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COVID-19

COVID-19: Change In Isolation Guidelines For Those Infected With Virus Announced By CDC COVID-19: Change In Isolation Guidelines For Those Infected With Virus Announced By CDC
Covid-19: Change In Isolation Guidelines For Those Infected With Virus Announced By CDC New isolation guidelines for those infected with COVID-19 or other respiratory infections have just been announced by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The agency said there is no longer a need to isolate for five days before returning to work or school in a statement issued Friday, March 1. The CDC said it's making updates to the recommendations now because the US is seeing "far fewer hospitalizations and deaths associated with COVID-19 and because we have more tools than ever to combat flu, COVID, and RSV." Three "core prevention tips" were also detaile…
Surge In COVID-19, Flu, RSV Hospitalizations Leads To Winter Virus Warning By CDC Surge In COVID-19, Flu, RSV Hospitalizations Leads To Winter Virus Warning By CDC
Surge In Covid-19, Flu, RSV Hospitalizations Leads To Winter Virus Warning By CDC The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is sounding the alarm, warning that low vaccination rates for COVID-19, influenza, and RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) could strain healthcare systems across the nation in the weeks ahead. Hospitalizations among all age groups in the last month increased by 200 percent for influenza, 51 percent for COVID, and 60 percent for RSV, the CDC said. Meanwhile, coverage for the seasonal 2023-2024 flu shot is low in all age groups compared with the same period of the 2022–2023 season. Just 17 percent of adults had received the updated COVID vac…
COVID-19: These Are Most Likely Symptoms Of New Pirola Variant Identified In Five States COVID-19: These Are Most Likely Symptoms Of New Pirola Variant Identified In Five States
Covid-19: These Are Most Likely Symptoms Of New Pirola Variant Identified In Five States The most likely symptoms of a new COVID-19 variant with around 30 mutations are expected to be similar to the highly contagious Omicron strain based on reports so far. COVID-related hospitalizations have increased in the US for six straight weeks, with a 19-percent increase reported in the most recent week, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The BA.2.86 strain, known as Pirola, has now been identified in five states: New York, Texas, Michigan, Virginia, and Ohio. The strain was first detected in Israel around Sunday, Aug. 20, and cases have also been identif…
COVID-19: First US Case Of Pirola Variant With 30 Mutations Confirmed COVID-19: First US Case Of Pirola Variant With 30 Mutations Confirmed
Covid-19: First US Case Of Pirola Variant With 30 Mutations Confirmed The first case of the newly identified COVID-19 variant with 30 mutations has been identified in the United States. The World Health Organization (WHO) upgraded BA.2.86 to a “variant under monitoring," citing the "large number of mutations it carries." BA.2.86, which has now been nicknamed "Pirola," was first detected in Israel, and cases have also been identified in the United Kingdom and Denmark. The initial case in the US has been detected in Michigan. The patient, an older person with mild symptoms, is from Washtenaw County, the Michigan Department of Health and Hu…
Do Not Use These COVID-19 At-Home Tests Due To Bacteria Concerns: FDA Do Not Use These COVID-19 At-Home Tests Due To Bacteria Concerns: FDA
Do Not Use These Covid-19 At-Home Tests Due To Bacteria Concerns: FDA Americans have been advised by federal officials to stop using and dispose of specific COVID-19 at-home tests that could have potentially harmful bacteria inside the kits. SD Biosensor, Inc. announced on Friday, May 5, that the company is requesting that consumers stop using “Pilot COVID-19 At-Home Tests” due to contaminants found in the tube with liquid inside, according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The tube with the liquidFDA The affected tests can be identified by the lot number on the outer packaging (see below) and should be discarded in the trash. The liquid should n…
COVID-19: Highly-Infectious 'Arcturus' Variant Detected In PA COVID-19: Highly-Infectious 'Arcturus' Variant Detected In PA
Covid-19: Highly-Infectious 'Arcturus' Variant Detected In PA A new COVID-19 variant first detected in New York in January has now been identified in 27 states, including Pennsylvania. The so-called Arcturus strain — officially known as XBB.1.16 — is believed to be one of the most infectious versions of Omicron to date.  Shortly after the World Health Organization began monitoring the variant in late March, cases had been reported in about two dozen countries. The WHO says Arcturus is a "recombinant" of COVID subvariants BA.2.10.1 and BA.2.75. In addition to New York, XBB.1.16 has also been confirmed in California, Connecticut, Massachusetts, V…
COVID-19: New Study Reveals How Long 'Durable Protection' May Last After Catching Virus COVID-19: New Study Reveals How Long 'Durable Protection' May Last After Catching Virus
Covid-19: New Study Reveals How Long 'Durable Protection' May Last After Catching Virus A past COVID-19 infection provides "durable" but temporary protection against getting severely sick no matter the variant, according to a brand-new study. Researchers from the University of Washington say it's the most comprehensive data compiled so far showing national immunity protection against the virus. The findings were released Thursday, Feb. 16 in the peer-reviewed journal, The Lancet. The research identified and analyzed 65 studies from 19 different countries.  "Our meta-analyses showed that protection from past infection and any symptomatic disease was high for (COVID-19) an…
ABC News Producer Dax Tejera Dead At 37 ABC News Producer Dax Tejera Dead At 37
ABC News Producer Dax Tejera Dead At 37 ABC News' "This Week with George Stephanopoulos" producer Dax Tejera died suddenly on Friday, Dec. 23. He was 37 years old. The Chevy Chase native is survived by his wife, Veronica, and their daughters, Sofia and Ella. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Dax Tejera (@daxtejera) Tejera joined the ABC News team in 2017 and worked as a senior producer in Washington DC. He helmed the Sunday show since just before the COVID-19 pandemic. Previously, Tejera was the executive producer of Jorge Ramos' program with ABC-Univision and worked f…
Bam Margera, 'Jackass' Star From PA, In ICU With COVID: Report Bam Margera, 'Jackass' Star From PA, In ICU With COVID: Report
Bam Margera, 'Jackass' Star From PA, In ICU With COVID: Report Bam Margera, a West Chester native and former star of MTV's "Jackass," was hospitalized with pneumonia "complicated by" COVID-19, and has been placed on a ventilator, TMZ reports.  Margera was admitted to a San Diego hospital "some time" before Thursday, Dec. 8 and that he's in the intensive care unit but in stable condition, the outlet said The pro skateboarder does not appear to have addressed the matter on his official Twitter or Instagram accounts.  Margera's spinoff show on MTV, "Viva La Bam," was filmed in and around West Chester during its five-season run in the early 2000…
CDC Tracking More Immune-Evasive COVID-19 Variant Growing In Northeast CDC Tracking More Immune-Evasive COVID-19 Variant Growing In Northeast
CDC Tracking More Immune-Evasive Covid-19 Variant Growing In Northeast With more than 300 COVID-19 Omicron sublineages circulating around the globe, a new potentially more contagious variant called XBB is being closely monitored by the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC). XBB is considered more immune-evasive than other Omicron variants, Chief White House medical advisor Dr. Anthony Fauci said last week. But government officials said they don't think XBB will become a threat at the level of Omicron, which first emerged on the global scene almost exactly a year ago. Though XBB now accounts for just over 3 percent of new cases in t…
PA Community Mourns Loss Of Longtime Teacher Who Died After Long COVID-19 Battle PA Community Mourns Loss Of Longtime Teacher Who Died After Long COVID-19 Battle
PA Community Mourns Loss Of Longtime Teacher Who Died After Long Covid-19 Battle Chris Hamsher was a bright light who impacted every student whether he taught them or not, those who knew him said. Though, what the English teacher's pupils didn't realize was that after catching COVID-19 in January, he'd only be in their lives for a little while longer. "Mr. Chris Hamsher, an 8th grade English teacher and member of our Abington School District family for more than two decades, passed away this week after a battle with long COVID," the Abington School District announced in a Saturday, Oct. 8 Facebook post. Mr. Chris Hamsher, an 8th grade English teacher and member of…
Pennsylvania Casino Fined $160K For Underage Gambling Pennsylvania Casino Fined $160K For Underage Gambling
Pennsylvania Casino Fined $160K For Underage Gambling A Pennsylvania casino has been ordered to pay up to $160,000 in fines for allowing underage gambling, officials announced. The agreement between the owners of the Mount Airy Casino Resort in Mount Pocono and the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board was approved Wednesday, Sept. 21. The agency detailed three instances in which people under the age of 21 were given access to the casino floor and gambled.  These occasions are listed below: An 18-year-old male who gambled at two different slot machines; An 11-year-old female who gambled at 10 different slot machines while both parents…
Jehovah's Witnesses Resume Trademark Door-Knocking For First Time Since Pandemic Jehovah's Witnesses Resume Trademark Door-Knocking For First Time Since Pandemic
Jehovah's Witnesses Resume Trademark Door-Knocking For First Time Since Pandemic Who's there? Jehovah's Witnesses will resume their trademark door-to-door ministry after a two-and-a-half-year suspension due to COVID-19. The Sept. 1 launch kicked off with a global campaign featuring an interactive program for Bible study. The decision to resume their door-to-door ministry marks the complete restoration of all pre- pandemic in-person activities for the nearly 1.3 million Jehovah’s Witnesses in the 12,000 congregations in the United States.  “We believe that the early decision to shut down all in-person activities for more than two years has saved many lives,” s…
PA Trip Canceled As President Joe Biden Tests Positive For COVID-19 PA Trip Canceled As President Joe Biden Tests Positive For COVID-19
PA Trip Canceled As President Joe Biden Tests Positive For Covid-19 President Joe Biden tested positive for COVID-19 on Thursday, July 21, according to White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre. He was experiencing “mild symptoms” and has begun taking Paxlovid, the Pfizer antiviral drug designed to reduce the severity of the disease. His trip to Wilkes University in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania has evidently been canceled as he “will isolate at the White House and will continue to carry out all of his duties fully during that time. He has been in contact with members of the White House staff by phone this morning, and will participate in his planned…
President Biden Tests Positive For COVID-19 President Biden Tests Positive For COVID-19
President Biden Tests Positive For Covid-19 President Joe Biden has tested positive for COVID-19 after visiting Massachusetts, the White House announced on Thursday, July 21.  The president, who is vaccinated and boosted, will start taking Paxlovid and isolate while he battles the virus, the White House said.  He had been scheduled to visit Wilkes-Barre Pennsylvania Thursday. #Breaking- President Biden has been diagnosed with Covid-19. pic.twitter.com/5CZtw5L2nq — WBZ NewsRadio (@wbznewsradio) July 21, 2022 This comes after President Biden visited Massachusetts to discuss new ways to combat climate change and push for clean ene…
SEEN HIM? Two Years Later, Missing NJ Man Still Hasn't Been Found SEEN HIM? Two Years Later, Missing NJ Man Still Hasn't Been Found
Seen HIM? Two Years Later, Missing NJ Man Still Hasn't Been Found Ruben Wilson had a habit of wandering off and sometimes traveling significant distances from his Englewood home despite dementia and other challenges. The 6-foot, 240-pound Wilson always turned up, though -- from as close as Teaneck, Hackensack and Tenafly, and as far as the Jersey Shore. He was once found with his dog in Englewood Cliffs. Another time, he drove nearly 70 miles to Wall Township. That changed after Wilson went missing more than two years ago. Ruben always enjoyed an early cup of coffee with his son, Shalom Kennedy, loved ones said. That didn't happen the morning of May 2…
$6.8M COVID-19 Scam: Ex-Hedge Fund Manager Gets 4+ Years, No Parole $6.8M COVID-19 Scam: Ex-Hedge Fund Manager Gets 4+ Years, No Parole
$6.8M Covid-19 Scam: Ex-Hedge Fund Manager Gets 4+ Years, No Parole A dual New York/Florida resident was sentenced in New Jersey to a plea-bargained 51 months in federal prison for fraudulently collecting more than $6.8 million in COVID-19 payroll protection loans -- $3 million of which he lost in the stock market. Gregory J. Blotnick, 35, will have to serve just about all of the sentence because there's no parole in the federal prison system. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Judge Brian R. Martinotti sentenced Blotnick in Newark to two years of supervised release and ordered him to pay restitution of $4,577,631. Blotnick told the judge last f…
ABC's Jonathan Karl Tests COVID Positive After Sitting Next To Kim Kardashian In DC: Report ABC's Jonathan Karl Tests COVID Positive After Sitting Next To Kim Kardashian In DC: Report
ABC's Jonathan Karl Tests COVID Positive After Sitting Next To Kim Kardashian In DC: Report ABC News' Chief Washington Correspondent Jonathan Karl tested positive for COVID-19 days after sitting next to Kim Kardashian at the White House Correspondents' Dinner, Politico reports. Karl also spoke into the microphone and shook hands with several people, including President Joe Biden, after receiving an award for “Excellence in Presidential Coverage Under Deadline Pressure," the outlet reports.  “He tested positive for COVID Monday night, but tested negative on Saturday afternoon before the White House Correspondents Dinner by medically-supervised staff,” a person familiar wi…
Fed Judge Fines NJ Firm $67,668 For Jacking Up Price Of N95 Masks By 400% Fed Judge Fines NJ Firm $67,668 For Jacking Up Price Of N95 Masks By 400%
Fed Judge Fines NJ Firm $67,668 For Jacking Up Price Of N95 Masks By 400% A Mahwah-based company that admitted selling N95 protective masks at a 400% markup to a grocery store chain at the beginning of the pandemic was fined $67,668 by a federal judge. TSC Agency LLC -- a logistics and freight forwarding company located off southbound Route 17 near the State Line Diner -- will also remain on probation for a year under the terms of a plea deal with the government, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger said on Tuesday, April 26. TSC and two partners bought 250,000 of the filtering facepiece respirators at $1.09 apiece mask from a foreign manufacturer in mid-March 2020…
Jamaican Man Refused To Take COVID-19 Test To Prevent Deportation: Indictment By PA Grand Jury Jamaican Man Refused To Take COVID-19 Test To Prevent Deportation: Indictment By PA Grand Jury
Jamaican Man Refused To Take Covid-19 Test To Prevent Deportation: Indictment By PA Grand Jury A 32-year-old Jamaican man who refused to take a COVID-19 test, has been indicted by a grand jury at the Middle Court of Pennsylvania, according to a release by the US Attorney’s Office. Cleon Ainsworth Samuels, was indicted on Apr. 20, after he was ordered to be deported but "knowingly took steps to prevent his own removal by failing to allow collection of a COVID-19 test which is necessary for air travel to effectuate his removal from the United States," according to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus. This matter was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Remov…
COVID-19: CDC Issues New Advisory Recommending People Wear Masks In These Settings COVID-19: CDC Issues New Advisory Recommending People Wear Masks In These Settings
Covid-19: CDC Issues New Advisory Recommending People Wear Masks In These Settings The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is calling on the Department of Justice to proceed with an appeal after a federal judge struck down President Joe Biden’s mask mandate for public transportation settings. Following the announcement of the judgment, the CDC issued a statement advising that the agency is continuing to advise that all Americans continue to mask up while using public transportation, despite the ruling. Original story - COVID-19: Federal Judge Strikes Down CDC Mask Mandate For Travel According to the CDC, officials “continue to recommend that people west mask…
TSA Drops Mask Mandate For Planes, Public Transit... For Now TSA Drops Mask Mandate For Planes, Public Transit... For Now
TSA Drops Mask Mandate For Planes, Public Transit... For Now Face masks will no longer be enforced on airplanes and other modes of public transport after a federal judge ruled the order unconstitutional Monday, April 18. The decision comes after U.S. District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle said in a 59-page decision that the CDC overstepped its authority by enforcing the 14-month directive. The Biden administration was in the process of reviewing and deciding whether or not to appeal it as of Monday evening, multiple news outlets report. The Amtrak rail system and TSA both rescinded the mandate, but the CDC – which extended the mask mandate through …
Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey Has COVID-19 Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey Has COVID-19
Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey Has Covid-19 The Mayor of Pittsburgh has announced that he has COVID-19. Mayor Ed Gainey tested positive for COVID-19 and is in isolation at home as of Friday morning, according to a release from the city. Gainey is fully vaccinated and boosted, according to the release. He has only been experiencing minor symptoms, the mayor's office explains. Gainey will be fulfilling his duties from home as he follows recommended guidelines from the CDC and Health Department, according to the mayor's staff. “I’m thankful for the protection provided by the vaccine and boosters and I hope my diagnosis can serve as …
Philly Mask Mandate Returns Due To Rising COVID-19 Cases Philly Mask Mandate Returns Due To Rising COVID-19 Cases
Philly Mask Mandate Returns Due To Rising Covid-19 Cases A mask mandate has been reinstated in Philadelphia in response to an increase in COVID-19 cases, health officials announced this week. The mandate, which will apply to all indoor public spaces, will take effect on Monday, April 18, the city's health department said on Twitter. 🧵 Due to increasing COVID-19 cases, @PhiladelphiaGov will move to Level 2: Mask Precautions beginning today. In order to provide a one-week education period for businesses, masks will be required in all indoor public spaces as of Monday, April 18, 2022. (1/4) — Philadelphia Public Health (@PHLPublicHealth) April 1…
COVID Mask Seller From Brooklyn Pleads Guilty To Gouging NJ Grocers At 400% Markup COVID Mask Seller From Brooklyn Pleads Guilty To Gouging NJ Grocers At 400% Markup
COVID Mask Seller From Brooklyn Pleads Guilty To Gouging NJ Grocers At 400% Markup A Brooklyn company admitted that it illegally made a killing off a New Jersey grocery store chain by selling it COVID masks during the pandemic at a 400% markup, federal authorities said. Milk & Honey Ventures and two partners bought 250,000 KN95 filtering facepiece respirators from a foreign manufacturer, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger said Tuesday, March 29. MHV had never sold personal protective equipment before, Sellinger said. The company and one its partners sold 100,000 of the masks to a chain of New Jersey grocery stores at $5.25 per mask -- far in excess of prevailing marke…
COVID-19: These Are Most Common Symptoms For New 'Stealth Omicron' Variant COVID-19: These Are Most Common Symptoms For New 'Stealth Omicron' Variant
Covid-19: These Are Most Common Symptoms For New 'Stealth Omicron' Variant With the number of COVID-19 cases linked to the subvariant of the Omicron strain on the rise, attention is turning to its symptoms. The so-called "Stealth Omicron" strain now accounts for about 35 percent of new COVID cases in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC). Those infected with the BA.2 subvariant have been mainly reporting symptoms common to Omicron, NBC News reported. They are: Cough Fatigue Congestion Runny nose In addition, dizziness that may come and go during the day has been reported among those infected with the BA.2 sub…
PA Teacher Who Kissed Underage Student Gets Jail Time PA Teacher Who Kissed Underage Student Gets Jail Time
PA Teacher Who Kissed Underage Student Gets Jail Time A 55-year-old Pennsylvania teacher who kissed an underage student and her genitals over her clothes was sentenced to six to 23 months in prison on a child endangerment charge, authorities said. Stephen Raught, of Reading, was found guilty of endangering the welfare of a child in October 2021, but not guilty of unlawful contact with a minor, institutional sexual assault, and corruption of minors, Chester County District Attorney Deb Ryan said. Raught was the then 17-year-old victim's philosophy teacher at Owen J. Roberts High School in South Coventry Township when the incident happened …
COVID-19: This Key Factor Could Indicate Whether Stealth Omicron Will Cause New Surge In US COVID-19: This Key Factor Could Indicate Whether Stealth Omicron Will Cause New Surge In US
Covid-19: This Key Factor Could Indicate Whether Stealth Omicron Will Cause New Surge In US With the new “stealth” COVID-19 sub-variant emerging from the shadows in the US and overseas, researchers are concerned that one subset of Americans could potentially lead to a possible new surge of infections. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Omicron, which is known as B.1.1.529, has three sub-variants: the original BA.1 that remains the dominant strain, the “stealth” BA.2, which is picking up steam, and the more elusive BA.3. The new “stealth” variant - named for its difficulty to identify due to a lack of certain genetic characteristics - has been becoming more of a co…
1,700 More NJ Inmates Set For Release With COVID Emergency Ending, Crime Rising, Union Says 1,700 More NJ Inmates Set For Release With COVID Emergency Ending, Crime Rising, Union Says
1,700 More NJ Inmates Set For Release With COVID Emergency Ending, Crime Rising, Union Says Another 1,700 New Jersey prison inmates are scheduled for early pandemic release this weekend even though COVID-19 "is now practically non-existent" in the state's correctional facilities and crime is running rampant, the president of a law enforcement supervisors union said. Given the circumstances, Gov. Phil Murphy should discontinue the practice immediately, said William Lanoza, the president of the New Jersey Law Enforcement Supervisors Association. "Once this large group of inmates [is] released, the total number of prisoners that will have been prematurely released under this program …
‘I Hope You Get COVID!’ PA Woman Yelled While Spitting On Pennsylvania State Trooper ‘I Hope You Get COVID!’ PA Woman Yelled While Spitting On Pennsylvania State Trooper
‘I Hope You Get COVID!’ PA Woman Yelled While Spitting On Pennsylvania State Trooper A Pennsylvania woman spit in a state trooper’s face and yelled, “I hope you get COVID-19,” while she was being arrested, state police said in a release. The Mifflin County trooper was called to an inactive domestic incident at a home on King Street in Armagh Township on Sunday, Feb. 27 just before 8 a.m., the release shows. Amanda Marie Daubert, 24, of Milroy, was being arrested at the home on a summary charge for harassment, court records show. While Daubert was being led out of the home she “became agitated and spit in a Trooper’s face,” as stated in the release. She then told police …
Trucker Freedom Convoy Circles Capital Beltway Promising Hours Of Traffic Chaos Trucker Freedom Convoy Circles Capital Beltway Promising Hours Of Traffic Chaos
Trucker Freedom Convoy Circles Capital Beltway Promising Hours Of Traffic Chaos A tuckers' convoy protesting COVID-19 mandates rolled through the Hagerstown Speedway and toward the Capital Beltway promising hours of traffic jams in the Capitol region Sunday, March 6. "Beltway here we come," Kris Young said in a Facebook post.  The trucks, adorned with American flags and posters, honked their horns and waved to supporters flanked along the roadways. The "freedom" convoy started last week in California and sparked smaller ones around the US. Truckers' convoy rolls through New Jersey.Boyd A. Loving Truckers plan on taking the DC Beltway/I-495, circling it twice and …