reports individuals traveling aboard airplanes, trains and on public transportation in the United States will be required to wear a mask until at least early … [Read more...]
AP: FDA Authorizes Fourth Dose of COVID-19 Booster for Age 50 And Up
The Associated Press reports the Food and Drug Administration has authorized another COVID-19 booster for people age 50 and older. The FDA's decision opens a fourth dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines to that age group at least four months … [Read more...]
Doctors: Getting COVID-19 Not Necessarily Inevitable
The San Francisco Chronicle is reporting that while the Omicron variant is still highly contagious, experts don't think it's inevitable that everyone will get COVID at some point. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently estimated … [Read more...]
Pfizer Requests FDA Authorization for COVID Vaccine for Children Under 5
Pfizer asked the Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday for emergency use authorization for its vaccine for children under the age of 5. ABC News reports the move puts the process in motion for the FDA to review the data, bring it before its … [Read more...]
Mask Mandate Struck Down in Nassau County State Supreme Court
Nassau County State Supreme Court has struck down Governor Kathy Hochul’s statewide mask mandate as unconstitutional. WETM reports Judge Thomas Rademaker wrote that the governor does not have the authority to impose the mandate since emergency … [Read more...]
Federal Government to Make Free N95 Masks Available Starting Early February
The Biden administration plans to distribute 400 million high-quality N95 masks for adults free of charge starting next week. A White House official said the masks will be available at thousands of pharmacies and other locations. The distribution … [Read more...]
COVID-19 Contact Tracing Essentially Ending in New York State
Contact Tracing for positive COVID-19 cases is essentially ending in New York State. Acting State Health Commissioner Dr. Mary Bassett said at Tuesday's state briefing that Omicron's short incubation period gives a short period for intervention … [Read more...]
County Health Department Suspends Contact Tracing Due to Substantial Volume of New Case Reports
The Chautauqua County Health Department has announced its contact tracing team is unable to contact residents who have a positive COVID-19 test result due to the substantial volume of new case reports in recent days. Public Health Director … [Read more...]