In Washington: The U.S. surpassed 500,000 deaths from COVID-19 on Monday, in a pandemic that has lasted almost a year. The nation’s total virus toll is higher than in any other country globally, and it means that more...more
In Washington: The House passed a one-week funding extension (HR 8900) to give lawmakers more time to finalize a fiscal 2021 spending package and coronavirus relief. The vote was 343-67. The measure (HR 8900) now goes to...more
In Washington: POLITICO reporter Burgess Everett tweeted that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) says “negotiators should drop both state and local aid and liability shield provisions in order to reach consensus...more
In Washington: On Sunday, White House Coronavirus Task Force coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx warned Americans to “assume that you’re infected” with COVID-19 if you traveled or gathered for Thanksgiving and advised being...more
In Washington: Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) said on Tuesday that he would quarantine after exposure to COVID-19. Grassley added that he was "feeling well" and asymptomatic but that "it’s important we all follow public health...more
In Washington: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated its guidance on face masks to say that masks not only protect others around you but also protects the wearer. The guidance clarifies that masks reduce...more
In Washington: The possibility of a lame-duck session coronavirus relief deal remains shaky. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) holds out hope, telling reporters Thursday that she wants “as clean a slate as possible” for an...more
In Washington: The Trump administration will pay Eli Lilly $375 million to supply 300,000 doses of its experimental antibody drug to treat COVID-19, the Department of Health and Human Services said Wednesday. If the Food and...more
In Washington: After several consecutive days of talks between House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin it appears increasingly likely that Congress will have to wait to consider any COVID-19...more
In Washington: State public health officials are urging Congress to provide at least $8.4 billion in emergency funding for distributing a coronavirus vaccine, warning that they lack enough money to carry out the immense...more
In Washington: President Trump said Thursday that he is willing to go higher than his current $1.8 trillion offer for the next coronavirus stimulus package as negotiations continue. “Go big or go home,” Trump told Fox...more
In Washington: After halting coronavirus stimulus negotiations on Tuesday afternoon, President Donald Trump hours later signaled he would support specific coronavirus relief measures on stimulus checks, help for the...more
In Washington: President Trump left Walter Reed Medical Center Monday evening despite his personal doctor, Sean Conley, saying he “may not be entirely out of the woods yet.” In a memo on Tuesday, his doctor said the...more
The presence in the blood of antibodies specific to the novel coronavirus may help identify those who were unknowingly exposed to the virus but remained asymptomatic, those who were symptomatic but have fully recovered, and,...more
Heater-Cooler Machine Spreads Germs in Sterile Areas - The medical device sounds well-intended enough: a heater-cooler machine used during heart surgery to control a patient’s body temperature. Doctors employ them in the...more
Earlier this year, both patients and providers were shocked when a rash of hospital patients got seriously ill or died after medical devices used to examine their gastrointestinal tracts infected them because they were not...more