Tom Howell Jr.
Articles by Tom Howell Jr.
Houston area man who was unvaccinated may be first U.S. death from omicron
An unvaccinated man in the Houston area died after contracting the omicron form of the coronavirus, local officials said Monday in what might be the first known U.S. death from the variant. Published December 21, 2021
Biden to unveil website to order free COVID-19 tests, will deploy 1K troops to help hospitals
President Biden on Tuesday will announce the deployment of 1,000 troops to help hospitals reeling from COVID-19 and unveil a website where Americans can order free at-home virus tests in January, senior administration officials said. Published December 21, 2021
Omicron spooks Wall Street, infects VIPs and spurs new rules
Wall Street buckled under the strain of omicron as President Biden met with advisers to retool his strategy for beating back a winter surge that's accelerating rapidly and draining the cheer out of the week before Christmas. Published December 20, 2021
D.C. mayor declares state of emergency for COVID-19
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser declared a state of emergency for COVID-19 and reinstated a mask mandate on Monday, after Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan announced he has tested positive for the disease. Published December 20, 2021
Trump says he got a COVID-19 booster
Former President Donald Trump revealed over the weekend that he had received a COVID-19 booster shot and chastised supporters who booed over the revelation. Published December 20, 2021
Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan tests positive for COVID-19
Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan said Monday he tested positive for the coronavirus as part of routine testing, joining members of Congress on the roster of high-profile politicians who caught the pathogen amid a winter surge. Published December 20, 2021
High-powered Davos global summit postponed over omicron fears
The World Economic Forum said Monday it is postponing its high-profile annual meeting in Davos, the latest sign that omicron is upending winter plans of even the rich and well-connected. Published December 20, 2021
Biden’s approval rating sinks to new low as the year ends
President Biden is ending the year with his approval rating at a new low, according to a high-profile poll Monday that finds the White House reeling from higher prices, the COVID-19 crisis and opposition to his social welfare bill. Published December 20, 2021
NYPD requires all cops to mask up amid COVID-19 surge
New York City police officers must wear a mask regardless of vaccination status, according to a new policy that coincides with a surge in COVID-19 cases. Published December 20, 2021
Moderna says COVID-19 booster offers ‘reassuring’ protection against omicron
Drugmaker Moderna said Monday its booster shot increased antibody levels against omicron in lab studies, providing what it called "reassuring" protection against the coronavirus variant that is ripping through many countries and will likely become dominant in the U.S. Published December 20, 2021
Schumer vows Build Back Better votes in the new year, wants to put senators on the record
Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer told Democratic senators Monday he will not give up on President Biden's social welfare bill and will schedule votes in the new year so Sen. Joe Manchin III or other objectors must go on record in opposition. Published December 20, 2021
OSHA moves back vax-or-test deadline for private sector to Feb. 9
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration late Friday said it will extend the deadline for large businesses to comply with President Biden's vaccinate-or-test rule after a federal appeals court reinstated it. Published December 18, 2021
Feds slow-walk change in the definition of ‘fully vaccinated’
The Biden administration is resisting calls to update what it means to be "fully vaccinated," even though its own rhetoric and mounting data suggest an extra dose is needed to fight infection and the surging omicron variant of COVID-19. Published December 17, 2021
White House warns omicron will be dominant within weeks, bringing illness, death to unvaccinated
The Biden administration said Friday it expects omicron to become the dominant strain of the coronavirus within weeks and predicted the fallout will divide into two paths, causing mild cases among vaccinated-and-boosted Americans while the unvaccinated confront a winter of misery and death. Published December 17, 2021
Biden asks Supreme Court to reinstate vaccine mandate on health workers
President Biden wants the Supreme Court to reinstate his COVID-19 vaccine mandate on health workers who work at hospitals that receive federal funding. Published December 17, 2021
White House says Biden will win on Build Back Better as bill stumbles into 2022
President Biden will be victorious in getting his social welfare bill across the finish line, the White House said Friday despite signs the massive legislation will stumble into the new year without final passage. Published December 17, 2021
Dr. Fauci: Redefining fully vaccinated is on the table as boosters begin to be distributed
Redefining what it means to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 is "on the table," Dr. Anthony Fauci said Friday, as the administration promotes a vaccine series, plus a booster, as the best way to protect against the coronavirus and its surging omicron variant. Published December 17, 2021
Biden pleads for wider vaccination amid omicron threat, warns unvaccinated of a deadly winter
President Biden told unvaccinated Americans on Thursday they face a winter of "severe illness and death" as he pleaded with Americans to use COVID-19 shots, including boosters, as a bulwark against the omicron variant. Published December 16, 2021
CDC panel recommends Pfizer, Moderna shots over J&J vaccine, citing rare blood-clotting side effect
COVID-19 vaccines that use messenger RNA are preferable to the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, advisers to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday after reviewing data on an extremely rare but serious blood-clotting disorder linked to the J&J shot. Published December 16, 2021
Broadway struggles with COVID-19 surge; cancellations common
The winter spike in COVID-19 is exacting a heavy toll on Broadway, with top shows announcing cancellations due to cases among cast and crew. Published December 16, 2021
