Tom Howell Jr.
Articles by Tom Howell Jr.
Ottawa mayor declares state of emergency over truckers clogging Canada’s capital
The mayor of Ottawa declared a state of emergency Sunday to deal with truckers who've clogged the Canadian capital's downtown to protest COVID-19 rules. Published February 7, 2022
CDC expands efforts to detect coronavirus in wastewater, sees uses beyond the pandemic
Want to know if a COVID-19 wave is heading to your town? Check the poop. Published February 4, 2022
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds lets COVID-19 emergency orders expire
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds announced Thursday she will end emergency proclamations tied to the coronavirus as states and countries around the world begin to treat COVID-19 as something that must be managed like influenza or other diseases and not as a public health crisis. Published February 4, 2022
Canadian trucker convoy seeks legal help after GoFundMe suspends fundraising page
Canadian truckers protesting COVID-19 rules said they are lawyering up after GoFundMe suspended their fundraising page. Published February 4, 2022
Austria becomes first Western democracy to mandate COVID-19 vaccine
Austria became the first Western democracy to require the COVID-19 vaccine after President Alexander Van der Bellen signed the mandate into law on Friday. Published February 4, 2022
Pelosi warns Olympic athletes against protesting ‘ruthless’ Chinese government
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi warned American athletes Thursday to beware of the "ruthless" Chinese communist government if they decide to speak out against human rights abuses while they are in Beijing for the Winter Olympics Games that begin Friday. Published February 3, 2022
Biden pushes for elusive unity at annual National Prayer Breakfast
President Biden told lawmakers on Thursday they need to spend more time with each other -- even if it's over lunch -- to overcome deep political divides and deliver on his push to unify Washington at a time when partisans seem to be drifting farther apart. Published February 3, 2022
Biden administration says Medicare enrollees can get free COVID tests by early spring
The Biden administration said Thursday that Americans covered by Medicare, the federal insurance program for seniors, will be able to get free COVID-19 tests from pharmacies starting this spring. Published February 3, 2022
Surgeon general says FDA won’t cut corners in approving COVID-19 vaccine for young kids
U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy is assuring parents that regulators won't take shortcuts in authorizing a COVID-19 vaccine from Pfizer-BioNTech for kids younger than 5 as the Food and Drug Administration employs a two-step process to get a jump-start on the rollout. Published February 3, 2022
When will the pandemic be over? It’s complicated, scientists say
Don't expect President Biden or the World Health Organization to tell you when the COVID-19 pandemic is over. They're not sure themselves. Published February 2, 2022
CDC, State Dept. urge caution and warn against travel to Mexico because of COVID-19, violence
The federal government is warning travelers to avoid travel to Mexico due to the twin threats of COVID-19 and violent crime. Published February 2, 2022
N.Y. Gov. Kathy Hochul enjoys commanding lead over Democratic challengers: poll
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul is dominating the Democratic field ahead of a gubernatorial primary in June with a 42-point lead over her nearest challenger, while the GOP primary is a toss-up between Rep. Lee Zeldin and former Trump administration official Andrew Giuliani, according to a poll released Tuesday. Published February 2, 2022
Biden aims to reduce cancer deaths by 50% over next 25 years
President Biden said Wednesday he will relaunch the Cancer Moonshot program he started during the Obama administration, citing progress in treatments and care. Published February 2, 2022
Pfizer set to request emergency approval of COVID-19 vaccine for children younger than 5
U.S. regulators are planning to review and authorize Pfizer and BioNTech's COVID-19 vaccine for children younger than 5 before data on a third -- and potentially necessary -- shot is available. Published February 1, 2022
South Koreans don the ‘kosk,’ a nose-only COVID mask for dining
A South Korean company is selling a COVID-19 mask that covers just the nose while people are eating or drinking. Published February 1, 2022
GoFundMe page for protesting Canadian truckers nears $10M
A GoFundMe page to support a massive convoy of Canadian truckers protesting COVID-19 rules neared its goal of $10 million Tuesday. Published February 1, 2022
Pfizer set to request emergency approval of COVID-19 vaccine for children younger than 5
Pfizer and BioNTech are reportedly preparing to ask the Food and Drug Administration to authorize a COVID-19 vaccine for kids younger than 5. Published February 1, 2022
China leans into zero-COVID strategy before Olympics with lockdowns, tight bubble
Bucking the approach in much of the rest of the world, China is deploying a "zero-COVID" approach to the pandemic that reflects Beijing's authoritarian instincts but may be unsustainable. Published January 31, 2022
Bowie State University shuts down due to bomb threat
Persons at Bowie State University were told to shelter in place Monday after a bomb threat on campus, part of a disturbing pattern of threats aimed at historically Black colleges and universities. Published January 31, 2022
Beijing clamps down before Winter Olympics: Rolling lockdowns, daily COVID-19 tests
Beijing is locking housing complexes and economic zones outside the city as it tries to stamp out any sign of the coronavirus with days to go before the Winter Games begin. Published January 31, 2022
