Displaying items by tag: pandemic

In mid-2020, I mused that if the COVID-19 pandemic ended up producing any silver linings, the most likely bright spot would be its impact on government — so-called "public" — education. Throughout the previous spring, government schools had largely shut down in-person classes, switching to ad hoc and, it seems, fairly lame, "remote learning."

CHARLOTTE — The American Red Cross is facing a national blood crisis – its worst blood shortage in more than a decade. Dangerously low blood supply levels are posing a concerning risk to patient care and forcing doctors to make difficult decisions  about who receives blood transfusions and who will need to wait until more products become available. 

RALEIGH — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention yesterday announced it recommends the Pfizer COVID-19 booster for children ages 12 to 15 to further protect them from COVID-19.

On Dec. 17, the U.S. House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis released a series of emails between outgoing National Institutes of Health Director Francis Collins and Anthony Fauci of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

RALEIGH —Programs that provide overdose prevention and syringe access are serving more people and potentially saving more lives, according to the 2020-2021 North Carolina Safer Syringe Initiative Annual Report released by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.

RALEIGH— North Carolina ranks among the bottom 10 states in the country on Politico's new State Pandemic Scorecard. The Tar Heel State's overall ranking of No. 41 combines high marks for health and the economy with low scores for social well-being and education.

RALEIGH — Outgoing N.C. Health and Human Services Secretary Mandy Cohen told lawmakers recently that schools could still close in the event of a COVID infection surge this winter. Cohen delivered this news as teachers and students scramble to wrap this semester and kids try to catch up from the year of remote and missed school.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Agriculture will begin issuing final pandemic assistance payments to timber harvesters and timber hauling businesses through the Pandemic Assistance for Timber Harvesters and Haulers program starting next week. In total, $200 million will be provided to loggers and log trucking businesses who experienced a gross revenue loss of at least 10% during the period of Jan. 1 through Dec. 1, 2020, compared to the period of Jan. 1 through Dec. 1, 2019. This support is part of USDA’s broader Pandemic Assistance for Producers initiative. 

RALEIGH — The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services today announced the State of North Carolina has been awarded more than $38 million in federal funding to establish a new water assistance program for households affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

HAMLET — The president of Richmond Community College reflected on the challenges of the past two years, from a major cyber attack on the College’s computer network to a worldwide pandemic, and said the College is stronger because of these events.