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Pope Francis, first Latin American pontiff, dies at 88
Dr. Deborah Birx, covid adviser under Trump, has a book deal
NEW YORK — Dr. Deborah Birx has a memoir coming out this spring that will focus on her contentious time as White House coronavirus task force coordinator in the administration of President Donald Trump. Harper, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, announced Monday that Birx’s “Silent Invasion: The Untold Story of...
Prince Charles’ wife Camilla tests positive for covid
LONDON — Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall has tested positive for covid-19 four days after her husband, Prince Charles, was confirmed to be infected with the coronavirus, the couple’s office said Monday. Clarence House said Camilla was self-isolating. Charles has been isolating since he tested positive on Thursday, but Camilla had...
Bill to protect doctors prescribing ivermectin, other unproven drugs against covid advances in Pa.
A state House committee on Monday approved a bill that would free doctors to prescribe off-label drugs to treat covid-19 and allow pharmacists to fill the prescriptions, also without penalty. The bill was authored by Republican state Rep. Dawn Keefer of York County. It was approved by the health committee...
Power of love: Couples navigate pandemic challenges to find that special someone
The covid-19 pandemic has affected so many of life’s memorable moments and even impacted everyday events, from schooling to dining out to visiting family members. One thing it hasn’t overpowered is love. “Dating and marrying during the pandemic was and has been an extremely unique experience. Looking back, it all...
Many faith leaders wary of religious exemptions for vaccine
By the thousands, Americans have been seeking religious exemptions in order to circumvent covid-19 vaccine mandates, but generally they are doing so without the encouragement of major denominations and prominent religious leaders. From the Vatican, Pope Francis has defended the vaccines as “the most reasonable solution to the pandemic.” The...
U.S. authorizes new antibody drug to fight omicron
U.S. health regulators on Friday authorized a new antibody drug that targets the omicron variant, a key step in restocking the nation’s arsenal against the latest version of covid-19. The Food and Drug Administration said it cleared the Eli Lilly drug for adults and adolescent patients with mild-to-moderate cases of...
4 city of Pittsburgh employees fired for not meeting covid-19 vaccine mandate
Four city of Pittsburgh employees have been fired for failing to comply with the city’s covid-19 vaccination mandate, according to Mayor Ed Gainey’s office. Former Mayor Bill Peduto announced in November that all city employees would be required to be fully vaccinated against the virus — except those with a...
Novavax says protein vaccine works for kids as young as 12
Novavax announced Thursday that its covid-19 vaccine proved safe and effective in a study of 12- to 17-year-olds. Novavax makes a protein-based vaccine — a different type than the most widely used shots — that’s a late arrival to the covid-19 arsenal. Its shots have been cleared for use in...
Most vulnerable still in jeopardy as covid precautions ease
Two years into the pandemic Jackie Hansen still left home only for doctor visits, her immune system so wrecked by cancer and lupus that covid-19 vaccinations couldn’t take hold. Then Hansen got a reprieve — scarce doses of the first drug that promises six months of protection for people with...
Prince Charles isolating after testing positive for covid
LONDON — Britain’s Prince Charles has tested positive for covid-19 and is self-isolating, his office said Thursday. A message on his official Twitter page said Charles tested positive on Thursday morning and was “deeply disappointed” not to be able to attend a scheduled visit in the city of Winchester in...
Covid continues decline in Western Pa., expert says ‘worst of pandemic is largely over’
Covid-19 cases dropped by more than half over the past week in Allegheny and Westmoreland counties as well as statewide, and an infectious disease expert says the statistics likely signal the omicron-driven surge has reached its peak. From Jan. 30 to Feb. 5, Allegheny County recorded 3,850 cases, an average...
Former Pitt emergency management director pleads guilty to stealing PPE, selling it online
The former director of emergency management at the University of Pittsburgh pleaded guilty Wednesday to stealing more than 13,000 pieces of personal protective equipment from the school’s stockpile at the beginning of the covid-19 pandemic to sell at inflated prices online. Christopher Casamento, 42, of Ross, will be sentenced on...
As even Dem states ease, Biden begins rethinking covid rules
WASHINGTON — With even Democratic states moving to roll back mask mandates, the White House said Wednesday it is beginning to prepare for a less-restrictive phase of the national covid response amid growing impatience to ease up and turn toward post-pandemic normalcy. White House covid-19 coordinator Jeff Zients said officials...
Sweden ends covid testing as pandemic restrictions lifted
STOCKHOLM — Sweden has halted wide-scale testing for covid-19 even among people showing symptoms of an infection, putting an end to the mobile city-square tent sites, drive-in swab centers and home-delivered tests that became ubiquitous during the pandemic and provided essential data for tracking its spread. The move puts the...
Denmark’s queen and Spain’s king test positive for coronavirus
COPENHAGEN, Denmark — The queen of Denmark and the king of Spain both tested positive for the coronavirus despite being vaccinated, their respective royal houses announced Wednesday. Denmark’s Queen Margrethe, 82, has mild covid-19 symptoms and has isolated herself in the Copenhagen palace where she lives, the palace said. Margrethe...
Can you get long covid after an infection with omicron?
Can you get long covid after an infection with omicron? It’s too early to know for sure, but many doctors believe it’s possible to have long-term effects from the omicron variant of the virus. Long covid is usually diagnosed many weeks after a bout with covid-19. Any long-lasting effects typically...
Covid-19 surge at Westmoreland jail eases, inmate transports to resume
Transportation of inmates to court hearings will resume Wednesday as the number of coronavirus cases at the Westmoreland County Prison continues to decline. Common Pleas Court President Judge Rita Hathaway rescinded a court order issued in late January that halted inmate transfers amid a wave of new cases that saw...
Governors in 4 states plan for end to school mask mandates 
TRENTON, N.J. — The governors of four states announced plans Monday to lift statewide mask requirements in schools by the end of February or March, citing the rapid easing of covid-19′s omicron surge. The decisions in Connecticut, Delaware, New Jersey and Oregon were announced as state and local governments grapple...
Covid falling in 49 of 50 states as deaths near 900,000
With the brutal omicron wave rapidly loosening its grip, new cases of covid-19 in the U.S. are falling in 49 of 50 states, even as the nation’s death toll closes in on another bleak round number: 900,000. The number of lives lost to the pandemic in the U.S. stood at...
Medicare opens up access to free at-home covid-19 tests
WASHINGTON — The Biden administration, seeking to fill a frustrating gap in coverage for covid-19 tests, Thursday announced that people with Medicare will be able to get free over-the-counter tests much more easily in the coming weeks. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services said Medicare will cover up to...
Allegheny health director: ‘Measured cause for optimism’ despite pandemic’s deadly January toll
Allegheny County saw 236 covid-19-related deaths in January, the third deadliest month since the pandemic began and the deadliest since vaccines became widely available, county health officials said. Ninety were among those ages 80 and older, 18 were in their 50s and 13 were under the age of 50, the...
Pa. health officials visit Youngwood pharmacy to boost covid vaccine efforts
The 25,000 covid-19 vaccines delivered over the past year by a Westmoreland County community pharmacy were lauded Wednesday by acting Pennsylvania Health Secretary Keara Klinepeter. However, there is still work to be done in a county that ranks 27th in Pennsylvania in percentage of residents fully vaccinated, according to state...
Army to immediately start discharging vaccine refusers
WASHINGTON — The Army said Wednesday it will immediately begin discharging soldiers who have refused to get the mandatory covid-19 vaccine, putting more than 3,300 service members at risk of being thrown out soon. The Army’s announcement makes it the final military service to lay out its discharge policy for...
Virus enters Tonga along with disaster aid; lockdown planned
WELLINGTON, New Zealand — Tonga will enter a lockdown Wednesday evening after finding coronavirus infections in two port workers helping distribute aid arriving in the Pacific nation after a volcanic eruption and tsunami. The urgent announcement by Prime Minister Siaosi Sovaleni appeared to confirm fears that accepting the aid following...
Pfizer asks FDA to allow covid-19 vaccine for kids under 5
WASHINGTON — Pfizer on Tuesday asked the U.S. to authorize extra-low doses of its covid-19 vaccine for children under 5, potentially opening the way for the very youngest Americans to start receiving shots as early as March. In an extraordinary move, the Food and Drug Administration had urged Pfizer and...


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