Some health providers letting COVID-infected staff stay on the job
The move is a reaction to the severe hospital staffing shortages and crushing caseloads that the omicron variant is causing.
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Home COVID-19 tests to be covered by insurers starting Saturday
Under the new policy, first detailed to the AP, Americans will be able to either purchase home testing kits for free under their insurance or submit receipts for the tests for reimbursement, up to the monthly per-person limit.
Indiana’s death toll from COVID-19 climbs past 19,000
COVID-19 patients occupy 37% of Indiana’s intensive care unit beds. The state has 12.6% of its ICU beds available overall.
U.S. sends states monoclonal antibodies that might not work against omicron
The federal government has resumed shipping all three monoclonal antibody treatments—including one made by Indianapolis-based Eli Lilly and Co.—that are authorized for early-stage COVID-19 to states despite evidence that two might be ineffective against the omicron variant.
Supreme Court to weigh vaccine rules affecting more than 80M
The justices are scheduled to hear arguments Friday about whether to allow the Biden administration to enforce a vaccine-or-testing requirement that applies to large employers and a separate vaccine mandate for most health care workers.
White House, Postal Service making plans to ship COVID tests to households
Test manufacturers and distributors seeking to provide a share of the 500 million tests have submitted proposals to the government, and the Biden administration on Thursday evening awarded its first contract toward the purchase.
Indiana reports 150 more deaths as COVID cases surge to another high
COVID-19 patients occupy 36.2% of Indiana’s intensive care unit beds, leaving the state with only 9.5% of its ICU beds available overall.
House committee moves vaccine mandates bill forward
The vaccine-mandate provisions of the bill would effectively force employers to accept any medical or religious reason to exempt employees from getting a vaccine, without question.
State reports all-time high in new COVID-19 cases, rise in hospitalizations
The state health department also reported 39 more deaths from COVID, raising the cumulative total to 18,644.
House, Senate differ on handling vaccine mandates, health emergency
Indiana House and Senate Republican leaders appear to be at odds on how to handle legislation to address employer vaccine mandates and end the state’s public health emergency.
Indiana state health commissioner tests positive for COVID-19 for second time
Indiana State Health Commissioner Dr. Kris Box is one of an estimated 113,000 Hoosiers to suffer a breakthrough case since Jan. 18, 2021.
Doctors bemoan limited supply of game-changing antiviral pills amid winter surge
Easy-to-take antiviral pills, authorized just before Christmas, were hailed as a potential turning point in the fight against the coronavirus because of the medicines’ ability to keep high-risk people out of the hospital.
COVID-19 surge not deterring push to end Indiana health emergency
A House committee is set to vote Thursday on a bill that includes administrative actions sought by Holcomb, along with provisions that would force businesses to grant broad exemptions to any workplace COVID-19 vaccination requirements.
COVID case counts losing some importance amid omicron
The explosive increase in U.S. coronavirus case counts is raising alarm, but some experts believe the focus should instead be on COVID-19 hospital admissions. And those aren’t climbing as fast.
Indiana reports 172 more COVID-19 deaths, rise in hospitalizations
The Indiana State Department of Health on Tuesday reported 8,533 new COVID cases across the state. That’s the second-highest number of new cases ever reported in the department’s daily update.
Indiana National Guard to help at Riley Hospital, beleaguered with COVID patients
The hospital has admitted about four times as many children for COVID-19 treatment in recent weeks as in any previous wave during the pandemic.
CDC approves shorter time between Pfizer COVID vaccine, booster
The CDC also recommended that children ages 5 to 11 with moderately or severely weakened immune systems receive an additional dose 28 days after their second Pfizer shot.
Testing, masks encouraged, but not required for college football title game
Proof of either vaccination or a negative test will not be required for entry into Lucas Oil Stadium for the College Football Playoff National Championship or any of the various fan events planned throughout the weekend.
Indiana limits COVID rapid-test availability at state, local testing sites
The Indiana Department of Health on Tuesday said it was putting restrictions on the availability of rapid tests for COVID-19 at state and local health department testing sites “due to high demand and a national shortage of rapid test kits.”
Thousands of flights canceled, delayed at start of workweek
A winter storm that hit the mid-Atlantic on Monday combined with pandemic-caused shortages of airline workers to push flight cancellations to a holiday-season high, creating more frustration for travelers just trying to get home.