US COVID-19 death toll tops 800K amid increasing delta, omicron spread

The milestone is a sad ending to a year that held much promise with the arrival of vaccines, and comes as officials around the world are monitoring the spread of the new omicron variant.

Canines in California trained to sniff out COVID from old socks

Dogs in Concord, Calif. are being trained to sniff COVID from old socks. The goal is to eventually use these COVID-sniffing canines in schools.

Omicron variant is milder but better at evading vaccines, South African data indicates

The omicron variant appears to cause less severe disease than previous strains, South African data suggests. But the Pfizer vaccine seems to offer less defense against infection.

Pfizer: COVID-19 pill remains effective against severe disease, omicron variant

Pfizer said its experimental COVID-19 pill Paxlovid reduced hospitalizations and deaths by 89% among high-risk adults when taken shortly after initial symptoms.

DC Health confirms first four cases of Omicron COVID-19 variant in the District

DC Health confirmed four unrelated cases of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 in the District on Sunday as concerns about the variant are intensifying.

Montgomery County gives update on when mask mandate could be lifted

Residents in Montgomery County are asking when the mask mandate will end after a series of images circulated on social media depicting county councilmembers indoors without masks.

Air Force discharges 27 for refusing COVID-19 vaccine

The Air Force has discharged 27 people for refusing to get the COVID-19 vaccine, making them what officials believe are the first service members to be removed for disobeying the mandate to get the shots.

Smelling cat urine, chronic pain, and extreme fatigue: my experience with long-haul Covid

It's been more than seven months since Maurielle Lue was released from the hospital after recovering from COVID-19, but her long-haul symptoms have persisted well past the original illness. This is her story.

Fauci: Americans may 'just have to deal with' more COVID boosters

Dr. Anthony Fauci made the statement on Sunday morning and said that the level of protection that the current coronavirus booster shots give to individuals will have to be monitored closely over the next several months.

Pennsylvania Supreme Court throws out mask mandate for schools

Pennsylvania schoolchildren may soon be attending classes unmasked under a state Supreme Court ruling Friday that threw out the Wolf administration's statewide mandate that face coverings be worn inside K-12 school buildings.

U.S. Surgeon General issues advisory to address nation's youth mental health crisis

U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murphy has issued a new advisory highlighting what he called the urgent need to address the nation’s youth mental health crisis.

Scientists seek COVID-19 origin nearly 2 years into pandemic

Nearly two years into the COVID-19 pandemic, the origin of the virus tormenting the world remains shrouded in mystery.

Google, Ford, other companies delay return-to-work plans amid omicron cases

Google and Ford are among those once again delaying their return-to-office plans, while other businesses whose workers are already back to the office are considering adding extra precautions like masks and COVID-19 testing.

Virginia health officials confirm first case of Omicron variant in the state

The Virginia Department of Health has announced the first confirmed case of the COVID-19 Omicron variant in a sample from an adult resident of the northwest region of the state.

New Zealand plans to implement lifetime ban on cigarettes for youth

New Zealand plans to end tobacco smoking by implementing a lifetime ban for those aged 14 or younger. The minimum age to buy cigarettes would keep rising year after year.

COVID-19 vaccines for kids: What if your child gets the wrong dose?

As efforts continue to vaccinate the nation’s younger population, some parents have reported their kids getting the wrong dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. While parents should remain diligent, health experts say it’s no cause for concern.

Senate rejects Biden administration's COVID-19 vaccine mandate for businesses

The Senate has narrowly approved a resolution to nullify the Biden administration’s requirement that businesses with 100 or more workers have their employees be vaccinated against the coronavirus or submit to weekly testing.