The Latest: Navajo Nation extends “safer at home” order
WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. — The Navajo Nation has extended and loosened a health order intended to help curb the spread of the coronavirus.
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5,000 attend rock concert in Barcelona after COVID-19 screen
BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — If one overlooked the white face masks dotting the tightly packed crowd of music lovers, it was almost like pre-pandemic...
For many motel dwellers, eviction ban provides no relief
ATLANTA (AP) — For more than five years, home for Armetrius Neason has been a hotel outside Atlanta. He's adorned the walls with dozens...
Balky sign-ups complicate virus vaccinations for blind, deaf
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — Unable to see, Carla McQuillan typically uses a program that converts the letters on a screen into audible words when...
FEMA vaccination sites to close as California ramps up shots
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Federal Emergency Management Agency plans to stop operating two mass vaccination sites in California next month, just days before...
Biden invites Russia, China to first global climate talks
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is including rivals Vladimir Putin of Russia and Xi Jinping of China among the invitees to the first...
The Latest: Texas state judge upholds Austin’s mask mandate
AUSTIN, Texas — A Texas judge is allowing the City of Austin to continue to require face coverings in local businesses weeks after Gov....
Arkansas governor signs medical conscience objections law
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson on Friday signed into law legislation allowing doctors to refuse to treat someone because of...
China outlines COVID-origin findings, ahead of WHO report
BEIJING (AP) — Chinese officials briefed diplomats Friday on the ongoing research into the origin of COVID-19, ahead of the expected release of a...
France launches 2-year experiment with medical marijuana
PARIS (AP) — France’s government launched a two-year nationwide experiment with medical marijuana Friday with a view to its eventual legalization.
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Shots in little arms: COVID-19 vaccine testing turns to kids
The 9-year-old twins didn’t flinch as each received test doses of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine -- and then a sparkly bandage to cover the spot....
Editor sidelined after medical journal racism podcast outcry
The top editor at the Journal of the American Medical Association has been sidelined amid outcry from Black physicians over a tweet and podcast...
Florida city fires employee over legal medical marijuana use
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — A Florida city has fired a top information technology manager for smoking marijuana — even though he been...
Aid groups call on Biden to develop plans to share vaccines
WASHINGTON (AP) — A coalition of nongovernmental organizations is calling on President Joe Biden to immediately begin developing plans to share an expected surplus...
As contact tracing ebbs in parts of US, NYC stays committed
NEW YORK (AP) — Coronavirus contact tracing programs across the U.S. scaled back their ambitions as cases surged in winter, but New York City...
Hands touch: Italy’s nursing homes emerge from COVID tunnel
ALZANO LOMBARDO, Italy (AP) — Their last hug was through plastic.
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Church in NY virus epicenter leads congregants out of sorrow
NEW YORK (AP) — For nearly two decades, Juan Tapia, head of maintenance at Our Lady of Sorrows, has taken pride in the upkeep...
The Latest: Gov. hopes to up number of Texans getting shots
AUSTIN, Texas -- Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said Thursday that he’s hoping to increase the number of Texans getting COVID-19 vaccines after seeing a...
California opens vaccination eligibility to all adults
SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP) — After weeks of sometimes confusing and frustrating restrictions, California is throwing open its coronavirus vaccine program to all adults...
Mexico tops 200,000 COVID-19 deaths, but real toll is higher
MEXICO CITY (AP) — As Mexico surpassed 200,000 test-confirmed deaths from COVID-19 Thursday, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador framed ramped-up vaccination efforts as a...
Romania OKs holding Easter celebrations despite virus surge
BUCHAREST (AP) — Romanian authorities announced Thursday that Easter celebrations in the deeply Christian country will go ahead in person this year, even though...
Michigan sees virus surge, but tighter restrictions unlikely
LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Michigan, which not long ago had one of the country's lowest COVID-19 infection rates, is confronting an alarming spike that...
EU leaders grapple with surge of infections, vaccine issues
BRUSSELS (AP) — European Union leaders failed to settle a fight about the distribution of COVID-19 shots among member states Thursday but pledged to...
With no COVID-19 patients, immunized Gibraltar drops curfew
GIBRALTAR (AP) — With its hospital free of COVID-19 patients and only one new coronavirus infection reported in a full week, the tiny British...
FDA panel rejects Pfizer’s arthritis drug as too risky
U.S. health advisers sharply criticized an experimental arthritis drug Thursday, saying that it was too risky, even with limits on its use.
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UN-backed vaccine delivery program warns of supply delays
GENEVA (AP) — The U.N.-backed program to ship COVID-19 vaccines worldwide has announced supply delays involving a key Indian manufacturer, a major setback for...
UK extends emergency coronavirus powers by 6 months
LONDON (AP) — British lawmakers agreed Thursday to prolong coronavirus emergency measures for six months, allowing the Conservative government to keep its unprecedented powers...
Vaccination race enlists grassroots aides to fight mistrust
CHICAGO (AP) — His last job was selling cars, but in his new gig, working to turn the tide against a pandemic, Herman Simmons...
AstraZeneca confirms strong vaccine protection after US rift
AstraZeneca insisted that its COVID-19 vaccine provides strong protection even after counting additional illnesses in its U.S. study, as the drugmaker responded to concerns...
Denmark prolongs suspension of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine
COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Danish officials decided Thursday to prolong their suspension of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine by three weeks while they continue evaluating...
African expert warns of ‘vaccine war’ over access to jabs
KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) — The head of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned against a “vaccine war” among nations amid renewed...
Germany’s Merkel: EU needs to increase vaccine production
BERLIN (AP) — The European Union's problems with getting deliveries of coronavirus vaccines have underscored the need for the bloc to redouble its efforts...
1 report, 4 theories: Scientists mull clues on virus’ origin
GENEVA (AP) — A team of international and Chinese scientists is poised to report on its joint search for the origins of the coronavirus...
Slovak coalition party completes withdrawal from government
BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (AP) — A party in Slovakia’s ruling coalition completed its withdrawal from the government on Thursday amid a political crisis triggered by...
Lawmakers: Require nursing homes to disclose vaccine data
WASHINGTON (AP) — Nursing homes have to publicly disclose their vaccination rates for flu and pneumonia but there’s no similar mandate for COVID-19 shots,...
White House to spend $10 billion to bolster vaccine effort
WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House announced Thursday that it is dedicating another $10 billion to try to drive up vaccination rates in low-income,...
Can I take painkillers before or after a COVID-19 vaccine?
Can I take painkillers before or after a COVID-19 vaccine?
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Hong Kong vaccination drive struggles to gain public trust
HONG KONG (AP) — Hong Kong's sudden suspension of a COVID-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech is another blow to a vaccination program...
A first: US Senate confirms transgender doctor for key post
Voting mostly along party lines, the U.S. Senate has confirmed former Pennsylvania Health Secretary Rachel Levine to be the nation’s assistant secretary of health....
A first: US Senate confirms transgender doctor for key post
Voting mostly along party lines, the U.S. Senate on Wednesday confirmed former Pennsylvania Health Secretary Rachel Levine to be the nation’s assistant secretary of...
Brighter outlook for US as vaccinations rise and deaths fall
More than three months into the U.S. vaccination drive, many of the numbers paint an increasingly encouraging picture, with 70% of Americans 65 and...
People downwind of atomic blasts renew push for US payout
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — In the desert northeast of Las Vegas, residents living along the Nevada-Arizona border would gather on their front porches for...
Beyond the pandemic: London’s Tube battles to stay on track
LONDON (AP) — When London came to a stop as a nationwide coronavirus lockdown was imposed a year ago, the Underground kept running as...
Spaniards line up for AstraZeneca amid concerns over vaccine
MADRID (AP) — Desperate to finally put the coronavirus pandemic behind them, thousands of Spaniards lined up to get shots of AstraZeneca on Wednesday...
EU moves toward stricter export controls for COVID-19 shots
BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union moved Wednesday toward stricter export controls for coronavirus vaccines, seeking to make sure its 27 nations have more...
Belgium reverts to tighter Easter lockdown amid virus spike
BRUSSELS (AP) — Belgium is reintroducing a strict lockdown in response to a surge of new COVID-19 infections, with the government saying Wednesday that...
Betting sites offer software blocks for compulsive gamblers
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) — Some sports betting companies are offering tools that allow compulsive gamblers to block themselves from most online sites.
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Masks and gloves are saving lives — and causing pollution
PACIFICA, Calif. (AP) — Disposable masks, gloves and other types of personal protective equipment are safeguarding untold lives during the coronavirus pandemic. They're also...
New virus variant detected in India; experts urge caution
NEW DELHI (AP) — A new and potentially troublesome variant of the coronavirus has been detected in India, as have variants first detected in...
Central Europe’s hospitals slammed, can’t treat all in need
WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Poland recorded its highest daily number of new coronavirus infections Wednesday as hospitals buckle under a new surge. Hungary has...
German Cabinet approves 2022 budget plan with more new debt
BERLIN (AP) — Germany's Cabinet on Wednesday approved 2022 budget plans that will see rules against running up new debt suspended for the third...
Merkel drops Easter shutdown plan for Germany, apologizes
BERLIN (AP) — German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Wednesday dropped plans for a five-day shutdown over Easter, which had prompted confusion and criticism. She...
Hong Kong halts use of Pfizer vaccine, cites defective lids
HONG KONG (AP) — Hong Kong suspended use of the Pfizer vaccine Wednesday after its Chinese distributor informed the city that one batch had...
France hit by 3rd virus surge; culture minister in hospital
PARIS (AP) — France’s high-profile culture minister has been hospitalized for COVID-19, the latest senior official to become ill as the nation faces a...
The Latest: California prisons to resume in-person visits
SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- California state prisons will soon resume limited in-person visits with inmates more than a year after they were halted because of...
German firm plea, $50M payment settles US drug purity probe
LAS VEGAS (AP) — An international pharmaceutical company pleaded guilty as planned Tuesday in a U.S. court after agreeing to pay $50 million for...
Brazil posts record single-day toll of 3,251 virus deaths
RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Brazil reported more than 3,000 COVID-19 deaths in a single day for the first time Tuesday amid calls for...
EXPLAINER: How states are seeking to loosen controls on guns
Mass shootings in Georgia and Colorado that left at least 18 people dead since last week are reigniting calls from gun control advocates for...
Missteps could mar long-term credibility of AstraZeneca shot
LONDON (AP) — AstraZeneca’s repeated missteps in reporting vaccine data coupled with a blood clot scare could do lasting damage to the credibility of...
Newly confirmed surgeon general to focus on COVID, opioids
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate confirmed a soft-spoken physician as President Joe Biden's surgeon general Tuesday. While Dr. Vivek Murthy says ending the coronavirus...
AstraZeneca accused of cherry-picking vaccine study data
WASHINGTON (AP) — AstraZeneca may have included “outdated information” in touting the effectiveness of its COVID-19 vaccine in a U.S. study, federal health officials...
Problem gambling foes warn on sports betting college deals
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) — A national group that fights compulsive gambling is concerned about financial deals between colleges and sports betting companies.
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Putin gets jab of COVID-19 vaccine — out of the public eye
MOSCOW (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin was vaccinated against COVID-19 Tuesday out of sight of the cameras, his spokesman said, prompting questions about...
AP-NORC poll: Learning setbacks a top concern for parents
BOSTON (AP) — Parents across the U.S. are conflicted about reopening schools. Most are at least somewhat worried that a return to the classroom...
Sinovac says its vaccine is safe for children as young as 3
TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Sinovac said its COVID-19 vaccine is safe in children ages 3-17, based on preliminary data, and it has submitted the...
The Latest: Sinovac: CoronaVac vaccine effective in children
BEIJING — Sinovac said on Monday that its COVID-19 vaccine CoronaVac is safe and effective in children ages 3-17.
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Germany extends virus lockdown till mid-April as cases rise
BERLIN (AP) — Germany has extended its lockdown measures by another month and imposed several new restrictions, including largely shutting down public life over...
Tourism groups push US to eliminate travel restrictions
Airlines and other tourism-related businesses are pushing the White House to draw up a plan in the next five weeks to boost international travel...
Colombian town uses discipline, speakers to stay virus-free
CAMPOHERMOSO, Colombia (AP) — When customers enter his hardware store Nelson Avila asks them to wear a mask and wash their hands. He sprays...
Spain broadens use of AstraZeneca jab to adults under age 65
MADRID (AP) — Spain’s health minister says the country will resume the use of the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine on Wednesday by extending it to...
WHO: Global coronavirus deaths rise for 1st time in 6 weeks
GENEVA (AP) — A top World Health Organization expert on the coronavirus pandemic said Monday the weekly global count of deaths from COVID-19 is...
Lawyers battle over ‘race-norming’ in NFL dementia tests
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The court-appointed lead lawyer for thousands of retired players suing the NFL pledged Monday to try to remove race as a...
AstraZeneca: US data shows vaccine effective for all adults
WASHINGTON (AP) — AstraZeneca reported Monday that its COVID-19 vaccine provided strong protection among adults of all ages in a long-anticipated U.S. study, a...
Greece orders private doctors to join COVID-19 battle
ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Greece’s health minister is requisitioning the services of private sector doctors from certain specialties in the wider Athens region to...
German government welcomes probe into virus protest policing
BERLIN (AP) — The German government on Monday welcomed a decision by state authorities to examine the police response to a weekend anti-lockdown protest...
Teachers lament ‘chaotic’ virus rules in German schools
BERLIN (AP) — Under pressure to ease Germany's virus restrictions, officials last month agreed to gradually reopen schools. Confirmed COVID-19 cases started climbing again,...
Taiwan gives health workers island’s 1st AstraZeneca doses
TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Health care workers received the first shots in Taiwan's COVID-19 vaccination drive Monday, beginning a campaign that won't use supplies...
A rapid COVID-19 vaccine rollout backfired in some US states
Despite the clamor to speed up the U.S. vaccination drive against COVID-19 and get the country back to normal, the first three months of...
France’s limited lockdown beset by glitches as cases rise
PARIS (AP) — Residents of Paris and several other regions of France spent their first weekend under a limited monthlong lockdown. While the French...
The Latest: Arkansas Gov: end of mask mandate at month’s end
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. -- Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson said Sunday that he believes his proposal to remove a mask mandate intended to slow the...
Sikh leaders celebrate upcoming holiday with vaccine clinic
LONDON (AP) — Sikh leader Balwinder Singh Basra rolled up his sleeve to get a COVID-19 vaccine Sunday at the Guru Nanak Gurdwara in...
Republic of Congo polls open; candidate sick with COVID-19
BRAZZAVILLE, Republic of Congo (AP) — Republic of Congo pressed ahead Sunday with an election in which President Denis Sassou N'Guesso is widely expected...
Infections continue to climb in Turkey amid relaxed measures
ISTANBUL (AP) — Turkey’s weekly regional COVID-19 figures keep increasing and deaths rising as the country maintains more relaxed restrictions for now.
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Palestinians expand vaccination campaign after UN shipment
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) — The Palestinian Health Ministry began administering the first doses of coronavirus vaccines it received from the global COVAX...
Pope decries lack of access to drinking water for many
VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis on Sunday urged more efforts to ensure all people have access to drinking water.
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China urges unhurried public to get vaccinated against COVID
BEIJING (AP) — In China, the problem doesn't seem to be a shortage of vaccine. Rather, with the COVID-19 outbreak largely under control at...
The Latest: UNLV now plans in-person spring graduation
LAS VEGAS — The University of Nevada, Las Vegas is changing course and now plans in-person spring graduation ceremonies in May as the coronavirus...
Some NY nursing homes proved helpless in face of virus surge
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — As the coronavirus made an end-of-the-year surge across New York, few nursing homes escaped unscathed. But some proved especially helpless...
Germany: police clash with protesters against virus measures
BERLIN (AP) — Protesters in Germany clashed with police Saturday over coronavirus measures, with officers using water cannons, pepper spray and batons against people...
Half of UK adults have gotten one dose of COVID-19 vaccine
LONDON (AP) — Britain said Saturday that half the country’s adults have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine as the government races...
US businesses near border struggle with boundaries’ closure
NOGALES, Ariz. (AP) — Evan Kory started calling brides in Mexico’s northern Sonora state last March, asking if they wanted to get their...
New Orleans health care workers’ heralded in ‘Dear Nurses’
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — If the eyes of the nurses photographed for Robert Fogarty's latest project aren't expressive enough, there are always the words...
As vaccinations lag, Italy’s elderly again pay a price
BERGAMO, Italy (AP) — One year ago, Bergamo’s state-of-the-art Pope John XXIII Hospital verged on collapse as doctors struggled to treat 600 patients, with...
The Latest: LA mayor criticizes state over vaccination rules
SAN FRANCISCO — Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti says a lot of pandemic deaths could have been prevented in California if the state had...
Trump’s Mar-a-Lago partially closed due to COVID outbreak
WASHINGTON (AP) — Former President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida, has been partially closed after staff members tested positive for the...
AstraZeneca vaccinations resume in Europe after clot scare
WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Countries across Europe resumed vaccinations with the AstraZeneca shot on Friday, as leaders sought to reassure their populations it is...
CDC changes school guidance, allowing desks to be closer
NEW YORK (AP) — Students can safely sit just 3 feet apart in the classroom as long as they wear masks but should be...
Belgium pauses re-opening plans as virus infections mount
BRUSSELS (AP) — Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said Friday that the country faces a few “crucial weeks” as the number of coronavirus...
Medical workers conflicted by France’s partial lockdown
PARIS (AP) — When nurse Anaelle Aeschliman started her 12-hour night shift caring for unconscious patients with COVID-19, the French prime minister was announcing...
G7 suggest boosting IMF reserves to help vulnerable nations
LONDON (AP) — The Group of Seven leading industrial nations on Friday proposed bolstering the International Monetary Fund's reserves for the first time since...