Pregnant women express regret about not getting COVID-19 vaccine

Two women from Georgia and Alabama who contracted COVID-19 during their pregnancies are urging other pregnant women to get vaccinated.

FDA OKs mixing COVID-19 vaccines, approves Moderna, J&J boosters

U.S. regulators are extending COVID-19 boosters to Americans who got the Moderna or Johnson & Johnson vaccine. They also said Wednesday anyone eligible for an extra dose can get a brand different from the one they received initially.

Putin orders Russians stay off work for a week amid rising COVID-19 infections, deaths

President Vladimir Putin has ordered many of Russia's workers to stay off work for a week starting later this month amid rising coronavirus infection and death numbers.

Gates Foundation to spend $120M on access to Merck’s antiviral COVID-19 pill

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation says it will spend $120 million to boost access to generic versions of drugmaker Merck’s antiviral COVID-19 pill for lower income countries, if the drug gets approved by regulators.

COVID-19 cases soar in Czech Republic; new restrictions imposed

The Czech Republic has been hit by a steep rise in coronavirus infections that have reached levels unseen since late April. In response, the government will require everyone to wear face coverings at workplaces.

CDC to continue recommending masks in all schools, Walensky says

Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the CDC, said officials will “continue to recommend masks in all schools for all people in those schools.” The reason: time.

AY4.2 variant: CDC says new delta sublineage of COVID-19 seen in US

Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the CDC, said Wednesday the AY4.2 sublineage recently identified in the United Kingdom has also been observed in the United States.

OSHA warns Arizona, South Carolina and Utah over COVID-19 violations

OSHA says Arizona, South Carolina and Utah are not complying with promises to enforce COVID-19 labor standards that are at least as good as those adopted by the federal government.

All New York City employees will be required to get COVID vaccine

All city workers, excluding uniformed correction officers, will be required to have at least one dose by 5 p.m. on Oct. 29.

CDC: Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine 93% effective at preventing hospitalization in ages 12-18

Between June 1 and Sept. 30 of this year, the CDC performed a case-controlled study of Pfizer’s vaccine in adolescents at 19 pediatric hospitals in 16 states, according to the study published on Tuesday.

DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas tests positive for COVID-19

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas tested positive for COVID-19 Tuesday morning despite being fully vaccinated, according to a statement from DHS spokesperson Marsha Espinosa.

COVID-19 boosters: US expected to authorize mix-and-match shots

The FDA is expected to authorize the mixing and matching of COVID-19 booster shots this week in an effort to provide flexibility, the AP reports.

Older adults are more susceptible to severe breakthrough COVID-19, studies show

Health officials say older adults are more at risk for severe COVID-19 breakthrough cases due to underlying medical conditions and less robust immune systems.

CDC: Unvaccinated 11 times more likely to die of COVID-19

The latest data from the CDC shows COVID-19 vaccines remained highly effective against hospitalization and death even as the extra-contagious delta variant swept the country.

Arkansas restaurant pays student employees to do homework during shift

A restaurant group in Arkansas is allowing student employees to do homework for an hour while on the clock, an initiative that is raising grades and also recruiting more employees amid the country’s labor shortage.

Chicago police may deny benefits to officers who choose retirement over vaccine mandate

NO RETIREMENT BENEFITS? Chicago's top cop David Brown is threatening to deny retirement benefits to those who choose to retire from the job rather than comply with the city's COVID-19 vaccination policy, according to local reports.