By MIKE STOBBE AP Medical Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Omicron has raced ahead of other variants and is now the dominant version of the coronavirus in the U.S. Federal health officials said Monday that omicron accounted for an estimated 73% of new infections last week. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention numbers show
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EL PASO, Texas — The number of weekly deaths due to Covid-19 continued to go down slightly this past week, while the number of breakthrough deaths also dipped. According to the El Paso Department of Public Health, all of the latest victims had underlying health conditions. The youngest victims were in their 20s. There were
Continue Reading CNN By Dan Merica, CNN Former President Donald Trump was booed by a portion of an audience in Dallas on Sunday when he said he had received a Covid-19 booster shot, according to video of the closed press event that was shared on social media. The comments by Trump — who, despite championing his administration’s
Continue Reading By Jacqueline Howard, CNN Biotechnology company Moderna announced Monday that preliminary data suggests its half-dose booster shot increased antibody levels against Omicron compared with the levels seen when a fully vaccinated person does not receive a booster — and a larger-sized dose of the booster increases antibody levels even more. Currently, Moderna’s booster is administered
Continue Reading By Greg Clary Three Democratic members of Congress announced Sunday that they have breakthrough coronavirus infections. Sens. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Cory Booker of New Jersey as well as Rep. Jason Crow of Colorado shared that they had tested positive for Covid-19 via tweets from their official accounts. They all reported having received Covid-19
Continue Reading By Dakin Andone and Susannah Cullinane, CNN The United States is likely in for a hard winter as the Omicron variant of Covid-19 spreads rapidly, Dr. Anthony Fauci says, straining a health care system already battered by the Delta variant. “It’s going to take over,” Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, said of the
Continue Reading WASHINGTON, DC– President Joe Biden will give an Omicron variant-focused speech on Tuesday, according to the White House, as the nation contends with higher case numbers, deaths and hospitalizations from the coronavirus heading into the holidays. “Building off his Winter Plan, @POTUS will announce new steps the Administration is taking to help communities in need of assistance, while also issuing
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EL PASO, Texas — With the Christmas holiday only days away El Paso County officials are preparing for a possible COVID-19 surge. County Judge Ricardo Samaniego tells ABC-7 that they are anticipating what could come. In order to prepare, the county is looking into getting more medical resources and is also looking into future morgue
Continue Reading CINCINNATI, Ohio — A federal appeals court panel has ruled that President Joe Biden’s vaccine mandate for larger private employers can take effect. Friday’s 2-1 ruling from a panel of judges on the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reverses a lower-court ruling that had paused the requirement. It was originally planned to take effect
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EL PASO, Texas — COVID-19 patients can now get an infusion treatment without having to go through a doctor. Patients will still need to meet certain requirements. The treatments will be provided at the Regional Infusion Center located at 9341 Alameda. Walk-in patients will be accepted according to city officials, but patients are strongly encouraged
Continue Reading By LAURAN NEERGAARD AP Medical Writer Pfizer is testing an extra dose of its COVID-19 vaccine for babies and preschoolers after preliminary research hinted the usual two doses wouldn’t be enough. Pfizer had been testing very low-dose shots in children under age 5, with some data expected by year’s end. But Pfizer and its partner
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By MIKE STOBBE AP Medical Writer NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. health officials are endorsing “test-to-stay” policies that allow close contacts of students infected with the coronavirus to remain in classrooms if they test negative. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday decided to more firmly embrace the approach, after research of such
Continue Reading By Travis Caldwell, Artemis Moshtaghian and Maggie Fox, CNN New York state reported that Thursday had the highest single day count of new Covid-19 cases with 21,027, according to data released Friday. New York’s data also revealed that positive Covid-19 cases in the state jumped 154% in less than a week. The previous high was
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EL PASO, Texas — While many typically recover from Covid-19 there’s also a number of people who are still experiencing symptoms, more than four weeks after infection. It’s know as “long Covid” and it can be a frustrating and scary diagnosis. Kasandra Payen is one of the many with long covid or post covid-19 conditions.
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BALTIMORE, Maryland — As Americans gather to toast the end of another particularly difficult year, many loved ones will be notably missing from holiday celebrations, a glaring reminder of the tragic realities of the coronavirus pandemic. On Tuesday, the United States reached yet another staggering milestone, with 800,000 Americans now confirmed lost to the coronavirus,
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By MATTHEW PERRONE AP Health Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — Pfizer says that its experimental COVID-19 pill appears effective against the omicron variant. The company also confirmed Tuesday that the pill delivered on promising early results in reducing COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths. The updates come as U.S. regulators are expected to soon decide on whether to
Continue Reading WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court has refused to halt a COVID-19 vaccine requirement for health care workers in New York that does not offer an exemption for religious reasons. The court acted Monday on emergency appeals filed by doctors, nurses and other medical workers who say they are being forced to choose between their
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EL PASO, Texas — There were 25 El Pasoans who died from Covid-19 over the past week, the El Paso Department of Public Health announced Monday afternoon, marking over 50 coronavirus fatalities in the past two weeks. Last week there were 30 deaths. Officials said all 25 of the latest victims had underlying health conditions
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EL PASO, Texas — Those El Pasoans who are in need of financial assistance with rent or utilities can still apply through EP Rent Help. Rental assistance funds remain available for tenants and landlords in the City and County of El Paso. Applicants are encouraged to apply as soon as possible to avoid being evicted. EP
Continue Reading By Jacqueline Howard, CNN The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention might consider redefining what it means to be “fully vaccinated” against Covid-19 to include a third dose of vaccine — but the question is when the definition could change. Such a change is “on the table and open for discussion,” Dr. Anthony Fauci,
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By LAURAN NEERGAARD and MIKE STOBBE Associated Press The U.S. is expanding COVID-19 boosters, opening a third dose of Pfizer’s vaccine to people as young as age 16. The U.S. and many other nations already urge adults to get a booster to pump up their immunity months after initial vaccination. In the U.S., the Pfizer
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EL PASO, Texas — El Paso leaders on Wednesday urged fully vaccinated El Pasoans to get an additional vaccine shot and remain vigilant in the face of rising Covid-19 cases in the county during the holiday season. They also asked people to get their flu shot to prevent hospitals and healthcare workers from being
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By LAURAN NEERGAARD AP Medical Writer Pfizer says a booster dose of its COVID-19 vaccine appears to offer important protection against the new omicron variant. Pfizer and its partner BioNTech tested how well vaccine-produced antibodies could neutralize omicron in lab dishes. They found significant weakening after the standard two doses. But a booster dose increased
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EL PASO, Texas — As Covid-19 cases continue climb across the Borderland, El Paso’s Health Department is hoping to expand its efforts in helping people suffering from the virus stay out of the hospital by opening a new infusion center. The new Regional Infusion Center opened Tuesday at the city’s Covid-19 Clinic located at 9341
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HARRIS COUNTY, Texas — Texas has identified its first case of the omicron COVID-19 variant, a strain flagged as potentially more infectious than any that has come before it, including the delta variant responsible for surges still happening across the country, state health officials said on Monday. The variant was identified in Texas in a Harris County
Continue Reading EL PASO, Texas — There were 30 El Pasoans who died from Covid-19 over the past week, the El Paso Department of Public Health announced Monday afternoon, marking a tripling in the coronavirus fatality tally from the prior week when there were just nine. Officials said 29 of the latest victims had underlying health conditions
Continue Reading By MICHELLE L. PRICE and KAREN MATTHEWS Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — New York Mayor Bill de Blasio says all private employers big and small in the city will have to require their workers to get vaccinated against COVID-19 by Dec. 27. It is the most sweeping vaccine mandate of any state or big
Continue Reading EL PASO, Texas — The war against Covid-19 is not over. In fact, it is intensifying with cases going back up.Fortunately, we no longer see tents outside Borderland hospitals, but make no mistake about it – hospitals are filling up. The latest Covid-19 date on the city of El Paso’s website EPStrong.org as of Friday afternoon showed
Continue Reading By MIKE CORDER Associated Press THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — South African scientists are warning that the new omicron variant may be causing more reinfections among COVID-19 survivors than earlier virus mutants. A research group has been tracking reinfections in South Africa. They spotted a jump with the arrival of omicron, saying the timing suggests
Continue Reading NEW YORK, NY — Five cases of the new Covid-19 variant Omicron have been detected in New York state, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced in a press conference Thursday evening. Hochul emphasized that battling the Delta variant is more of a challenge right now, adding that all five cases have been described as mild. One case
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