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COVID vaccines saved 20 million lives in 1st year, scientists say

Nearly 20 million lives were saved by COVID-19 vaccines during their first year, but even more deaths could have been prevented if international targets for the shots had been reached, researchers reported Thursday. On Dec. 8, 2020, a retired shop clerk in England received the first shot in what would become a global vaccination campaign. Over the next 12 months, more than 4.3 billion people around the world lined up for the vaccines. The effort, though marred by persisting inequities, prevented deaths on an unimaginable scale, said Oliver Watson of Imperial College London, who led the ...

Test-to-treat COVID-19 options expanded

Two more Minnesota COVID-19 testing sites will soon offer test-to-treat options at MSP Airport, beginning June 23, and St. Paul-Midway, beginning June 27. At community test-to-treat sites, Minnesotans can get tested for COVID-19 and, if positive and determined to be high-risk, receive a prescription for medication at the same time. The additional test-to-treat sites come as the state resizes its overall community testing network in light of falling demand and wide testing availability across the state. Minnesota will offer test-to-treat at two existing community testing sites: MSP ...

No COVID-19 ‘hero pay’ upsets Minnesota child care providers

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Child care providers across Minnesota are upset that they're not eligible for the state's COVID-19 "hero pay" program. Gov. Tim Walz signed the program into law in April. It enables people who were employed for at least 120 hours in at least one front-line sector job outside their homes between March 15, 2020, and June 30, 2021 to apply for state-funded bonuses. State officials have estimated about 667,000 workers will receive about $750 each. But the St. Paul Pioneer Press reported Sunday that about 6,450 child care providers who operate out of their homes ...

Shots for tots: COVID vaccinations start for little US kids

Little Fletcher Pack woke up Monday morning and asked: "Is today vaccine day?" For the 3-year-old from Lexington, South Carolina, the answer was yes. The nation's infants, toddlers and preschoolers are finally getting their chance at COVID-19 vaccination as the U.S. rolls out shots for tots this week. Shipments arrived in some locations over the weekend and some spots, including a Walgreens in South Carolina and another in New York City, opened up appointments for Monday. Fletcher's mother said that once her son is fully vaccinated, he can finally go bowling and visit the nearby ...

Illinois reports COVID-19 outbreak at Manteno veterans home

MANTENO, Ill. (AP) — A COVID-19 outbreak at a state-run veterans home in northeastern Illinois has spread to 22 residents and staff members, a state agency said. The Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs said Wednesday that 16 residents and six staff members have tested positive for COVID-19 at the Illinois Veterans' Home at Manteno, about 50 miles (80.5 kilometers) south of Chicago, and the majority of the residents have shown no symptoms. However, a "small number" of residents are showing mild symptoms, the department said. One resident who had already been under hospice care ...

FDA authorizes 1st COVID-19 shots for infants, preschoolers

U.S. regulators on Friday authorized the first COVID-19 shots for infants and preschoolers, paving the way for vaccinations to begin next week. The Food and Drug Administration's action follows its advisory panel's unanimous recommendation for the shots from Moderna and Pfizer. That means U.S. kids under 5 — roughly 18 million youngsters — are eligible for the shots. The nation's vaccination campaign began about 1 1/2 years ago with older adults, the hardest hit during the coronavirus pandemic. There's one step left: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends how ...