CHARLESTON, W.Va. COVID-19 hospitalizations and active cases continue to go down in West Virginia, according to the latest report from the state Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR).
The agency confirmed 2,049 active cases of the coronavirus Thursday, down from 2,143 reported Wednesday. That level of active cases in the state is the lowest since July 28 of last year when the number was under 2,000.
There are 444 patients in the hospital due to the coronavirus with 108 in the ICU and 60 patients on a vent. All three of those numbers are down from Wednesdays report. Its the lowest level of hospitalizations in West Virginia due to COVID-19 since mid-August of last year.
Due to technical issues, the DHHRs dashboard had not been updated Thursday morning.
The DHHR confirmed 46 additional deaths on Thursday including a 60-year old female from Kanawha County, a 78-year old male from Doddridge County, an 82-year old male from Greenbrier County, a 97-year old male from Kanawha County, an 81-year old female from Marion County, a 73-year old female from Kanawha County, a 39-year old male from Greenbrier County, a 71-year old male from Jackson County, an 80-year old male from Mason County, a 73-year old female from Harrison County, and a 64-year old male from Taylor County.
Included in the total deaths reported on the dashboard as a result of the Bureau for Public Healths continuing data reconciliation with the official death certificate are a 69-year old female from Wyoming County, a 68-year old male from Monongalia County, a 70-year old female from Cabell County, a 77-year old male from Ohio County, a 77-year old male from Boone County, an 82-year old female from Harrison County, an 84-year old male from Monongalia County, a 68-year old female from Raleigh County, an 83-year old male from Wayne County, a 61-year old male from Brooke County, an 80-year old female from Wayne County, an 82-year old female from Jefferson County, a 60-year old male from Boone County, a 59-year old male from Wetzel County, a 76-year old female from Marshall County, a 74-year old female from Morgan County, a 65-year old female from Fayette County, an 86-year old male from Jefferson County, a 66-year old female from Kanawha County, an 83-year old female from Mercer County, an 83-year old male from Randolph County, a 93-year old female from Harrison County, a 79-year old female from Marion County, an 89-year old male from Greenbrier County, a 69-year old female from Greenbrier County, a 95-year old male from Raleigh County, a 77-year old male from Wayne County, a 73-year old female from Summers County, a 48-year old female from Wayne County, a 42-year old male from Mingo County, a 70-year old female from Kanawha County, a 72-year old male from Lincoln County, a 78-year old female from Putnam County, a 74-year old male from Wyoming County, and an 85-year old male from Hancock County.
These deaths range from December 2021 through February 2022, with one death occurring in December 2020.
The COVID-19 death total in West Virginia is 6,427.
As we remember and honor each life lost to COVID-19, I urge every West Virginian to be vaccinated and boosted against this deadly virus, said Bill J. Crouch, DHHR Cabinet Secretary in a release.
Current active COVID-19 cases per county: Barbour (25), Berkeley (78), Boone (21), Braxton (21), Brooke (25), Cabell (92), Calhoun (15), Clay (9), Doddridge (9), Fayette (69), Gilmer (2), Grant (7), Greenbrier (49), Hampshire (26), Hancock (10), Hardy (12), Harrison (121), Jackson (20), Jefferson (37), Kanawha (153), Lewis (12), Lincoln (20), Logan (48), Marion (95), Marshall (20), Mason (39), McDowell (44), Mercer (105), Mineral (16), Mingo (40), Monongalia (103), Monroe (19), Morgan (7), Nicholas (71), Ohio (20), Pendleton (1), Pleasants (10), Pocahontas (6), Preston (53), Putnam (43), Raleigh (94), Randolph (28), Ritchie (16), Roane (12), Summers (14), Taylor (37), Tucker (10), Tyler (6), Upshur (50), Wayne (40), Webster (18), Wetzel (20), Wirt (5), Wood (81), Wyoming (45). To find the cumulative cases per county, please visit www.coronavirus.wv.gov and look on the Cumulative Summary tab which is sortable by county.
The purpose of this communication is to update superintendents, school system administrators, and school system testing coordinator about COVID-19 test reporting requirements and reallocations occurring within the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) and the Texas Education Agencys (TEA)K-12 COVID Testing Program.
School systems that opted into the K-12 Testing Program agreed to adhere to the following reporting requirements:
LEAs must submit a Tests and Services Received Report within 48 hours (2 business days) after the last day of engagement with the vendor.
To adhere to the requirements of the federally funded CDC grant, the DSHS and TEA will require that all school systems ensure that the following conditions are met byMarch 31, 2022:
After March 31, school systems will be expected to continue to meet the above reporting requirements and thresholds. Failure to adhere to these requirements may delay access to the allocation or cause removal from the K-12 COVID-19 Testing Program.
School systems across the state utilize the K-12 COVID Testing Program in various ways to keep their students and staff safe and to provide the school system with information on COVID-19 positivity rates in their school systems. In order to support all school systems in the state, DSHS and TEA have reallocated funds from schools that have not utilized their testing allocation so that schools that have implemented effective screening practices or schools in areas of high transmission can continue to test.
As of today, March 3, 2022, school systems that have not utilized any of their allocation will have their allocation reduced by 90%. If school systems decide they need to utilize their testing allocation and need more than the updated allocation amount, they will need to emailCOVIDCaseReport@tea.texas.gov
School systems that have been effectively utilizing the K-12 COVID-19 Testing Program and have met the above reporting requirements may request an increase in allocation once they have reported 80% use of their allocation. Schools systems that would like to request an increase in allocation should complete theSY 21-22 COVID-19 Stop Gap and Allocation Increase Form.
The Covid-19 pandemic has hastened consumers willingness to test for more medical conditions at home, test makers said, expanding the market for self-diagnostic products.
Manufacturers are developing new types of at-home tests, including for flu and strep throat, aimed at consumers who are increasingly monitoring and managing their own health through fitness apps and smartwatches.
Few of Covid-19s peculiarities have piqued as much interest as anosmia, the abrupt loss of smell that has become a well-known hallmark of the disease. Covid patients lose this sense even without a stuffy nose; the loss can make food taste like cardboard and coffee smell noxious, occasionally persisting after other symptoms have resolved.
Scientists are now beginning to unravel the biological mechanisms, which have been something of a mystery: The neurons that detect odors lack the receptors that the coronavirus uses to enter cells, prompting a long debate about whether they can be infected at all.
Insights gleaned from new research could shed new light on how the coronavirus might affect other types of brain cells, leading to conditions like brain fog, and possibly help explain the biological mechanisms behind long Covid symptoms that linger for weeks or months after the initial infection.
The new work, along with earlier studies, settles the debate over whether the coronavirus infects the nerve cells that detect odors: It does not. But the virus does attack other supporting cells that line the nasal cavity, the researchers found.
The infected cells shed virus and die, while immune cells flood the region to fight the virus. The subsequent inflammation wreaks havoc on smell receptors, proteins on the surface of the nerve cells in the nose that detect and transmit information about odors.
The process alters the sophisticated organization of genes in those neurons, essentially short-circuiting them, the researchers reported.
Although Paxlovid pills have been relatively scarce since they were authorized late last year, Mr. Biden said in his speech on Tuesday that Pfizer is working overtime to get us one million pills this month and more than double that next month.
There is an average of about 60,000 new U.S. cases a day, according to a New York Times database. That is far less than the daily average of 800,000 in January, at the peak of the winter surge fueled by Omicron. But it is still much higher than the daily caseload last June, before Delta drove a summer surge.
Even as the White House asserts that things are getting better and new federal guidelines suggest 70 percent of Americans can stop wearing masks for now, large groups of people remain at risk. Children under 5 are not yet eligible for vaccines. On Monday, New York State health officials released data showing that Pfizer-BioNTechs vaccine is much less effective in preventing infection in 5- to 11-year-olds than in adolescents or adults.
And an estimated seven million Americans have weak immune systems, illnesses or other disabilities that make them more vulnerable to severe Covid. The White House announced last week that it was taking several steps to make masks and tests more accessible to those groups.
But Gregg Gonsalves, an epidemiologist at Yale University, said that with mask mandates dropping around the country, the administration and in particular the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which relaxed its mask guidance last week had put too much of a burden on vulnerable Americans to protect themselves.
One mask mandate that will not be dropped at least not for the next few weeks is the one Mr. Biden imposed on airplanes, trains and other forms of travel. Jeffrey D. Zients, the White House coronavirus response coordinator, said that it would remain in effect until at least March 18, but that the C.D.C. is reviewing it.
In his State of the Union address, Mr. Biden called on Congress to provide new funding for the administration to stockpile more tests, masks and pills. And he said that Americans who ordered free at-home tests from a government website, covidtests.gov, would be able to order more next week.
I cannot promise a new variant wont come, Mr. Biden said. But I can promise you well do everything within our power to be ready if it does.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is warning people to not use certain Flowflex coronavirus (COVID-19) rapid tests, because there is a risk of false results.
The FDA said people should avoid using the Acon Laboratories test named Flowflex SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Rapid Test (Self-Testing) that is packaged in a dark blue box, as it has not been authorized, cleared, or approved by the FDA for distribution or use in the United States.
The agency hasnt received reports of injuries, adverse health consequences, or death associated with the use of this rapid at-home test.
If you have a Flowflex COVID-19 rapid test, you should compare the packaging to the photo above, and shouldnt use it if its in a dark blue box.
The unauthorized test uses a nasal swab sample to detect proteins, called antigens, from SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. The unauthorized test has a dark blue box with white lettering and symbols in the lower right corner of the box, including the letters CE.
It is important to note that the Acon Laboratories Flowflex COVID-19 Antigen Home Test, in white packaging, was authorized by the FDA in October 2021 and can continue to be used.
Here is a list of at-home tests authorized by the FDA.
A false-negative antigen test result means that the test says the person doesnt have COVID-19, but they actually do have the virus. A false-negative result may lead to delayed diagnosis or inappropriate treatment, which may cause people harm -- including serious illness and death. It can also lead to further spread of COVID-19.
A false-positive antigen test result means that the test says the person has COVID-19 but they actually do not have it. This may lead to a delay in both the correct diagnosis and appropriate treatment for the actual cause of a persons illness, which could be another life-threatening disease that is not COVID-19.
ACON Laboratories Inc. has initiated a recall for all unauthorized Flowflex SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Rapid Tests tests that were distributed in the United States.
Talk to your health-care provider if you think you were tested with the rapid test and you have concerns about your results. Consider retesting using an authorized test if you suspect an inaccurate result.
If you think you had a problem with a COVID-19 test, the FDA encourages you to report the problem through the MedWatch Voluntary Reporting Form.
OTHER PROBLEMATIC RAPID TESTS
Last month, a South Korean company recalled a coronavirus rapid test kit because it was illegally imported into the United States. SD Biosensor Inc. recalled its Standard Q COVID-19 Ag Home Test that is not authorized, cleared, or approved by the FDA for distribution or use in the United States.
While there is no known distribution of these tests directly to consumers, the company is issuing the recall out of an abundance of caution.
In January, the FDA said to stop using the Empowered Diagnostics CovClear COVID-19 Rapid Antigen Test and ImmunoPass COVID-19 Neutralizing Antibody Rapid Test.
These tests were distributed with labeling that indicates they are authorized by the FDA but the agency said neither test has been authorized, cleared, or approved for distribution or use in the United States.
The agency said its concerned about the potentially higher risk of false results when using unauthorized tests.
Therefore, Empowered Diagnostics is recalling the CovClear COVID-19 Rapid Antigen Test and the ImmunoPass COVID-19 Neutralizing Antibody Rapid Test. The FDA identified this as a Class I recall, the most serious type of recall.
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Its well known that people who are pregnant are more susceptible to a number of infectious diseases.
Influenza, malaria, hepatitis E, herpes simplex virus, measles, and smallpox are all known to cause more severe complications in pregnant people than in the general population.
Similarly, pregnant people who contract the novel coronavirus are more at risk of developing severe disease and experiencing pregnancy complications, like preterm birth and preeclampsia.
New research found that maternal deaths rose by 14 percent during the pandemic, from 754 deaths in 2019 to 861 deaths in 2020.
Reports have also shown that pregnant people who develop COVID-19 are more likely to require a ventilator or intensive care.
The risk of complications from COVID-19 has consistently been higher in Black and Hispanic pregnant people.
According to Dr. Lucky Sekhon, a reproductive endocrinologist in Progyny Provider Network and doctor at Reproductive Medicine Associates of NY, pregnancy puts the body in a state of immunosuppression.
The immune system does this to allow the embryo to implant and establish a pregnancy.
This means being more susceptible to infections such as viral illnesses and foodborne illnesses. There are also specific types of viruses that can cross the placenta and are known to be associated with impaired fetal development and birth defects, says Sekhon.
Evidence has shown that pregnant people who get COVID-19 have a greater chance of developing more severe disease and are more likely to be hospitalized and require mechanical ventilation.
Their fetuses also face a greater risk of stillbirth, growth issues, and preterm delivery, according to Sekhon.
Recent research found that maternal deaths increased in 2020 by about 14 percent.
Dr. Greg Marchand, a board certified OB-GYN who has studied how COVID-19 affects pregnancy outcomes, said pregnant women with COVID-19 have a 50 percent higher risk of preterm birth.
Some of this may be because of the necessity to deliver women who may have severe COVID-19 symptoms earlier to help mom recover from the pneumonia, Marchand said.
Research has found that Black and Hispanic pregnant women are more likely to experience these complications.
Another recent study found that in unvaccinated pregnant people who developed COVID-19, the coronavirus appeared to attack the placenta, which increased the risk for stillbirth.
Still, the vast majority of pregnant people who are diagnosed with COVID-19 do well, says Marchand.
While pregnant people with COVID-19 require hospitalization slightly more frequently than nonpregnant people of the same age and health, they do tend to do better than the average person with a coronavirus infection since they are more likely to be young and healthy, Marchand added.
Marchand said if youre pregnant and have COVID-19, aim to get plenty of rest, hydrate, and vitamin C.
The vaccines, if given before coronavirus infection in pregnancy, can also help prevent infection and more severe symptoms.
The immunity conferred from the vaccines can also cross the placenta and help protect newborns from COVID-19 post-delivery.
There is a wide body of evidence demonstrating the safety of certain vaccines to both mother and baby and the potential benefits, such as conferring immunity and lowering the risk of serious disease in the neonate, Sekhon said. The COVID vaccine has been approved and is encouraged in pregnant and nursing mothers.
Pregnant people are more at risk of complications from numerous infectious diseases, from influenza and measles to smallpox and herpes.
Similarly, pregnant people who contract the coronavirus have a higher chance of pregnancy complications since pregnancy essentially puts the body in an immunocompromised state.
Recent research found that maternal deaths rose by 14 percent during the pandemic. The COVID-19 vaccines are the safest and most effective way for pregnant people to protect themselves and their fetuses from complications associated with COVID-19.
Find an updated count of COVID-19 cases in California and by county on our tracker here.
Some of Nevadas school districts have lowered the bar for substitute teacher hiring during states of emergency
As demand for COVID-19 vaccines drop, states scramble to figure out what to do with soon-to-expire doses
Pfizers COVID-19 pill treatment takes months to produce
California man allegedly stole $1 million in COVID-19 tests
Pfizers COVID-19 vaccines protect young kids against omicron, report shows
9:43 a.m.: Some of Nevadas school districts have lowered the bar for substitute teacher hiring during states of emergency
In a move prompted by the pandemic, the state has cleared the way for Nevadas largest school districts to hire substitute teachers with only a high school diploma during states of emergency.
According to the Associated Press, the Legislative Commission on Monday unanimously approved a permanent rule change covering school districts with over 9,000 students attending district schools or public charter schools within a districts geographic boundaries.
The covered districts include Las Vegas, Clark and Washoe counties.
The new permanent regulation replaces a temporary measure that expired Nov. 1. It was put in place during the pandemic because of Clark Countys severe staffing shortage.
9:39 a.m.: As demand for COVID-19 vaccines drop, states scramble to figure out what to do with soon-to-expire doses
As demand to get COVID-19 vaccines in the U.S. collapses in many areas, states are scrambling to use stockpiles of doses before they expire.
Millions of doses have already gone to waste across the nation, as reported by the Associated Press.
From the least vaccinated states like Indiana and North Dakota to some of the most vaccinated states like New Jersey and Vermont, public health departments are shuffling doses around their states in hopes of finding providers that can use them.
In California, the percentage of wasted doses is only about 1.8%, but in a state thats received 84 million doses and administered more than 71 million of them, that's about 1.4 million wasted doses.
All this comes only about a year after the vaccines were released, and people such as hospital board members, their trustees and donors jumped the line to get early access before those deemed a higher priority.
9:34 a.m.: Pfizers COVID-19 pill treatment takes months to produce
Pfizers new COVID-19 treatment came with a catch when it debuted late last year it can take months to make tablets.
According to the Associated Press, company leaders said they have since expanded production and expect big gains in the next several months. That could help if another wave of cases develops later this year.
The drugmaker uses more than 20 different sites in over 10 countries to produce Paxlovid, however making the complex drug involves chemical reactions that need time to develop. Pfizer said it has reduced production time from nearly nine months to about seven.
9:56 a.m.: California man allegedly stole $1 million in COVID-19 tests
Authorities say they are seeking a Southern California warehouse manager who is accused of stealing more than $1 million worth of COVID-19 tests from his employers clinic.
Santa Ana police say 33-year-old Carlitos Peralta had access to his employers shipping and delivery system, according to the Associated Press.
His employer has seven warehouses nationwide that are used to store and ship COVDI-19 tests to customers, including clinics, pop-up testing sites, schools, and hotels.
Police say Peralta diverted nearly 100 separate shipments from multiple warehouses to his home.
The police department asked the public on Thursday to contact the agency with information about his whereabouts.
9:51 a.m.: Pfizers COVID-19 vaccines protect young kids against omicron, report shows
A new government report shows Pfizers COVID-19 vaccine gave children 5 and older strong protection against hospitalization and death even during the omicron surge.
As reported by the Associated Press, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released the new data on Tuesday.
A day earlier, a study from New York raised the question of whether the vaccine is less effective in children ages 5 to 11, especially against milder infections, particularly since younger kids get an even smaller dose than teens.
However, CDC data from additional states doesnt suggest any age-related issues with the vaccine. While vaccines are generally less effective against omicron, they still protect against severe outcomes.
9:40 a.m.: Los Angeles County set to drop indoor mask mandate this week
Los Angeles County is set to lift its indoor mask mandate this week as coronavirus case rates and hospitalizations plummet, according to the Associated Press.
Public Health Director Dr. Barbara Ferrer said Tuesday that California's most populous county would likely issue a revised health order that would take effect Friday and along with new state guidelines.
Ferrer told the county's Board of Supervisors that it would still be recommended but not required for vaccinated and unvaccinated residents to wear face coverings in public indoor settings.
9:41 a.m.: Sacramento County public health officer to virtually attend State of the Union
Sacramento County Public Health Officer Dr. Olivia Kasirye will be a virtual guest, due to safety protocols, at tonights State of the Union address.
Rep. Doris Matsui (D-Sacramento) made the announcement Monday night. The address will cover some of the achievements of the Biden presidency, from the economy to the government's COVID-19 response.
I am thrilled to have Dr. Olivia Kasirye join as my virtual guest and thank her for her guidance, vigilance and service for the Sacramento community, Matsui said in a press release.
Kasirye said that shes worked together with Matusi to provide the people of the Sacramento region with timely and accurate information and the resources they need to stay safe during the battle with COVID-19.
CapRadio will broadcast the speech live at 6 p.m. You can also watch it live on our website.
9:06 a.m.: US Treasury Department says overwhelming amount of federal rental assistance during pandemic went to low-income tenants
The U.S. Treasury Department has concluded that more than 80% of the billions of dollars in federal rental assistance went to low-income tenants during the pandemic.
According to the Associated Press, the Treasury also found that the largest percentage of tenants receiving pandemic aid were Black households, in which many were led by women.
In the fourth quarter of 2021, the Treasury also found that more than 40% of tenants getting help were Black and 20% were Latino, while two-thirds were woman-headed households.
Lawmakers approved $6.5 billion in Emergency Rental Assistance last year, and through 2021, the government body said more than $25 billion has been spent or allocated, representing 3.8 million payments to households.
Find older coronavirus updates on our previous blog page here
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COVID complications are many and unfortunately these are severe in most cases. More than 2 years into the pandemic, we have begun normalising wearing masks, keeping hands sanitized, and avoiding public gathering. But the important question is how far have we understood the post-COVID complications?It is wrong to think that once the COVID infection subsides, we are done with the coronavirus and are safe forever. COVID impacts many organs of the body, and the impact remains even after the infection. This respiratory disease is seen to be affecting lungs, heart, stomach people even after recovering from it.COVID-19 is a perfect storm for the heart was the statement issued by the World Heart Federation (WHF) at the beginning of the pandemic which turned out to be true. COVID is a pro-inflammatory condition and leads to inflammation of the heart which can manifest as Myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle) or Pericarditis which is inflammation of the sac containing the heart," says Dr Praveen P Sadarmin, Consultant Interventional Cardiologist, Narayana Health City, Bangalore.COVID and heartbeat rate
An increase in heart beat after recovering from COVID has been seen in many people. Normal heart rate varies between 60 to 100; an increase in that, leading to a condition called tachycardia, is a reason to worry about. In COVID, many patients have complained of many heart related issues like experiencing a fast beating heart even after recovery.
Tachycardia is the condition in which an increase in the heart rate is observed; it can either start in the heart's lower chambers called the ventricles or in the upper chambers called atria.
Post-COVID many people experience faster heartbeats even with mild activities. People who used to work for hours together before COVID, feel accelerated heart rate after COVID. In such cases the heart beat increases to 95-100 even after doing small physical activities like walking for short distances. While in many patients this condition resolves after a while, in many others it lingers for sometime. Moreover, a fluctuation in the heart beat is devastating for those who have a previous record of heart diseases.
A 2021 research study published in the Lancet revealed that in the week after a COVID-19 diagnosis, the risk of a first heart attack increased by three to eight times. The study which was done on 87,000 people, of which 57% were women, also found that in the following weeks, risks of blood clot and heart attack decreased steadily but stayed elevated for at least a month.
A similar observation was revealed by the COVID Symptom Study app. The app found that COVID-19 is a reason for irregular, and increased heart rates. The app has over 4 million users worldwide.
"Fever and infection cause the heart rate to speed up, increasing the work of the heart in COVID-19 patients who develop pneumonia. Blood pressure may drop or spike, causing further stress on the heart, and the resulting increase in oxygen demand can lead to heart damage, especially if the heart arteries or muscle were unhealthy to begin with," says a report by Harvard Health.
Experts also link COVID to heart problems like myocarditis and pericarditis. " Outcomes are worse for COVID patients with cardiovascular disease and acute cardiac injury has been reported in many studies ranging from 8% to even 62% and has been associated with greater disease severity, including the need for mechanical ventilation and death," says Dr Sadarmin.
"Coronavirus infection also affects the inner surfaces of veins and arteries, which can cause blood vessel inflammation, damage to very small vessels and blood clots, all of which can compromise blood flow to the heart or other parts of the body," explain experts at John Hopkins.
An increased heart rate affects a person's physical fitness and people with higher heart rate usually do not have good heart health, says Dr Sameer Dani, Senior interventional cardiologist and director, Apollo CVHF, Ahmedabad and adds that people with less variability and higher heart rates have higher chances of a heart attack and other cardiac disorders like heart failure. "Fit people like athletes have lower heart rates," he says.
Warning signsA number of symptoms show up in people post COVID. Palpitations, dizzy, chest discomfort, severe fatigue, shortness of breath, are some of the indications of a poor heart health post COVID say experts at John Hopkins.
It is therefore imperative to understand all the symptoms and take medical assistance at the earliest.
Dr Dani says once the heartbeat crosses 100 beats per minute, noticeable changes like palpitation, breathlessness and discomfort become visible.
Risk factors to knowA study has found that compared with the control groups, Covid patients were 1.7 times more likely to develop cardiovascular disorders, 1.5 times more likely to develop stroke and 1.7 times more likely to have dysregulated heart rhythm.
Also Read: 1 in 20 people are likely to experience THIS side effect from COVID-19 booster shot
A closer look at some of the top headlines trending online today around the world including the latest developments on Russias attacks in Ukraine, coronavirus updates and much more.
Families torn apart amid mass exodus from Ukraine face uncertain future (ABC)
U.S. troops rush to Europe amid war in Ukraine (AP)
How Russias war in Ukraine came back to bite Putin at home (NBC)
North Korea, Syria Vote Against U.N. Resolution Condemning Russian Invasion (Newsweek)
China asked Russia to wait until after Olympics to invade Ukraine: report (Fox)
House committee accuses Trump of criminal conspiracy to undermine election results (AP)
Senate hearings for Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson to start March 21 (CBS)
White House unveils new Covid strategy for next phase of pandemic (NBC)
A highly changed coronavirus variant was found in deer after nearly a year in hiding, researchers suggest (CNN)
How the Coronavirus Steals the Sense of Smell (NY Times)
COVID-19 pandemic vs. endemic: Whats the difference, and why it matters (ABC)
Hawaii to lift COVID quarantine requirement for travelers this month (CBS)
Fitbit recalls 1.7 million smartwatches with a battery that can overheat and burn you (NPR)
TikTok faces investigation into its impact on young peoples mental health (The Verge)
Serena Williams calls out New York Times after mistakingly using photo of her sister, Venus (Yahoo)
Olivia Rodrigo praises female artists in Billboard speech (AP)
