Buttigieg to quarantine after security agent gets COVID-19
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said late Monday he was feeling fine with no symptoms and that the agent had no signs of COVID-19 other than testing positive for the virus.
Health Care & Insurance
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Here’s the latest on the plan for pandemic stimulus checks
There’s conflicting debate about the effectiveness of the direct payments. Most economists support giving more relief to Americans who are struggling to put food on the table or keep their small business from closing.
Roche Diagnostics whistleblower wins $3.6M in settlement agreement
Crystal Derrick, who was a national account manager in Roche’s diabetes division, had accused the company of illegally paying insurance company Humana Inc. for access to certain formularies.
Workers who quit rather than risk COVID on job still hope to collect unemployment
More than 1.5 million people quit their jobs voluntarily because of the pandemic last year and filed for unemployment insurance, according to data from the Department of Labor, more than twice the amount over the same period in 2019.
New variants raise worry about COVID-19 virus reinfections
Evidence is mounting that having COVID-19 may not protect against getting infected again with some of the new variants. People also can get second infections with earlier versions of the coronavirus if they mounted a weak defense the first time, new research suggests.
Indiana COVID-19 cases hit 4-month low amid increase in deaths
Statewide hospitalizations due to COVID-19 ticked up slightly, from 1,287 on Saturday to 1,292 on Sunday, the first increase since Feb. 1.
State reports 1,764 more COVID-19 cases, 55 deaths
Statewide hospitalizations due to COVID-19 fell from 1,399 on Friday to 1,287 on Saturday, the lowest number since Oct. 11.
State reports 2,855 more COVID-19 cases, 67 new deaths
Statewide hospitalizations due to COVID-19 fell from 1,446 on Thursday to 1,399 on Friday, the lowest number since Oct. 18.
Project to place overdose antidote kits in every Indiana county
Overdose Lifeline intends to purchase and place 215 NaloxBox units across the state. The $58,000 cost of the NaloxBox units and shipping will be paid for through a federal grant to the state.
Experts worry Super Bowl could trigger coronavirus explosion
On a weekend usually defined by packed gatherings in bars and living rooms, with fans screaming at televisions and sharing spreads of finger foods, health authorities are urging smaller, quieter celebrations.
San Antonio area gets entire NCAA women’s basketball tourney
The move Friday was made to help mitigate the risks of COVID-19 and matches that of the men’s tournament, which the NCAA said last month will be played in the Indianapolis area.
Tax-form mailings help reveal extent of U.S. unemployment fraud
Simple tax forms being mailed to people who never collected unemployment benefits are revealing their identities were likely stolen months ago and used to claim bogus benefits that have totaled billions of dollars across the country.
Predictions on insurance premium all over the map
The issue looms large for Indiana, where employer-sponsored plans cover 53.3% of the population.
Q&A: Dan Evans had polio vaccine in 1955, COVID shot in 2021
The former IU Health CEO has had a front-row seat for decades to Indiana’s bustling health care landscape.
Indiana reports another 1,529 COVID-19 cases, 49 deaths
Statewide hospitalizations due to COVID-19 fell from 1,541 on Wednesday to 1,446 on Thursday, the lowest number since Oct. 20.
Biden, House Democrats put $1.9T relief plan on fast track
The Senate early Friday approved a measure that would let Democrats muscle the relief plan through the chamber without Republican support. Vice President Kamala Harris was in the chair to cast the tie-breaking vote, her first.
Sitting on billions, Catholic dioceses amassed taxpayer aid
Overall, the nation’s nearly 200 dioceses and other Catholic institutions received at least $3 billion. That makes the Roman Catholic Church perhaps the biggest beneficiary of the Paycheck Protection Program
J&J asks U.S. regulators to OK its one-shot COVID-19 vaccine
J&J’s vaccine was safe and offered strong protection against moderate to severe COVID-19, according to preliminary results from a massive international study.
Solid company earnings send stock indexes higher
The S&P 500 rose 1.1%, to a record high. A measure of small-company stocks rose twice as much, a bullish signal that investors are feeling more optimistic about the economy.
Pandemic claims Broad Ripple Art Fair for second straight year
The Broad Ripple Art Fair is a major annual fundraiser for the Indianapolis Art Center, which estimated it lost $350,000, about 10% of its annual income, from the cancellation of 2020 event.