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Pope Francis, first Latin American pontiff, dies at 88
All schools in Ontario to shut and go to online learning 
TORONTO — All schools in Canada’s most populous province will be shut down and move to online learning because of a record number of coronavirus infections fueled by more-contagious virus variants, Ontario’s premier announced Monday. Premier Doug Ford said his government is moving to online-only after the April break this...
Feds won’t play ‘whack-a-mole’ by sending more vaccines to Michigan 
DETROIT — The federal government will not change its covid-19 vaccine distribution strategy, “playing whack-a-mole,” by sending more doses to Michigan, said Andy Slavitt, White House senior adviser for covid-19 response, during a Monday morning news briefing. Michigan is in the midst of another massive spike in coronavirus cases, with...
One shot of vaccine may be enough for covid-19 survivors, studies suggest
For people who have bared their arms for a two-dose covid-19 vaccine, the message from public health officials has been clear: Get the second shot if you want full protection. But an emerging body of evidence suggests that there may be an exception to that rule. If you’ve already battled...
Tweaked covid vaccines being tested with aim to fend off variants
Dozens of Americans are rolling up their sleeves for a third dose of covid-19 vaccine — this time, shots tweaked to guard against a worrisome mutated version of the virus. Make no mistake: The vaccines currently being rolled out across the U.S. offer strong protection. But new studies of experimental...
New covid cases still high in Pennsylvania, but data show signs of surge easing
While Pennsylvania continues to see new covid cases at higher numbers than last month, there are signs that the surge is easing a bit. In the state Department of Health’s latest two-day report of new cases released Monday, the state added 6,450 new cases — 3% fewer new cases than...
All adults in Pa. will be eligible for covid vaccine Tuesday, 1 week early
Covid-19 vaccine appointments will be available to all Pennsylvanians beginning Tuesday, nearly a week ahead of schedule, Gov. Tom Wolf said Monday. “We need to maintain acceleration of the vaccine rollout, especially as case counts and hospitalization rates have increased,” Wolf said in a statement. “Therefore, just as President Biden...
Tokyo adopts tougher virus rules, starts vaccinating elders
TOKYO — Tokyo adopted tougher measures against the coronavirus Monday as Japanese authorities struggle to curb the spread of a more contagious variant ahead of the Olympics in a country where less than 1% of people have been vaccinated. Japan started its vaccination drive with medical workers and expanded that...
Brazil’s covid outlook darkens amid vaccine supply snags
RIO DE JANEIRO — April is shaping up to be Brazil’s darkest month yet in the pandemic, with hospitals struggling with a crush of patients, deaths on track for record highs and few signs of a reprieve from a troubled vaccination program in Latin America’s largest nation. The Health Ministry...
Top official admits Chinese vaccines have low effectiveness
BEIJING — In a rare admission of the weakness of Chinese coronavirus vaccines, the country’s top disease control official says their effectiveness is low and the government is considering mixing them to get a boost. Chinese vaccines “don’t have very high protection rates,” said the director of the China Centers...
Pennsylvania’s covid hospitalizations continue upward trend
Pennsylvania on Saturday reported 4,882 additional cases of covid-19. That makes for a seven day average of 4,318. The state’s seven-day case average has now been above 4,000 for 12 consecutive days. Prior to that, the average remained below 4,000 since Feb. 4, according to data from the Pennsylvania Department...
Pa. lawmaker wants to compel Wolf administration to release details of wasted covid vaccine doses
Spotlight PA is an independent, non-partisan newsroom powered by The Philadelphia Inquirer in partnership with PennLive/The Patriot-News, TribLIVE/Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, and WITF Public Media. Sign up for our free newsletters. HARRISBURG — A state lawmaker wants to compel the Wolf administration to make public details on wasted covid-19 vaccine doses, information...
UPMC: Covid vaccine may not be as effective for immune-compromised
UPMC experts on Friday shared new data related to the effectiveness of the covid-19 vaccines on patients with compromised immune systems – suggesting that, for some people, the vaccines are less effective at preventing infection. Researchers searched for antibodies via blood tests of 70 volunteer residents of UPMC Senior Communities,...
Michigan Gov. Whitmer urges halting in-person school, youth sports
LANSING, Mich. — Faced with the country’s highest rate of new coronavirus infections, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Friday urged a two-week suspension of in-person high school classes, all youth sports and indoor restaurant dining. She stopped short of ordering restrictions, instead asking for voluntary compliance to slow the spread...
New Pitt documentary ‘Chasing Covid’ premieres Monday
The University of Pittsburgh is celebrating the 66th anniversary of Jonas Salk’s polio vaccine being declared “safe and effective” with a new documentary about the covid-19 pandemic. It was April 12, 1955, that Salk’s breakthrough was confirmed. To mark the date on Monday, Pitt is holding the world premiere screening...
Bicycle industry still booming a year into the pandemic
Bicycles continue to spin out of stores in record numbers. Last March, people began purchasing bicycles at the beginning of the pandemic. A year later, the industry continues to see an increase in sales — to the point where manufacturers are struggling to supply product, experts said. “We used to...
As Pa. covid cases rise, hospitalizations drop for 1st time in nearly 3 weeks
With the latest numbers released Friday by the Pennsylvania Department of Health, coronavirus cases are continuing to increase across the state. However, state hospitalizations for covid declined for the first time in nearly three weeks. That, combined with the fact that more than 20% of the state population has been...
North Carolina sites halt Johnson & Johnson shots after adverse reactions
RALEIGH — North Carolina health officials said on Thursday that they stopped administering Johnson & Johnson doses at a mass vaccination site in Raleigh and at clinics in Hillsborough and Chapel Hill after at least 26 people experienced adverse reactions, including fainting. Four people were taken to hospitals for further...
Pennsylvania sees rise in covid cases, hospitalizations
Coronavirus cases in Pennsylvania continue to rise overall, while cases in Allegheny and Westmoreland counties remain cautiously steady according to the latest data available from the state. Hospitalizations also continue to be a concern as the numbers rise. The Pennsylvania Department of Health on Thursday reported 4,746 additional cases; the...
Australia halts AstraZeneca vaccine for most people under 50
CANBERRA, Australia — Australia on Thursday become the latest country to restrict use of the AstraZeneca vaccine by recommending that it not be given to people under age 50. The announcement came after Australian drug regulators held a series of urgent meetings earlier in the day. The recommendation came after...
Allegheny County is in the ‘fourth wave’ of covid cases, officials say 
Allegheny County is “well into our fourth wave of cases here,” Dr. Debra Bogen, health director, said Wednesday. Daily covid-19 case counts have set records for 2021 in the past several days, she said, with 418 new cases reported Wednesday. The test positivity rate is also nearly 9%, and hospitalizations...
U.K. advises limiting AstraZeneca in under-30s amid clot worry 
LONDON — British authorities recommended Wednesday that the AstraZeneca covid-19 vaccine not be given to adults under 30 where possible because of strengthening evidence that the shot may be linked to rare blood clots. The recommendation came as regulators in the United Kingdom and the European Union emphasized that the...
Brazil’s Bolsonaro ignores calls for lockdown to slow covid deaths 
RIO DE JANEIRO — Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro said on Wednesday there would be “no national lockdown,” ignoring growing calls from health experts a day after the nation saw its highest number of covid-19 deaths in 24 hours since the pandemic began. Brazil’s Health Ministry registered 4,195 deaths on Tuesday,...
Wolf in McKeesport: Every resident wanting vaccine should receive dose by May
Gov. Tom Wolf on Wednesday said he believes every Pennsylvanian who wants to receive the covid-19 vaccine will be able to get at least one dose by the middle of May. “We’re figuring that sometime toward the second week in May we should reach the point where we have reached...
AHN, UPMC to vaccinate 25,000 people at drive-thru clinics
About 25,000 people will receive a covid-19 vaccine at multiple drive-thru clinics throughout Western Pennsylvania in the coming week. Allegheny Health Network and UPMC, the region’s two largest health systems, announced partnerships Wednesday with the Allegheny County Health Department to provide Johnson & Johnson shots to the public. AHN and...
CDC says British covid variant is now the most common strain in U.S.
WASHINGTON — A variant of the coronavirus first identified in Britain is now the most common strain circulating in the United States. The director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, says the strain, formally known as B.1.1.7, is “now the most common lineage circulating in...


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