epidemics

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker announced a mask mandate from preschool through high school at a news conference on Wednesday.

J&J recipients can make a special request to get a “supplemental dose” of an mRNA vaccine, San Francisco health officials said Tuesday in a statement to CNBC.

CVS Health has stopped offering J&J’s single-dose Covid-19 in its pharmacies but will continue to make the shots available at certain MinuteClinic locations.

The new initiative will “best protect the health and safety of our colleagues and the communities we serve,” Pfizer said in a statement to CNBC.

The World Health Organization on Wednesday called for a halt of Covid-19 booster shots, citing vaccine inequity around the world.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio issued a mandate requiring employees and customers of indoor eateries, gyms and entertainment centers to get vaccinated.

A group of health officials in seven Northern California counties mandated masks in indoor public places.

“While we desperately want to be done with this pandemic, Covid-19 is clearly not done with us,” CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said.

In response to climbing coronavirus case totals and hospitalizations, Louisiana became the second state in the nation to revive its mask mandate on Monday.

“I am asking them, and suggesting to them, go to vaccine-only admission,” Cuomo told reporters.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo mandated vaccines for state transportation workers, giving them the option to get vaccinated or face weekly coronavirus testing.

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy mandated vaccines for a variety of the state’s front-line workers at a news conference Monday.

While the vaccine milestone is a significant achievement, it should be seen as a floor, rather than a ceiling, health experts say.

World Health Organization officials said they are still trying to understand why the delta variant is more transmissible and potentially makes people sicker than the original coronavirus strain. “We’re really trying to get a better handle on why the delta variant is more transmissible,” said Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO’S technical lead on Covid-19, said at a press briefing...

The CDC data published Friday was based on 469 cases of Covid associated with multiple summer events and large public gatherings in July in Massachusetts.

“The war has changed,” CDC officials wrote in a confidential document given to lawmakers this week.

Dr. Robby Sikka discusses breakthrough Covid cases as the highly transmissible delta variant spreads nationwide.

The latest vaccine push comes as coronavirus cases in the U.S. begin to spike once again, with the highly contagious delta variant fueling infection rates.

A new executive order from Texas Gov. Greg Abbott reiterates his opposition to mask mandates, Covid-related business restrictions and vaccination requirements.

Two of the states hit hardest last week, Mississippi and Louisiana and, have some of the nation’s worst vaccination rates and climbing Covid hospitalizations.