Canadian drugmaker says its COVID-19 vaccine is effective
The Quebec City company said it will seek Canadian approval “imminently” and has also begun the process to file with regulators in the United States, United Kingdom and other countries.
Health Care
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Companies delaying office returns amid omicron uncertainty
Major corporations that had planned to shepherd all their employees back into offices in early 2022 now have to decide whether those dates make sense in light of further evidence of the pandemic’s unpredictability.
Hospitals set new pandemic record, with 70% of staffed beds in use
Across the state, 2,408 people were hospitalized for COVID-19 Saturday. That’s up from a recent low of 1,209 on Nov. 6, and six times the number of people hospitalized from COVID-19 at the year-to-date low mark of 369 on June 24.
Omicron possibly more infectious because of ties to common cold coronavirus, study says
The omicron variant is likely to have picked up genetic material from another virus that causes the common cold in humans, according to a new preliminary study.
Health officials say early reports encouraging about omicron
U.S. health officials said while the omicron variant of is rapidly spreading throughout the country, early indications suggest it might be less dangerous than delta, which continues to drive a surge of hospitalizations.
House GOP again tries to expedite bill to limit vaccine mandates, will hold hearing on Dec. 16
The controversial bill is scheduled for an unusual pre-session public hearing more than two weeks before the legislative session officially begins Jan. 4. The hearing will be the second attempt by House Republicans to expedite the legislation.
Walgreens, VillageMD make health clinic push
The partners are on the prowl to buy hundreds of primary care medical practices.
New coronavirus vaccine may eventually be needed for omicron, says BioNTech CEO
CEO Ugur Sahin told Reuters on Friday that he could foresee a scenario where coronavirus vaccine shots became annual, like flu shots.
Omicron coronavirus variant found in multiple U.S. states
The omicron variant of COVID-19, which had been undetected in the United States before the middle of this week, had been discovered in at least five states by late Thursday.
Statewide hospitalizations from COVID-19 continue to rise
COVID-19 patients now occupy 26.3% of Indiana’s intensive care unit beds.
First U.S. case of COVID-19 omicron variant identified
A person in California who had been vaccinated against COVID-19 became the first in the United States to have an identified case of the omicron variant, the White House announced Wednesday.
Holcomb extends public health emergency in Indiana
The signing marks the 21st time Holcomb has extended the state’s COVID-19 public health emergency, which has been in place since March 2020.
COVID could cost the tourism industry $1.6T this year, and omicron might make it worse
The return of stricter COVID-19 restrictions to fight the latest variant has already left some travelers stranded. For many tourism businesses, it’s also threatening hopes of an upcoming holiday boost this year.
U.S. moving to toughen testing requirement for travelers
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a Tuesday statement that it was working toward requiring that all air travelers to the U.S. be tested for COVID-19 within a day before boarding their flight.
FDA panel backs first-of-a-kind COVID-19 pill from Merck
The Food and Drug Administration panel voted 13-10 that the antiviral drug’s benefits outweigh its risks, including potential birth defects if used during pregnancy.
State reports 117 more COVID-19 deaths, jump in hospitalizations
Indiana’s top medical groups pleaded Tuesday for more people to get COVID-19 vaccine shots as the state is in the midst of a new surge of infections and hospitalizations.
Lawmakers formally file legislation to limit business vaccine mandates
House Bill 1001 was the first bill filed for the legislative session that kicks off on Jan. 4, meaning it is likely a priority for GOP leadership.
New info shows omicron spread wider earlier than thought
New findings about the coronavirus’s omicron variant made it clear Tuesday that the emerging threat slipped into countries before their defenses were up.
FDA panel set to review Merck’s COVID-19 pill
If authorized, Merck’s pill would be the first that U.S. patients could take at home to ease symptoms and speed recovery, but new information released last week paints a less compelling picture of the drug than when the Merck first publicized its early results in October.
Powell says COVID variant clouds inflation, economic outlook
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell says that the appearance of a new COVID-19 variant could slow the economy and hiring.