National News - Page 84

Pfizer submits data to FDA showing a booster dose works well against original coronavirus and variants

By Madeline Holcombe and Jen Christensen Pfizer and BioNTech said Monday they have submitted initial data to the US Food and Drug Administration to support the use of a booster dose of Covid-19 vaccine. The booster dose elicited a significantly higher antibody response against the initial strain of coronavirus and the Delta and Beta variants, compared to what was seen among people who got two doses. The booster dose seemed to be equally protective against the Delta and Beta variants as against the original coronavirus. “Given the high levels of immune responses observed, a booster dose given within 6 to

Multiracial population grew in almost every county in the US. It doesn’t mean racism is over

By Nicole Chavez Bárbara Abadía-Rexach spent months appearing in webinars and radio shows talking to Puerto Ricans about why they should identify as Black or more than one race on the 2020 Census. “If you are constantly being described as non-White, why would you still choose White?” said Abadía-Rexach, a Black Latina and member of Colectivo Ilé, an anti-racism group of educators and organizers in Puerto Rico. The figures released by the Census Bureau Thursday show that the multiracial population in almost every county in the United States grew between 2010 and 2020. In Puerto Rico, half of the people

A third dose of Covid-19 vaccine is now authorized for some. Here’s what you need to know about boosters for all

By Jacqueline Howard Vaccine makers are preparing for a next possible phase of the Covid-19 vaccine rollout: booster doses. The US Food and Drug Administration on Thursday authorized third doses of both the Pfizer/BioNTech or Moderna coronavirus vaccines for certain immunocompromised people: solid organ transplant recipients or “those who are diagnosed with conditions that are considered to have an equivalent level of immunocompromise.” The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has signed off on the authorization and now recommends an additional dose of vaccine for these certain people. But these doses will be considered part of the initial vaccination

Texas Supreme Court sides with governor and temporarily blocks mask mandates

By Rosa Flores, Keith Allen and Alaa Elassar The Texas Supreme Court sided with Gov. Greg Abbott Sunday in a ruling that temporarily blocks local mask mandates recently issued in San Antonio and Dallas, however officials said they will continue to enforce at least a portion of the mask mandates, despite the court ruling. The Texas Supreme Court granted stay orders Sunday, but previously scheduled hearings on local mask mandates in lower courts in Bexar and Dallas counties will proceed as scheduled. Abbott issued an executive order last month that barred governmental entities, including school districts, from requiring mask wearing.

New Orleans will require proof of vaccination or a negative Covid-19 test to enter certain indoor venues

By Aya Elamroussi and Rebekah Riess People in New Orleans will be required to show either proof of vaccination or a recent negative Covid-19 test to enter certain indoor places starting Monday, according to the city. The new rule will apply to those who want to visit bars, restaurants, breweries, gyms, fitness centers, sports complexes and stadiums, New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell said Thursday, as officials work to stem the latest rise in Covid-19 infections. At least 2,901 people in Louisiana are hospitalized with Covid-19, health officials said on Thursday, which is the state’s highest number of Covid-19 hospitalizations since

Surgeon general worries about complacency on Covid-19 as cases surge and vaccinations lag

By Madeline Holcombe With the outlook of the Covid-19 pandemic growing worse as hospitalizations and cases surge among the unvaccinated, the surgeon general said many of those who have followed precautions may soon grow complacent due to fatigue. “I do think that many of those who did make that right decision to get vaccinated, are thinking, ‘Gosh, I did the right thing but here we are, still in the middle of this pandemic 18 months later,'” Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy told CNN’s Brian Stelter Sunday. “We get through this pandemic when a critical majority of us get vaccinated, and

US veterans are disappointed with how the war in Afghanistan is ending — and fearful for their Afghan allies

By Dakin Andone As the United States withdraws from Afghanistan, the world has watched as the Taliban has swiftly taken back control of the country, entering Kabul on Sunday as former Afghan President Ashraf Ghani fled the country and the United States evacuated its embassy. Now, many US veterans are expressing frustration and disappointment with how quickly the Taliban has taken hold after nearly 20 years of war. “I’m now sitting here 20 years removed almost from the very event that propelled me into the military, which was the attacks of September 11,” said Matt Zeller, an Afghanistan veteran and

New study reveals deep divide in how Americans view the nation’s progress toward racial equality

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By Nicquel Terry Ellis The United States is deeply divided in how Americans view the nation’s progress toward racial equality and much of the division is reflected in the differing beliefs of people of color and White people, according to a new study released Thursday by the Pew Research Center. The study surveyed more than 10,000 adults in July on several questions related to the public’s attention to slavery and racism, whether more needs to be done to achieve equal rights in the country and if White people benefit from privilege over Black people. Pew found that 75% of Black

First major US city announces it will mandate proof of full vaccinations for certain indoor activities

By Amir Vera and Cheri Mossburg San Francisco became the the first major US city to mandate proof of full vaccinations for certain indoor activities Thursday. City residents age 12 and older will now be required to show proof they have been fully vaccinated against Covid-19 in order to enter indoor restaurants, bars, gyms and theaters, as well as large event spaces with at least 1,000 people, according to an announcement from Mayor London Breed. The new mandate is scheduled to go into effect August 20. “We know that for our city to bounce back from the pandemic and thrive,

Census release shows America is more diverse and more multiracial than ever

By Janie Boschma, Daniel Wolfe, Priya Krishnakumar, Christopher Hickey, Meghna Maharishi, Renée Rigdon, John Keefe and David Wright The United States is more diverse and more multiracial than ever before, according to new 2020 Census data released on Thursday. “Our analysis of the 2020 Census results show that the US population is much more multiracial, and more racially and ethnically diverse than what we measured in the past,” said Nicholas Jones, the director and senior advisor of race and ethnic research and outreach in the US Census Bureau’s population division. People of color represented 43% of the total US population

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