Light Rain Fog/Mist 47°
Tag:

COVID-19 Vaccine

News
COVID-19: Hochul Urges 'Appropriate Precautions' After New Variant With 30 Mutations Identified COVID-19: Hochul Urges 'Appropriate Precautions' After New Variant With 30 Mutations Identified
Covid-19: Hochul Urges 'Appropriate Precautions' After New Variant With 30 Mutations Identified State health officials say while a newly identified COVID-19 strain that may cause breakthrough infections has not yet been detected in New York, residents should take steps to protect themselves. The BA.2.86 strain, now known as Pirola, has been identified in three states: Michigan, Virginia, and Ohio, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). So far, the BA.2.86 variant has not been detected in New York, where officials have relied on a dual surveillance strategy using wastewater testing and laboratory clinical analysis, Gov. Kathy Hochul’s office said. Officials…

SHARE

by Michael Mashburn
Politics
President Kennedy? Former NY Resident RFK Jr. Announces 2024 Bid For White House President Kennedy? Former NY Resident RFK Jr. Announces 2024 Bid For White House
President Kennedy? Former NY Resident RFK Jr. Announces 2024 Bid For White House There's now a possibility of another Kennedy back in the White House if the political winds blow in the right direction. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. - son of the late US Attorney General and New York Sen. Robert F. Kennedy and nephew of President John F. Kennedy - filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) to run for president in the 2024 election, he announced Friday, April 7. The 69-year-old will run as a Democrat, according to his FEC filing. He said that he will officially kick off his campaign in Boston on Wednesday, April 19. “I am grateful for the outpouring of support…

SHARE

by Michael Mashburn
News
COVID-19: Updated Vaccine Boosts Protection Against Omicron, Moderna Says COVID-19: Updated Vaccine Boosts Protection Against Omicron, Moderna Says
Covid-19: Updated Vaccine Boosts Protection Against Omicron, Moderna Says Biotechnology company Moderna announced its goal to release an updated booster vaccine this summer after data analysis showed the booster's superior protection against the Omicron variant compared to its original vaccine.  The company said in an announcement on Wednesday, June 8, that data analysis shows that its Omicron-containing bivalent COVID vaccine shows superior neutralizing antibody response against Omicron one month after administration compared to its original vaccine. Moderna said the side effects of the new booster dose are comparable to a booster dose of its original …

SHARE

by Nicole Valinote
News
COVID-19: Long Island Infection Rate Nears 9 Percent As Cases Climb; New Breakdown By Community COVID-19: Long Island Infection Rate Nears 9 Percent As Cases Climb; New Breakdown By Community
Covid-19: Long Island Infection Rate Nears 9 Percent As Cases Climb; New Breakdown By Community The positive COVID-19 infection rate on Long Island continues to surge as it approaches 9 percent as the virus continues to rapidly spread through the region. In Nassau and Suffolk counties, the seven-day average percent of positive tests rose to 8.94 percent on Thursday, May 5, according to the most recent update by the state Department of Health, up from 8.37 percent two days earlier on Tuesday, May 3. Statewide, the average infection rate is also on the rise, up to 6.85 percent on May 5 - down slightly from the previous day - but up dramatically after staying below 2 percent for several …

SHARE

by Zak Failla
News
COVID-19: Long Island Sees New Increases In Cases, Infection Rate; New Breakdown By Community COVID-19: Long Island Sees New Increases In Cases, Infection Rate; New Breakdown By Community
Covid-19: Long Island Sees New Increases In Cases, Infection Rate; New Breakdown By Community The positive COVID-19 infection rate on Long Island is approaching a dubious distinction as New York continues contending with the latest spread of the virus. In Nassau and Suffolk counties, the seven-day average percent of positive tests rose to 6.93 percent on Tuesday, April 26, according to the most recent update by the state Department of Health. Statewide, the average infection rate is also on the rise, up to 7.09 percent after staying below 2 percent for several weeks earlier this year. Nineteen new COVID-19-related deaths were reported in New York in the latest update, including one…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
News
Long Island Sees New Increase In Positive-Test Rate; Latest Breakdown By Community Long Island Sees New Increase In Positive-Test Rate; Latest Breakdown By Community
Long Island Sees New Increase In Positive-Test Rate; Latest Breakdown By Community The positive COVID-19 infection rate on Long Island is back on the rise as it approaches 5.50 percent. On Long Island, the average seven-day average positive percentage of those tested in Nassau and Suffolk dipped from 5.72 percent on Friday, April 15 to 5.41 percent the following day, and up to 5.46 percent on Sunday, April 17. Statewide, during that same span, the average positivity rate rose from 4.78 percent to 5.12 percent as the new sub-variants threaten to spread to other parts of New York. Related story - COVID-19: First Spread In US Due To New Sub-Variants Of 'Stealth Omicron' Re…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
News
COVID-19: Long Island Sees New Increases In Cases, Positive-Test Rate; Breakdown By Community COVID-19: Long Island Sees New Increases In Cases, Positive-Test Rate; Breakdown By Community
Covid-19: Long Island Sees New Increases In Cases, Positive-Test Rate; Breakdown By Community The positive COVID-19 infection rate on Long Island continues to rise as New York contends with new sub-variants of the virus that have caused a spike in cases in some parts of the state. On Long Island, the average seven-day average positive percentage of those tested in Nassau and Suffolk has risen from 4.78 percent on Monday, April 11 to 4.95 percent the following day, and up to 5.21 percent on Wednesday, April 13.  Statewide, during that same span, the average positivity rate rose from 4.13 percent to 4.57 percent as the new sub-variants threaten to spread to other parts of New Yor…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
News
COVID-19: Long Island Sees Spike In Cases As Infection Rate Nears 5 Percent COVID-19: Long Island Sees Spike In Cases As Infection Rate Nears 5 Percent
Covid-19: Long Island Sees Spike In Cases As Infection Rate Nears 5 Percent The positive COVID-19 infection rate on Long Island rose a full percentage point over the weekend as New York contends with the latest rise of new cases of the virus. The average seven-day average percentage of positive tests reported on Long Island rose from 3.57 percent on Friday, April 8, to 4.35 percent the following day and up to 4.62 percent on Sunday, April 10. Statewide, the infection rate also continues to rise, from 3.73 percent to 4.17 percent over the same time span. Thirteen new virus-related deaths were reported in New York on Monday, April 11, according to the Department of …

SHARE

by Zak Failla
News
COVID-19: Long Island Sees New Increases In Infection Rate, Cases; Latest Data By Community COVID-19: Long Island Sees New Increases In Infection Rate, Cases; Latest Data By Community
Covid-19: Long Island Sees New Increases In Infection Rate, Cases; Latest Data By Community With Passover and Easter on the horizon, Long Island continues to see a rise in new COVID-19 cases as the region and state both saw the infection rate climb near 3.50 percent after plateauing earlier in 2022. The average seven-day COVID-19 positive infection rate on Long Island rose nearly .20 points, up to 3.49 percent of those tested on Wednesday, April 6, topping the statewide average of 3.39 percent. Ten new virus-related deaths were reported in New York, according to the Department of Health, though the death toll in Nassau remained at 3,824 since the beginning of the pandemic and the …

SHARE

by Zak Failla
News
COVID-19: Long Island Sees Increases In Cases, Infection Rate; Latest Breakdown By Community COVID-19: Long Island Sees Increases In Cases, Infection Rate; Latest Breakdown By Community
Covid-19: Long Island Sees Increases In Cases, Infection Rate; Latest Breakdown By Community Long Island continues to see a rise in new COVID-19 infections as the region and state continue to see the positive infection rate climbing after plateauing following the winter surge of the virus. In the past week, the average seven-day average COVID-19 positive infection rate on Long Island rose from 1.91 percent on Monday, March 21 to 2.54 of those tested on Monday, March 28, according to the latest update from the state Department of Health. The rise marks the seventh-straight day that Long Island has seen its infection rate climbing. Statewide, the positivity rate is also surging, up …

SHARE

by Zak Failla
News
COVID-19: Long Island Sees Increases In Cases, Infection Rate; Here's Latest Data By Community COVID-19: Long Island Sees Increases In Cases, Infection Rate; Here's Latest Data By Community
Covid-19: Long Island Sees Increases In Cases, Infection Rate; Here's Latest Data By Community The positive infection rate on Long Island and in New York are both back above 2 percent as the region contends with a rise in new cases and virus-related fatalities.  In the past week, the average seven-day average COVID-19 positive infection rate on Long Island rose from 1.91 percent on Monday, March 21 to 1.99 percent the following day and up to 2.08 percent of those tested on Wednesday, March 23. Statewide, the positivity rate is also surging, up from 1.78 percent to 2.02 percent during the same time frame. Just five new virus-related deaths were reported in New York, ac…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
News
COVID-19: NY Infection Rate Stays Below 2 Percent Over Two Weeks; Latest Data From Long Island COVID-19: NY Infection Rate Stays Below 2 Percent Over Two Weeks; Latest Data From Long Island
Covid-19: NY Infection Rate Stays Below 2 Percent Over Two Weeks; Latest Data From Long Island New York continues to tout improved COVID-19 numbers as the state has seen its positive infection rate hold steady under 2 percent for more than two straight weeks. After spiking at around 20 percent during the post-holiday surge of new infections, on Friday, March 11, New York’s positivity rate was 1.38 percent, its lowest seven-day average rate since July 20, 2021. In mid-January, the positivity rate in New York hovered around 20 percent for several weeks as the world contended with the Omicron variant of the virus. Seventeen new virus-related deaths were reported in New York in the late…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
News
COVID-19: New 'Deltacron' Variant Identified For First Time COVID-19: New 'Deltacron' Variant Identified For First Time
Covid-19: New 'Deltacron' Variant Identified For First Time A new hybrid COVID-19 strain combining the Delta and Omicron variants of the virus has been confirmed for the first time and is being tracked by the World Health Organization (WHO). Researchers reported that they now have solid evidence regarding the first confirmed case of “Deltacron,” though it is not believed to be considered a cause of concern as the number of vaccines and people with natural immunity continue to rise across the globe. The “Deltacron” variant had previously been suspected in several countries, but scientists in Paris submitted a full genomic sequence on Tuesday, March 8…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
News
COVID-19: Here's When FDA May Roll Out Fourth Vaccine Dose COVID-19: Here's When FDA May Roll Out Fourth Vaccine Dose
Covid-19: Here's When FDA May Roll Out Fourth Vaccine Dose Federal health officials have started discussing when to potentially roll out another COVID-19 booster shot as the world continues combating the pandemic. US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) officials said this week that they have been assessing the latest COVID-19 data, though it is too early to commit to a potential fourth dose of the vaccine for Americans. FDA spokesperson Alison Hunt told CNN that they are “indeed continually looking at the emerging data on the pandemic and variants in the United States and overseas in order to evaluate the potential utility and composition of booster…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
News
COVID-19: Nurses From Nassau, Queens Indicted For Vax Card Fraud Scheme COVID-19: Nurses From Nassau, Queens Indicted For Vax Card Fraud Scheme
Covid-19: Nurses From Nassau, Queens Indicted For Vax Card Fraud Scheme A Long Island nurse and member of the US Marine Corps have been indicted for their roles in an alleged COVID-19 vaccination card fraud scheme, federal authorities announced. An indictment was unsealed on Thursday, Feb. 17 charging Queens resident Jia Liu, age 26, a member of the US Marine Corps Reserve, and Nassau County resident Steven Rodriguez, age 27, of Long Beach, a nurse at a clinic in Hempstead, for their roles in the scheme. US Attorney Breon Peace said that between March 2021 and February 2022, the two allegedly conspired to steal and forge COVID-19 vaccination cards to falsely re…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
News
COVID-19: Johnson & Johnson Pauses Vaccine Production, Reports Say COVID-19: Johnson & Johnson Pauses Vaccine Production, Reports Say
Covid-19: Johnson & Johnson Pauses Vaccine Production, Reports Say The only Johnson & Johnson facility currently making viable batches of the company's one-dose COVID-19 vaccine has temporarily halted its production, according to a new report. According to The New York Times, Johnson & Johnson has stopped production of its current vaccine, potentially to create a more profitable version aimed at other viruses. With production on hold at its Dutch facility in the city of Leiden, hundreds of millions of doses could be taken out of circulation, though it is unclear how vaccine supplies in the US have been affected. Ayoade Alakija, a co-head of the A…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
News
COVID-19: NY Pharmacies To Refund Patients For Vaccine Fees COVID-19: NY Pharmacies To Refund Patients For Vaccine Fees
Covid-19: NY Pharmacies To Refund Patients For Vaccine Fees Reimbursements have been secured for COVID-19 vaccine fees from pharmacies in New York, the Attorney General announced. On Monday, Feb. 7, New York Attorney General Letitia James confirmed that her office has secured refunds for New Yorkers who were wrongfully charged administration fees from Embassy Pharmacy and Fulton Drugs. James said that the two pharmacies charged between $20 and $25 to upwards of 500 customers who received COVID-19 vaccines during the pandemic. According to James, the pharmacies have reimbursed all improperly charged customers and agreed to implement stronger trainin…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
Business
COVID-19: Pfizer Launches Clinical Trial For Vaccine Targeting Omicron Variant COVID-19: Pfizer Launches Clinical Trial For Vaccine Targeting Omicron Variant
Covid-19: Pfizer Launches Clinical Trial For Vaccine Targeting Omicron Variant New York-based Pfizer and its European partner BioNTech have launched a clinical study to evaluate a COVID-19 vaccine that specifically targets the Omicron variant. The study will evaluate the safety and efficacy of an Omicron-based vaccine among healthy adults ages 18 through 55, Pfizer announced on Tuesday, Jan. 25. According to a recent update from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Omicron variant is estimated to have accounted for 99.5 percent of circulating variants of COVID-19 in the United States between Sunday, Jan. 9, and Saturday, Jan. 15. Pfizer said up t…

SHARE

by Nicole Valinote
News
COVID-19: Here's Percentage Of Americans Who Think Pandemic Is Getting Worse, New Poll Says COVID-19: Here's Percentage Of Americans Who Think Pandemic Is Getting Worse, New Poll Says
Covid-19: Here's Percentage Of Americans Who Think Pandemic Is Getting Worse, New Poll Says While some Americans have expressed optimism about the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic being over after the post-holiday surge of infections, the majority still believe that the pandemic is getting worse, according to a new poll. Gallup released new data that found that optimism about the trajectory of the pandemic in the US has fallen precipitously in recent weeks and months, to the highest level in a year. The latest Gallup poll depicting how worried Americans are about the pandemic.Gallup According to the latest poll, which was conducted between Monday, Jan. 3 and Friday, Jan. 14 foun…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
News
COVID-19: Nassau Teacher Reassigned For Allegedly Giving Child Vaccine COVID-19: Nassau Teacher Reassigned For Allegedly Giving Child Vaccine
Covid-19: Nassau Teacher Reassigned For Allegedly Giving Child Vaccine A Long Island woman who is accused of giving a 17-year-old a COVID-19 vaccine without the consent of his parents has been identified as a public school teacher, according to a new report. Laura Parker Russo, age 54, of Sea Cliff, was arrested and charged with New York State Education Law Unauthorized Practice of a Profession, according to the Nassau County Police Department. Earlier report - COVID-19: Nassau County Woman Accused Of Giving Vaccine To Child Without Mother's Permission According to a report from the New York Post, Russo is a science teacher with Herricks Public Scho…

SHARE

by Nicole Valinote
News
COVID-19: Long Island Infection Rate Nears 25 Percent; These Are Most-Affected Communities COVID-19: Long Island Infection Rate Nears 25 Percent; These Are Most-Affected Communities
Covid-19: Long Island Infection Rate Nears 25 Percent; These Are Most-Affected Communities Long Island continues to be the hardest-hit region in New York State by the Omicron COVID-19 variant as nearly one in four people tested in Nassau and Suffolk has tested positive for the virus. The average seven-day positive COVID-19 infection rate on Long Island remains the highest in the state, as it rose from 22.69 percent on Friday, Dec. 31 to 24.94 percent as of Sunday, Jan. 2, according to the latest update from the state Department of Health. Statewide, the infection rate also continues to rise, from 19.79 percent to 21.49 percent during the same time frame. No region in New York ha…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
News
COVID-19: Nassau County Woman Accused Of Giving Vaccine To Child Without Mother's Permission COVID-19: Nassau County Woman Accused Of Giving Vaccine To Child Without Mother's Permission
Covid-19: Nassau County Woman Accused Of Giving Vaccine To Child Without Mother's Permission A New York woman has been accused of injecting a child with what is believed to be a COVID-19 vaccine without the permission of the minor's mother. According to detectives on Long Island, the woman, Nassau County resident Laura Parker Russo, age 54, of Sea Cliff, was at her home residence where she administered the injection to the 17-year-old boy, police said.  The boy went home and informed his mother what had occurred, said Nassau County Police.  "The mother had not given permission or authority to have her son injected with a Covid Vaccine and called police," said Nassau Coun…

SHARE

by Joe Lombardi
News
COVID-19: Long Island Infection Rate Soars Past 10 Percent As Cases Increase COVID-19: Long Island Infection Rate Soars Past 10 Percent As Cases Increase
Covid-19: Long Island Infection Rate Soars Past 10 Percent As Cases Increase Long Island's COVID-19 infection rate in New York as the region, already the highest in New York, spiked past 10 percent while other parts of the state have seen some relief from the winter surge of the virus. In the past three days, Long Island has seen its seven-day average positive infection rate rise a full percentage point, to 10.32 percent of those tested, according to the latest update from the state Department of Health.  Statewide, the infection rate also rose similarly, from 6.88 percent to 7.88 percent as of Monday, Dec. 20.  No other region in the state has a positive…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
News
COVID-19: Long Island Sees New Climb In Cases As Infection Rate Tops 8 Percent COVID-19: Long Island Sees New Climb In Cases As Infection Rate Tops 8 Percent
Covid-19: Long Island Sees New Climb In Cases As Infection Rate Tops 8 Percent After coasting through the summer and fall, the holiday spike of COVID-19 cases on Long Island has led to it being among the hottest beds for the virus in New York. Long Island now has the second-highest seven-day average positive infection rate of the state's 10 regions, as it spiked past 8 percent to 8.19 percent, with only Western New York (9.24 percent and trending downward) reporting worse numbers. Statewide, the positive infection rate is also on the rise, from 4.83 percent to 5.73 percent in the past three days, according to the latest update from the New York State Department of Hea…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
News
COVID-19: US Navy Commander Fired For Refusing To Get Vaccine, Tested COVID-19: US Navy Commander Fired For Refusing To Get Vaccine, Tested
Covid-19: US Navy Commander Fired For Refusing To Get Vaccine, Tested A US Navy commander has been relieved of his duties for refusing to get a COVID-19 vaccine and refusing to be tested for the virus, Navy officials said, according to multiple reports. Cmdr. Lucian Kins was fired as second in command of the USS Winston Churchill, a destroyer, by Navy Capt. Ken Anderson, commander of the destroyer, on Friday, Dec. 10, according to Stars and Stripes, the daily American military newspaper. Getting the COVID vaccine is mandatory for all service members under orders from the Pentagon.  Kins was dismissed for “failing to abide by lawful order," and…

SHARE

by Joe Lombardi
News
COVID-19: Long Island's Number Of Cases, Infection Rate Both Increase Again COVID-19: Long Island's Number Of Cases, Infection Rate Both Increase Again
Covid-19: Long Island's Number Of Cases, Infection Rate Both Increase Again There have now been more than 7,000 COVID-19-related fatalities on Long Island since the pandemic began as the average positive infection rate of those tested for the virus inches closer to 6 percent. Over the weekend, the average seven-day positive infection rate on Long Island continued climbing, from 5.83 percent on Thursday, Dec. 2 to 5.95 percent in the latest update from the state Department of Health on Sunday, Dec. 5. Statewide, the positivity rate dipped slightly,  down to 4.84 percent during the same time period. More than 2,000 new infections were confirmed on Long Island i…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
News
COVID-19: Long Island Positive-Test Rate Hits 5.5 Percent As Number Of Cases Sees New Increase COVID-19: Long Island Positive-Test Rate Hits 5.5 Percent As Number Of Cases Sees New Increase
Covid-19: Long Island Positive-Test Rate Hits 5.5 Percent As Number Of Cases Sees New Increase The post-Thanksgiving spread of COVID-19 has continued on Long Island, which saw its positive infection rate hit 5.50 percent. Nearly 2,000 new infections were confirmed on Long Island, as the average seven-day positivity rate of those tested for the virus hit a new high after several weeks of watching it climb. Each of the state's 10 regions now has a positive infection rate above 2 percent, while two are over 10 percent, causing concern for some hospitals that have been overwhelmed by new cases. Related story - COVID-19: Number Of US Omicron Cases Now At Nine; Here's Info On Condit…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
News
COVID-19: Long Island Positive-Test Rate Soars Past 4.50 Percent; New Breakdown By Community COVID-19: Long Island Positive-Test Rate Soars Past 4.50 Percent; New Breakdown By Community
Covid-19: Long Island Positive-Test Rate Soars Past 4.50 Percent; New Breakdown By Community Thanksgiving gatherings across Long Island helped lead to a surge of new COVID-19 infections as the positivity rate soared past 4.5 percent as the state continues to see a spike in cases. The average seven-day positive infection rate of those tested on Long Island continues to rise, up to 4.62 percent in the latest update from the state Department of Health after sitting below 4 percent for months.  Statewide, the positive infection rate is also surging, up past 4 percent to 4.05 percent in the latest update. In Suffolk, 848 new COVID-19 cases were reported, bringing the total to 254,…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
News
COVID-19: US Sees Surge Of Cases Among Children; Here's Latest Data COVID-19: US Sees Surge Of Cases Among Children; Here's Latest Data
Covid-19: US Sees Surge Of Cases Among Children; Here's Latest Data With children back in the classroom and activities moving indoors as the calendar turns to the holiday season, the US has seen a spike in new COVID-19 cases among children that are causing concerns. According to a new report, in the past week, more than 122,000 COVID-19 cases were reported among minors, marking a 22 percent increase from approximately two weeks ago. The numbers represent the 14th straight week that child COVID-19 cases topped 100,000, despite the vaccine becoming more readily available for those between the ages of 5 and 12, though the number has dropped since peaking at 25…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
News
COVID-19: Study Shows Chance Of Winter Surge That Could Be Worse Than Delta Variant COVID-19: Study Shows Chance Of Winter Surge That Could Be Worse Than Delta Variant
Covid-19: Study Shows Chance Of Winter Surge That Could Be Worse Than Delta Variant With the weather cooling down and crowded indoor holiday season gatherings fast approaching, a new study is showing that there could be a winter surge of COVID-19 cases that could rival the earlier emergence of the Delta variant. According to a newly released study, researchers are predicting that there is at least a 30 percent chance that states could experience a surge of new infections that could exceed the numbers seen during the spike in cases in mid-September during the variant. With activities moving indoors, there is expected to be a surge in cases, though with more Americans getti…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
Schools
COVID-19: Hochul Introduces New Incentive Program To Get Kids Vaccinated COVID-19: Hochul Introduces New Incentive Program To Get Kids Vaccinated
Covid-19: Hochul Introduces New Incentive Program To Get Kids Vaccinated New York is coming up with fresh ways to encourage younger residents to get vaccinated against COVID-19. Gov. Kathy Hochul announced the state’s “Vaccinate, Educate, Graduate” incentive scholarship that will provide an extra reason for New Yorkers between the ages of 5 and 11 to get vaccinated. The five-week public outreach campaign will run through Sunday, Dec. 19, consisting of a series of statewide drawings to increase awareness of the availability and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines. Each week, parents of children who get their first dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine will be eligible…

SHARE

by Zak Failla