Tom Howell Jr.
Articles by Tom Howell Jr.
Sadiq Khan declares ‘major incident’ over COVID-19
The mayor of London on Friday declared the COVID-19 crisis a "major incident" that poses a serious risk to life and will require agencies to go beyond "business-as-usual" operations. Published January 8, 2021
Pfizer-BioNTech: Our COVID-19 vaccine neutralizes scary variants
The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine can neutralize scary variants of the coronavirus, the companies said Friday, basing their hopeful findings on lab experiments that used antibodies from participants in late-stage trials. Published January 8, 2021
States scurry to vaccinate as COVID-19 cases climb
The coronavirus is on the rampage in the waning days of the Trump era, killing more than 3,000 people per day and sending states into a scramble to vaccinate people at stadiums, fire departments and elsewhere. Published January 7, 2021
Texas reports first case of ‘U.K. variant’ of coronavirus
Texas detected its first known case of the "U.K. variant" of the coronavirus that appears to spread more rapidly, officials said Thursday. Published January 7, 2021
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis touts drive-in COVID-19 vaccine site
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis showcased a drive-thru vaccination clinic south of Tampa on Thursday as part of a push to get frontline workers and seniors immunized in innovative ways. Published January 7, 2021
Stephanie Grisham, Melania Trump chief of staff, resigns over Capitol protests: Report
The chief of staff for first lady Melania Trump resigned Wednesday, reportedly over the protests at the U.S. Capitol. Published January 6, 2021
D.C. postpones vaccinations amid Capitol violence
Supporters of President Trump who stormed the Capitol managed to disrupt the democratic process and the response to America's other crisis -- vaccinating people against the coronavirus. Published January 6, 2021
CDC: 29 allergic reactions to COVID-19 vaccines so far
The U.S. government has recorded 29 severe allergic reactions to the COVID-19 vaccine but said the risks from the virus far outweigh concerns about the shots as officials prodded states to speed up the immunization effort even if it means busting through federal recommendations on whom to prioritize. Published January 6, 2021
Alex Azar: Don’t let priority phases slow down vaccine push
President Trump's vaccine team said Wednesday that states should feel free to move beyond health workers and other priority groups if vials are sitting on the shelf, saying it's unacceptable to allow doses to "sit around while states try to micromanage this process." Published January 6, 2021
COVID-19 raises number of overdoses, deaths by other means
The U.S. is on pace to record 400,000 more deaths for 2020 than it did in 2019, driven by COVID-19 and problems that go beyond the coronavirus but were rekindled by the pandemic, including disrupted care for other diseases and mounting drug overdoses. Published January 5, 2021
U.S. sees 400,000 more deaths in 2020 as COVID-19 wreaks havoc
The U.S. is on pace to record 400,000 more deaths for 2020 than it did in 2019, driven by the coronavirus and problems that go beyond the virus but were rekindled by the pandemic, from disrupted care for other diseases to mounting drug overdoses. Published January 5, 2021
U.K. begins using AstraZeneca-Oxford COVID-19 vaccine; countries mull ways to maximize supply
The fast-spreading coronavirus is forcing leaders to scramble for novel solutions to build widespread immunity this year, from delaying the second shot of the AstraZeneca vaccine that debuted in the United Kingdom on Monday to a U.S. proposal -- on hold for now -- to cut in half the dosage of the Moderna vaccine, even as states struggle to stick the doses they have into arms. Published January 4, 2021
Masks will become a new norm after coronavirus pandemic ends, public officials predict
The mask remains politically polarizing, but they aren't a weird sight anymore. Health experts predict they will be a post-pandemic norm in fighting the flu and even the common cold. Published January 3, 2021
Biden: Vaccine effort is ‘falling behind,’ pledges action
President-elect Joseph R. Biden said Tuesday that President Trump's efforts to vaccinate Americans are "falling behind, far behind," and he will invoke wartime production powers after his inauguration to speed up the campaign. Published December 29, 2020
China renews crackdowns as coronavirus circles back
The place where the coronavirus crisis began -- China -- is back in the spotlight, with a cluster of locally transmitted cases in the northeast and the Lunar New Year prompting the communist government to crack down on travel. Published December 28, 2020
Novavax launches late-stage vaccine trial
A fifth company on Monday started a late-stage trial of its coronavirus vaccine, as Maryland company Novavax reached phase 3 and potentially added to immunization options next year. Published December 28, 2020
Trump signs coronavirus relief bill after days of tension
President Trump signed the massive coronavirus relief and government spending bill Sunday, ending nearly a week of suspense that flustered governors and lawmakers of both parties. Published December 27, 2020
Trump blasted for coronavirus relief bill ‘switcheroo’
Governors and lawmakers in both parties bemoaned President Trump's "switcheroo" on coronavirus relief and government funding and implored him Sunday to sign the massive bill to avert a federal shutdown and keep economic misery from billowing across the nation. Published December 27, 2020
Trump to stage rally for David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler
President Trump late Sunday said he will rally in Georgia on Monday on behalf of two Republican senators, David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler, ahead of races that could determine control of the Senate in the new year. Published December 27, 2020
Sen. Bernie Sanders: Sitting on relief bill is ‘unbelievably cruel’
Sen. Bernard Sanders said Sunday President Trump's decision to sit on the coronavirus relief bill is "unbelievably cruel." Published December 27, 2020
