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COVID-19

J&J: Booster dose of its COVID shot prompts strong response

LONDON (AP) — Johnson & Johnson said Tuesday that a booster of its one-shot coronavirus vaccine provides a stronger immune response months after people receive a first dose. J&J said in statement that an extra dose — given either two months or six months after the initial shot — revved up protection. The results haven’t yet been published or vetted by other scientists. The J&J vaccine was considered an important tool in fighting the pandemic because it requires only one shot. But even as rollout began in the U.S. and elsewhere, the company already was running a global test of ...

COVID-19 testing limited locally

LOCK HAVEN — Access to the COVID-19 vaccine is at an all time high. Pharmacies big and small have stocked up on Moderna or Pfizer and large hospital organizations such as UPMC or Geisinger have offered vaccine clinics to continue to get vaccines into the arms of those who need or want them. But, at least on a local level, getting tested to learn if you have the virus has become harder. Due to a shortage in tests, many pharmacies in Clinton and Centre counties have no choice but to turn individuals away who may be uncertain if they have COVID-19 or not. Many have mild, cold like ...

Outbreaks strand some students at home with minimal learning

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Within his first week back at school after a year and a half, 7-year-old Ben Medlin was exposed to a classmate with COVID-19, and he was sent home, along with 7,000 other students in the district, for 14 days of quarantine. Not much learning went on in Ben’s ...

Idaho rations health care statewide amid massive COVID surge

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Idaho public health leaders on Thursday expanded health care rationing statewide amid a massive increase in the number of coronavirus patients requiring hospitalization. The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare made the announcement after St. Luke’s Health System, Idaho’s largest hospital network, on Wednesday asked state health leaders to allow “crisis standards of care” because the increase in COVID-19 patients has exhausted the state’s medical resources. Idaho is one of the least vaccinated U.S. states, with only about 40% of its residents fully ...

US unemployment claims rise after hitting pandemic low

WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of Americans seeking unemployment benefits moved up last week to 332,000 from a pandemic low, a sign that the spread of the delta variant may have slightly increased layoffs. Applications for jobless aid rose from 312,000 the week before, the Labor Department said Thursday. That was the lowest level since March 2020. Jobless claims, which generally track the pace of layoffs, have fallen steadily for two months as many employers, struggling to fill jobs, have held onto their workers. Last week’s increase was small and may be temporary. The four-week ...

As COVID-19 vaccine mandates rise, religious exemptions grow

An estimated 2,600 Los Angeles Police Department employees are citing religious objections to try to get out of the required COVID-19 vaccination. In Washington state, thousands of state workers are seeking similar exemptions. And in Arkansas, a hospital has been swamped with so many such ...