Covid-19

The Latest: Ariz. gov. rejects call for online learning

PHOENIX — Arizona’s Gov. Doug Ducey has rejected the state’s top education official’s call for Ducey to order public schools to use only online instruction for the next two weeks unless they have waivers from health officials. Amid a coronavirus surge in the state, Superintendent of Public Instruction Kathy Hoffman said Saturday that schools need […]

A changing workforce during Covid: the top trends of 2021

Covid-19 was the major theme throughout 2020. It tested the fortitude of governments, companies, economies, and individuals alike in the face against a radical disruption that heavily touched the way we live our lives on every level. As with any sudden shift in global lifestyle, there have been those who have painfully adapted, while others […]

The Latest: Spain receives 1st batch of coronavirus vaccine

MADRID — Spanish authorities say the first batch of the coronavirus vaccine to reach the country has arrived. The government said Saturday morning that a truck transporting the vaccine produced by Pfizer arrived at a company warehouse in the central city of Guadalajara after making the trip from Belgium. It is the first part of […]

US close on deal with Pfizer for millions more vaccine doses

The U.S. government is close to a deal to acquire tens of millions of additional doses of Pfizer’s vaccine in exchange for helping the pharmaceutical giant gain better access to manufacturing supplies. A person with knowledge of the negotiations told The Associated Press on Tuesday that the deal is under discussion and could be finalized […]

Over-the-counter home test for COVID-19 gets US green light

The first home test for COVID-19 that doesn’t require a prescription will soon be on U.S. store shelves. U.S. regulators Tuesday authorized the rapid coronavirus test, which can be done entirely at home. The announcement by the Food and Drug Administration represents another important — though incremental — step in efforts to expand testing options. […]

Latin America’s e-commerce industry booms during pandemic

The worldwide retail industry experienced soaring highs and profound lows during 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic forced people all over the world to remain homebound for the greater part of the year, forcing retailers and brick-and-mortar stores to close their shops, slashing companies’ bottom lines. However, the silver lining of this global phenomenon was the highs […]

Retailers urge shoppers to buy early amid shipping crunch

A number of retailers, including J.C. Penney, Lowe’s and Kohl’s, are telling shoppers they need to place their online orders soon or else pay expedited shipping fees if they want to get their packages delivered in time for the holidays. The earlier-than-usual deadlines come as more people turn to online shopping during the pandemic, creating […]

US experts convene to decide whether to OK Pfizer vaccine

A U.S. government advisory panel convened on Thursday to decide whether to endorse mass use of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine to help conquer the outbreak that has killed close to 300,000 Americans. The meeting of outside advisers to the Food and Drug Administration represented the next-to-last hurdle before the expected start of the biggest vaccination campaign […]

As hospitals cope with a COVID-19 surge, cyber threats loom

By late morning on Oct. 28, staff at the University of Vermont Medical Center noticed the hospital’s phone system wasn’t working. Then the internet went down, and the Burlington-based center’s technical infrastructure with it. Employees lost access to databases, digital health records, scheduling systems and other online tools they rely on for patient care. Administrators […]

Facebook to remove COVID-19 vaccine-related misinformation

Facebook said Thursday it will start removing false claims about COVID-19 vaccines, in its latest move to counter a tide of coronavirus-related online misinformation. In the coming weeks, the social network will begin taking down any Facebook or Instagram posts with false information about the vaccines that have been debunked by public health experts. The […]