Amid the coronavirus pandemic, US suicides dropped nearly 6% in 2020
It’s the largest annual decline in at least four decades, according to preliminary government data.
CDC changes school guidance, allowing student desks to be closer together
The previous 6-foot standard has forced some schools to remove desks, stagger scheduling and take other steps to keep children away from one another.
Fully vaccinated people can safely gather without masks and visit grandchildren, CDC says in long-awaited guidelines
Federal health officials are continuing to recommend that fully vaccinated people wear well-fitted masks and physically distance when out in public.
Study finds mask mandates slow coronavirus spread while dining out increases cases
The CDC study was released just as some states are rescinding mask mandates and restaurant limits.
CDC unveils plan for how schools can reopen for in-person learning during pandemic
Vaccination of teachers, while important, is not a prerequisite for reopening, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.
International travelers flying to US will soon need to show negative COVID-19 test result
The new measures are designed to try to prevent travelers from bringing in newer forms of the virus that scientists say can spread more easily.
US deaths top 3 million in 2020, by far the most ever counted
Preliminary numbers suggest that the United States is on track to see more than 3.2 million deaths this year, or at least 400,000 more than in 2019.
Federal panel: The first coronavirus vaccines should go to health care workers, nursing homes
Current estimates project that no more than 20 million doses of each vaccine — one made by Pfizer, the other by Moderna — will be available by the end of 2020. And each product requires two doses.
US hits record COVID-19 hospitalizations as deaths climb nationwide
But some experts are hopeful the nation is better able to deal with the virus this time around.
CDC reverses heavily criticized guidance about who should be tested for the coronavirus
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention essentially returned to its previous testing guidance, getting rid of language posted last month that said people didn’t need to get tested if they didn’t feel sick.
Coronavirus deaths in kids mirror patterns seen in adults, CDC says
The numbers of young deaths are small though, representing about 0.08% of the total U.S. deaths reported to CDC at the time.
Teenage vaping falls dramatically in U.S., report says
Experts think last year’s outbreak of vaping related illnesses and deaths may have scared off some kids, but they believe higher age limits and flavor bans also contributed.