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COVID-19

Americans still flying despite CDC pleas

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — Millions of Americans bought tickets to fly somewhere for Thanksgiving before the nation’s top public health agency pleaded with them not to travel for the holiday. So what are they doing now? In many cases, they’re still crowding airports and boarding planes. That’s despite relatively lenient cancellation policies that major airlines have implemented since the coronavirus pandemic emerged. “Consumers should feel comfortable changing their plans and canceling their flights if they need to for health reasons,” said John Breyault of the National ...

FDA allows emergency use of antibody drug

U.S. health officials have agreed to allow emergency use of a second antibody drug to help the immune system fight mild-to-moderate COVID-19 symptoms. The drug is given as a one-time treatment through an IV. The FDA allowed its use in adults and children 12 and over who weigh at least 88 pounds and who are at high risk of severe illness from COVID-19 because of age or certain other medical conditions. Emergency authorization allows use of the drug to start while studies are continuing COVID-19, an experimental medicine that President Donald Trump was given when he was sickened last ...

‘Where there’s a will, there’s a way’

Thanksgiving is normally apolitical. But COVID-19 is making the holiday political this year, if only by the signals families are sending, based on what they’re fixing to do. The family of Steve Elfelt, a local activist who has worked for redistricting reform and climate change action, has ...

US sees 1,300 virus deaths a day

The surging coronavirus is taking an increasingly dire toll across the U.S. just as a vaccine appears close at hand, with the country now averaging over 1,300 COVID-19 deaths per day — the highest level since the calamitous spring in and around New York City. The overall U.S. death toll has reached about 254,000, by far the most in the world. Confirmed infections have eclipsed more than 11.8 million, after the biggest one-day gain on record Thursday — almost 188,000. And the number of people in the hospital with COVID-19 hit another all-time high at more than 80,000. With health ...

Biden pushes Congress for aid

WILMINGTON, Del. — President-elect Joe Biden is pushing Congress to approve billions of dollars in emergency COVID-19 assistance before he takes office, saying in a meeting Friday with the top Democrats in the House and Senate that such a package should be approved during the lame-duck session. Biden held his first in-person meeting since winning the presidential election with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer, hosting them at his makeshift transition headquarters in a downtown Wilmington, Delaware, theater. Biden’s new governing team is ...

Emergency vaccine use sought

Pfizer formally asked U.S. regulators Friday to allow emergency use of its COVID-19 vaccine, starting the clock on a process that could bring limited first shots as early as next month and eventually an end to the pandemic ­— but not until after a long, hard winter. The action comes days ...