J&J seeks U.S. clearance for COVID-19 vaccine booster doses
Johnson & Johnson said it submitted data on several different booster intervals, ranging from two to six months, but it did not formally recommend one to regulators.
Southwest latest airline to mandate vaccines for workers
Southwest said it has to mandate vaccines because of new rules from the Biden administration requiring companies with federal contracts to have vaccinated staffs.
Statewide hospitalizations from COVID continue to tick down
More than 3.28 million Hoosiers had been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as of Monday after a weekend increase of 17,710.
Indy-based Exelead Inc. churns out millions of Pfizer vaccine doses, on hiring spree to keep up
Exelead Inc., with headquarters at 6925 Guion Road on the northwest side, said it has manufactured and shipped tens of millions of doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine in recent months and is expanding its facilities.
State reports 3,218 more COVID cases, 28 deaths
Statewide hospitalizations due to COVID-19 decreased from 2,055 on Wednesday to 2007 on Thursday.
Editorial: Falling cases are ‘cause for optimism,’ but we shouldn’t let down our guard
Even as COVID-19 hospitalizations are inching down, some health care systems are still stretched thin.
Consumer spending rebounded in August despite COVID
Americans bought more furniture, clothes, and groceries during the month, while the delta variant caused them to pull back on traveling and eating out.
Merck says experimental pill cuts worst effects of COVID-19
If cleared, the drug would be the first pill shown to treat COVID-19, a potentially major step forward in global efforts to control the pandemic. All COVID-19 therapies now authorized in the U.S. require an IV or injection.
Nearly 40 workers at Eskenazi Health parent leave over vaccine mandate
The departures represent less than 1% of the 5,700 employees at the Health and Hospital Corp. of Marion County, the organization that includes Eskenazi Health and the Indianapolis Emergency Medical Services
Ex-Surgeon General Adams joining Purdue University
Purdue University announced Thursday that former U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams will be its first executive director of health equity initiatives.
Big drop in teen vaping seen with COVID-19 school closures
Teen vaping plummeted this year as many U.S. students were forced to learn from home during the pandemic, according to a government report released Thursday.
Indiana reports 31 more COVID deaths, dip in hospitalizations
The Indiana State Department of Health released the latest statistics for so-called breakthrough cases, hospitalizations and deaths on Thursday.
From paints to plastics, a chemical shortage ignites prices
Shortages and price spikes are now cutting into one of the humblest yet most vital links in the global manufacturing supply chain: The plastic pellets that go into a vast universe of products ranging from cereal bags to medical devices, automotive interiors to bicycle helmets.
Biden vaccine mandate splits U.S. on party lines, survey shows
About three quarters of Democrats, but only about a quarter of Republicans, approve of President Joe Biden’s plan to require most workers to get either vaccinated or regularly tested for COVID-19.
Indiana reports another 65 deaths from COVID-19
COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations were up slightly in the latest coronavirus report from the Indiana State Department of Health.
Indiana deploys National Guard to help beleaguered hospitals
Dr. Kris Box, the state health commissioner, said the National Guard teams are going to hospitals that have “exhausted all other options to staff their beds.”
Employer vaccine mandates convert some workers, but not all
Businesses that have announced vaccine mandates say some workers who had been on the fence have since gotten inoculated against COVID-19. But many holdouts remain—a likely sign of what is to come once a federal mandate goes into effect.
Death toll from COVID-19 in Indiana surpasses 15,000
The Indiana State Department of Health on Tuesday reported 2,378 new cases of COVID-19, up from 1,724 the previous day.
State: Unvaccinated make up huge percentage of COVID deaths, hospitalizations
The latest statistics from the state department of health show that 59.2% of Indiana residents 18 and older are now fully vaccinated.
Franciscan Health gives employees until Nov. 15 to get fully vaccinated
The Catholic hospital system is stepping up its vaccination mandate for employees, telling them they must get their first dose by Oct. 15 and their second dose by Nov. 15, or submit to weekly testing.
Resources
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC Resources for Businesses and Employers OSHA Guidance on Preparing Workplaces for COVID-19 Indiana State Department of Health Indy Chamber Rapid Response Hub Small Business Administration The SBA is making low-interest loans for working capital available to Indiana small businesses. Indiana Unemployment Information Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Dashboard Critical Industries Hotline(for business and industry only)
877-820-0890
covidresponse@iedc.in.gov State’s virus-related executive orders State plan to reopen Indiana