Tom Howell Jr.
Articles by Tom Howell Jr.
CDC says omicron now accounts for 95% of sequenced cases
Omicron accounted for 95% of sequenced coronavirus samples in the U.S. during the week ending Jan. 1, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Tuesday, underscoring how swiftly the variant has elbowed out other strains. Published January 4, 2022
GOP lawmakers urge SCOTUS to strike down Biden workplace vaccine-or-test order
Nearly all Senate Republicans and two-thirds of House GOP members urged the Supreme Court on Tuesday to strike down President Biden's COVID-19 vaccinate-or-test rule on private employers, arguing in a legal brief that Occupational Safety and Health Administration officials went beyond the scope of powers granted to it by Congress. Published January 4, 2022
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis bemoans COVID-19 panic in other states
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis bemoaned the COVID-19 "hysteria" gripping other states and said mitigation measures like cloth masks are likely ineffective against the latest variant during a news conference on Monday. Published January 4, 2022
Sen. Rob Portman reports positive COVID test before returning to D.C.
Congress is getting slammed by COVID-19 like the rest of the country, with positivity rates soaring and a growing roster of members reporting infections. Published January 4, 2022
I-95 motorists stuck for hours in horrific, icy standstill in Va.; Northam defends state’s response
Transportation officials said Interstate 95 had been mostly cleared early Tuesday evening of the hundreds of stranded motorists stuck in their vehicles, many of them overnight, after icy conditions led to crashes involving tractor-trailers that closed the highway in both directions near Fredericksburg, Virginia. Published January 4, 2022
Joe Rogan podcast comparing COVID-19 vaccine hype to Nazis is entered into Congressional Record
A Texas Republican on Monday said he found a way around "Big Tech" censorship -- put the content into the Congressional Record. Published January 3, 2022
Former VP Mike Pence asks Supreme Court to block Biden OSHA mandate
Former Vice President Mike Pence and his political advocacy group filed a brief Monday that asks the Supreme Court to block President Biden's vaccine-or-test mandate on private businesses. Published January 3, 2022
FDA clears Pfizer COVID booster for ages 12 to 15, shortens wait time for others amid omicron
The Food and Drug Administration on Monday cleared booster shots from Pfizer-BioNTech for Americans ages 12 to 15 and allowed people to get booster shots sooner, pointing to the omicron surge as the reason. Published January 3, 2022
School districts grapple with union demands, potential Chicago teachers walkout
The Chicago Teachers Union could refuse to work in person as of Wednesday, raising the prospect of a debilitating standoff over omicron as schools across the country delay openings, consider remote options and mandate testing amid a record-breaking surge of coronavirus infections. Published January 3, 2022
Airline chaos: 15,000 flights scrapped since Christmas Eve due to wintry weather, omicron surge
Airlines have canceled more than 15,000 flights since Christmas Eve as industry chaos persisted through the weekend, with 2,700 flights canceled Sunday on top of 2,700 flights that were scrapped on New Year's Day. Published January 3, 2022
Biden to promote meat-industry overhaul, hoping to rein in prices
President Biden on Monday will promote an overhaul of the meat-packing industry as he blames rising consumer prices and dwindling farmers' profits on the handful of large 'middlemen' who dominate the processing segment of the supply chain. Published January 3, 2022
NYC Mayor Eric Adams says schools will remain open, subways will be safer
New York City Mayor Eric Adams pledged Monday to keep students in the classroom and restore order on the subway system as the new mayor faces the twin challenges of a surging coronavirus variant and rising crime. Published January 3, 2022
Biden’s Christmas crisis: 2021 ends with 400K more COVID-19 deaths
President Biden won the White House on a pledge to crush the coronavirus through a commitment to science, testing for anyone who wants it, and a major vaccine sprint in his first 100 days in office. Published December 25, 2021
COVID-19 undermines Biden’s competence argument heading into the New Year
The coronavirus is infecting President Biden's image. Mr. Biden won the public's trust with his vow to do more to stop the spread of the virus than his predecessor, but 11 months into his tenure the public is growing weary of surging cases and new variants. Published December 23, 2021
FDA authorizes Pfizer COVID-19 pill for emergency use
The Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday authorized emergency use of a Pfizer pill that staved off hospitalization and death from COVID-19 in clinical trials, adding a major tool to America's effort against the virus. Published December 22, 2021
Army researchers see promise in early trials of COVID-19 vaccine
Army researchers say they've developed a vaccine that shows promise against the coronavirus and its variants after two years of work. Published December 22, 2021
NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio to forge ahead with New Year’s Eve bash despite omicron spike
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said Wednesday he wants to forge ahead with the New Year's Eve party in Times Square but may consider new safety measures, even as major cities across the world scrap their plans outright due to fears around the omicron variant of the coronavirus. Published December 22, 2021
Biden hails an all-time high of 13.6M Obamacare sign-ups
Obamacare added 4.6 million people to its rolls over the course of the year, President Biden said Wednesday, bolstering the 2010 program he pushed with then-President Obama while heaping pressure on Mr. Biden to get his social welfare bill across the finish line in Congress. Published December 22, 2021
Biden pledges better access to testing, deploys military to fight omicron
President Biden said Tuesday he will purchase half a billion rapid coronavirus tests that Americans can order for free delivery to their homes, deploy the military to overwhelmed hospitals and stand up federal testing sites as he scrambles to rein in the omicron variant that's become dominant and exhausting Americans who wanted a relaxing Christmas. Published December 21, 2021
Majority of un-boosted Americans see omicron as a compelling reason to get extra dose: Poll
More than half of vaccinated adults who haven't gotten a COVID-19 booster shot say the omicron threat makes them more likely to go get an extra dose, according to a poll that found the variant is having a smaller impact on unvaccinated persons mulling a first dose. Published December 21, 2021
