Tom Howell Jr.

Biden to reopen Obamacare portal from Feb. 15 to May 15

President Biden said Thursday that he will reopen the Obamacare registration website because of labor shocks from the COVID-19 pandemic, a move to expand the reach of federal coverage options after President Trump targeted the 2010 program and said a special sign-up period wasn't necessary.

January 28, 2021

Biden team: Exploring DPA to increase COVID-19 vaccine-production sites

The White House said Wednesday it is exploring whether it is possible to make coronavirus vaccines at sites that aren't involved now, as President Biden faces intense pressure to one-up the Trump plan he dubbed a "dismal failure" and Republicans accuse him of coasting on his predecessor's groundwork.

January 27, 2021

Sanofi says it will help Pfizer make vaccines for EU

Drugmaker Sanofi said Wednesday it will let its rival, Pfizer, access its manufacturing infrastructure this summer to produce 125 million more doses of coronavirus vaccine for the European Union.

January 27, 2021

Limited supply of coronavirus vaccine poses problem for Joe Biden’s massive distribution plan

President Biden wants to use the full weight of the federal government to speed up the COVID-19 vaccine campaign, but he faces a problem that won't be solved overnight — there are only so many doses to go around.

January 26, 2021

Kamala Harris receives second dose of Moderna vaccine

Vice President Kamala Harris on Tuesday received her second shot of the COVID-19 vaccine from Moderna, meaning she is fully immunized against the disease.

January 26, 2021

Biden announces an increase in weekly vaccine allocation

President Biden on Tuesday said states will receive a bigger allocation of COVID-19 vaccines for at least the next three weeks, hoping to demonstrate progress as governors plead for more doses.

January 26, 2021

Champagne sales down 18% in 2020: Trade group

The first year of the coronavirus pandemic offered little to celebrate, so perhaps it's no surprise that Champagne sales dropped by 18% in 2020.

January 26, 2021

Johnson & Johnson set to report COVID-19 trial data on one-dose vaccine by next week

Johnson & Johnson said Tuesday it will report the results of its coronavirus vaccine trial by next week, potentially placing the immunization campaign on a speedier trajectory as economies reel and nations tighten their borders against fast-moving variants.

January 26, 2021

Joe Biden extends travel restrictions as fears of coronavirus variants mount

Reported coronavirus cases have dropped in recent weeks, but the U.S. government fears fast-moving variants will spark new trouble, prompting President Biden to extend travel restrictions while a drugmaker tests a new version of its vaccine against a potent strain detected in South Africa.

January 25, 2021

Biden formally extends COVID-19 travel restrictions on Europe, U.K., Brazil

President Biden on Monday formally extended travel restrictions on non-U.S. passengers from much of Europe, the U.K., Ireland and Brazil, reversing former President Trump's move to relax the restrictions.

January 25, 2021

Merck gives up COVID-19 vaccine chase, cites poor immune response

Drugmaker Merck said Monday it is giving up on the COVID-19 vaccines it was developing and will focus on treatments for the disease.

January 25, 2021

Moderna tests revamped COVID-19 vaccine to target South Africa strain

Drugmaker Moderna said Monday its vaccine protects against emerging strains of the coronavirus but is less effective against the South African mutation than the U.K. variant, so it is exploring a revamped booster shot.

January 25, 2021

Joe Biden faces pressure to aim higher in COVID-19 vaccine goals

The U.S. is administering roughly 1 million COVID-19 vaccine doses per day, placing President Biden on track to meet his 100-day goal of 100 million shots while heaping pressure on his White House to speed the effort, as virus deaths rise and newly eligible Americans clamor to roll up their sleeves.

January 22, 2021

Boris Johnson: U.K. variant of coronavirus likely more deadly

The fast-spreading "U.K. variant" of the coronavirus might also be more deadly, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Friday, an alarming development that will burden the British health system and reverberate around the world.

January 22, 2021

Joe Biden coronavirus team tempers vaccine expectations as governors start canceling appointments

President Biden's blueprint for tackling COVID-19 signals a departure from President Trump's vaccine-or-bust strategy, doubling down on masks, testing and other measures to stop the coronavirus while scrambling to get more shots into arms.

January 21, 2021

Anthony Fauci: COVID-19 cases dropping, but mutations make him wary

Dr. Anthony Fauci said Thursday he thinks a recent slowdown in coronavirus cases is "real" but he's worried about a relapse as mutated versions spread.

January 21, 2021

Joe Biden predicts 500K coronavirus deaths, but ‘help is on the way’

President Biden said Thursday it will "take months" to defeat the coronavirus and the death toll will likely exceed half a million, though he's confident he can speed the vaccine rollout through wartime production powers, FEMA-supported centers and pharmacy programs.

January 21, 2021