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5 takeaways from Dr. Anthony Fauci’s coronavirus talk in Chicago
CHICAGO — As the U.S. continues to ramp up vaccinations, Dr. Anthony Fauci discussed what the future holds for people who are vaccinated, whether COVID-19 worries will ever completely fade and how divisiveness hurt efforts to fight the pandemic, at a virtual event in Chicago on Thursday. Fauci spoke as he accepted an award from the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy that is given annually to an exceptional leader who has championed analytically rigorous, evidence-based approaches to policy. Here are five takeaways from the remarks by Fauci, who is the government’s top infecti...
Chicago Tribune
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San Diego Zoo vaccinates apes against COVID-19
Nine great apes at the San Diego Zoo are the first non-human primates to receive an experimental COVID-19 vaccine, zoo officials said Thursday. Four orangutans and five bonobos have been vaccinated so far, with the zoo planning to immunize another three bonobos and a gorilla soon. These species, along with chimpanzees, are the closest cousins to humans, placing them at risk of contracting a virus that has spread rapidly from person to person. Case in point: In mid-January, the zoo's Safari Park reported that its troop of eight gorillas developed COVID-19 after exposure to a keeper who had the ...
The San Diego Union-Tribune
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Vaccine hesitancy is decreasing, polls show, but many Republicans remain wary
Reluctance to get vaccinated against COVID-19 has been falling sharply among Americans — except for Republicans — but distrust of the medical system remains an obstacle, especially for Black adults, polls during the pandemic show. Depending on how those survey results are interpreted, the trend bodes well for building herd immunity — or it means too many people are still on the fence about vaccination and need persuading. “Information they receive in the next few months could determine their decisions,” Harvard University public health researchers conclude in an analysis of 39 national polls c...
The Philadelphia Inquirer
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World Health Organization advises against using hydroxychloroquine as COVID-19 treatment
A World Health Organization panel has officially advised against the use of hydroxychloroquine, an anti-inflammatory drug previously touted by the Trump administration, for patients infected with COVID-19. The international health agency revealed that a group of experts recently concluded with “high certainty” that the drug, typically used to treat malaria, ”had no meaningful effect” on deaths or admissions to hospitals, and “moderate certainty” that it actually increases the risk of adverse effects. The WHO’s findings were published Monday in the medical journal BMJ and were based on clinical...
New York Daily News
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Mary Schmich: A lesson from the last ‘normal’ pre-pandemic weekend: We’re not as smart as we think we are
What was your life like at this time last year? You may not remember the details, but if you think back to the end of February 2020, or the first few days of March, you may remember that you still resided in the vanished land we now call normal. Most Americans did. One thing I remember is that on Friday, Feb. 28, I wrote my first coronavirus column, a piece on how we needed to stop touching our faces if we wanted to avoid this new disease that didn’t yet have a formal name or explanation. “No face touching!” was guidance from the experts, and it seemed worth sharing. But fewer than half a doze...
Chicago Tribune
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Delta Air Lines plans to have all pilots back on duty by fall
Delta Air Lines plans to have all of its pilots back at work this fall, as it looks toward a recovery in travel from steep drops in demand due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Delta last year put about 1,700 junior pilots on inactive status, and now plans to start bringing the first pilots back in March, according to the Air Line Pilots Association union. The Atlanta-based airline previously said it would bring 400 pilots back to work by summer. Delta has roughly 12,000 pilots. It had about 14,000 pilots before more than 1,800 took early retirement packages last year. Jason Ambrosi, the Delta pilots ...
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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News briefs
FDA approves at-home COVID-19 testAn at-home test for coronavirus won emergency use approval Monday from the federal Food and Drug Administration. The Quidel QuickVue test got the green light as the government seeks to make it easier for Americans to determine if they have been infected with the deadly virus. “The FDA continues to prioritize the availability of more at-home testing options in response to the pandemic,” said Dr. Jeff Shuren, an FDA official. The nasal swab test can be self-administered by anyone over 14 years old or performed by a parent on anyone over 8 years old. It’s designe...
Tribune News Service
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Jose Abreu arrives at White Sox camp after being delayed because of a positive COVID-19 test
GLENDALE, ARIZ. — Jose Abreu received balloons as part of his arrival to Chicago White Sox camp. The 2020 American League MVP quickly got to work, legging out a double as part of one of the team’s morning drills. His day also included two singles in an intrasquad scrimmage hitting against coaches. Abreu was back right where he wanted to be Saturday — on a field with his teammates. The first baseman’s spring training had been delayed because of a positive COVID-19 test. “It was a very difficult process,” Abreu said Saturday through an interpreter. “It was difficult for me but at the same time, ...
Chicago Tribune
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Jeremy Lin says he won’t reveal person who called him ‘coronavirus’ on the court
Jeremy Lin said he will not reveal the person who allegedly called him “coronavirus" on the court even after his accusation set off an investigation by the G League. “I know this will disappoint some of you but I am not naming or shaming anyone,” Lin wrote on Twitter Saturday morning. “What good does it do for someone in this situation to be torn down?” The former Knicks sensation, 32, who is trying to resurrect his career in the G league bubble with the Golden State Warriors, revealed the “coronavirus” incident in a Facebook post Thursday that detailed the fight against prejudice encountered ...
New York Daily News
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Illinois Tollway will permanently end cash toll collections nearly a year after switching to all-electronic payments
The Illinois Tollway said Thursday it is permanently eliminating cash toll collections almost a year after it took away the option because of the coronavirus pandemic. Since mid-March, the Tollway has suspended all cash toll payments to prevent the spread of the virus. In June, the agency began allowing drivers who don’t use I-Pass or E-ZPass to enter their license plate number at illinoistollway.com and pay online. Customers unable to pay online can pay by check or money order. More than 92% of toll transactions in 2019 took place using I-Pass and E-ZPass, and that number has increased during...
Chicago Tribune
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