Pfizer begins testing omicron-matched COVID shots in adults
The new U.S. study will include up to 1,420 volunteers ages 18 to 55 to test the updated omicron-based shots for use as a booster or for primary vaccinations.
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Hope seen once the omicron wave increases global immunity
One influential model projects that nearly all nations will be past the omicron wave by mid-March. Others predict a strong decline in U.S. infections by April, unless a new variant emerges that can sidestep the growing levels of immunity.
Indiana’s COVID-19 death toll surpasses 20,000
Statewide hospitalizations due to COVID-19 have fallen for four days in a row and are down more than 10% since hitting a pandemic peak on Jan. 13, the Indiana State Department of Health reported Monday.
New COVID-19 cases reach all-time high in Indiana
The Indiana State Department of Health on Friday also reported 95 more deaths from COVID-19, raising the official pandemic death toll to 19,992. On a more positive note, statewide hospitalizations dropped by more than 100.
Booster shots needed against omicron, CDC studies show
The study found vaccine effectiveness was best after three doses of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines in preventing COVID-19-associated emergency department and urgent care visits.
Indiana reports 137 more COVID-19 deaths as cases climb past 1.5M
COVID-19-related hospitalizations rose from 3,492 on Tuesday to 3,506 on Wednesday, the second-highest mark of all time.
COVID forces Marion County to halt all jury trials until end of January
The executive committee of the courts issued an executive order Thursday, continuing all jury trials until after Jan. 28.
Workers have been out sick in record numbers, exacerbating labor shortage woes
Between Dec. 29 and Jan. 10, approximately 8.8 million workers reported not working because they were sick with the coronavirus or caring for someone who was, according to data from the Census Bureau.
Statewide COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations increase to near-highs
Every county in Indiana was colored red on Wednesday on the state’s advisory-level map. Red is the highest level on the four-color map.
U.S. begins offering 1B free COVID tests, but many more needed
The White House also announced Wednesday that it will begin making 400 million N95 masks available for free at pharmacies and community health centers.
Surgeon general: Omicron hasn’t peaked and ‘next few weeks will be tough’
Case counts fueled by the highly contagious variant have started to level off in some parts of the country hit early by the latest wave, but the entire country is not moving at the same pace.
White House soft-launches COVID-19 test request website
At points Tuesday, more than 750,000 people were accessing the website at the same time, according to public government tracking data, but it was not immediately known how many orders were placed.
Indiana reports 12,126 new COVID-19 cases, 77 more deaths
COVID-19-related hospitalizations rose from 3,363 on Sunday to 3,460 on Monday.
Inaccurate rapid COVID tests leading to ‘false sense of security’ for many
Available at-home coronavirus tests might be less sensitive to the now-dominant omicron variant, especially early in an infection, leading to false negatives. But experts say better-performing tests are coming.
Statewide COVID-19 hospitalizations tick down from all-time high
The state said 3,363 people were hospitalized because of COVID on Sunday, down from 3,462 on Friday. Hospitalizations hit a pandemic high of 3,519 on Thursday.
Roche lands $340M to make rapid antigen tests in Indianapolis
The contract is part of the U.S. government’s effort to double its procurement of rapid COVID-19 tests to be delivered for free to Americans through a forthcoming federal website.
Rising costs add to pandemic pain for small businesses
The unpredictability of shipping, labor and the coronavirus itself have created an environment where owners are often left guessing about when products might arrive and how much they’ll cost.
COVID deaths, cases rising again at U.S. nursing homes
Nursing homes reported a near-record of about 32,000 COVID-19 cases among residents in the week ending Jan. 9, an almost sevenfold increase from a month earlier, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Statewide COVID-19 hospitalizations climb to another high
The Indiana State Department of Health on Friday reported 15,926 new cases of COVID-19, the second-highest mark during the pandemic, trailing the all-time high of 16,563 on Thursday.
Federal testing website launches next week with 4-test-per-home limit
The White House said the four-test limit on website orders will be applied to each residential address and will apply to the first tranche of 500 million tests. It estimates that the cost of purchasing and distributing the first block of tests at $4 billion.