Coronavirus

Skip to main content Turn off refresh

Coronavirus

STAMFORD, CONNECTICUT - APRIL 24: Breathing tubes hang next to a man with COVID-19 on a ventilator at a Stamford Hospital Intensive Care Unit on April 24, 2020 in Stamford, Connecticut. The hospital opened additional ICUs to deal the the vast number of people suffering from the coronavirus pandemic, and roughly half of the patients at the hospital are COVID-19 positive. Stamford, with it's close proximity to New York City, has the highest number of COVID-19 patients in the state.

Health

California hospitalizations climb as COVID, flu and RSV infections increase

More than two-thirds of intensive care unit beds in California are filled up heading into the winter holiday season as a wave of respiratory illnesses sweeps over the state.

Health
A mysterious pneumonia outbreak is sweeping China. Here’s how it compares to COVID
China is confronting a wave of respiratory illness among children whose cause is uncertain. But unlike with COVID, health officials assert they have not detected any “unusual or novel diseases.” By Aidin Vaziri
Health
Is Novavax, the latecomer vaccine against COVID-19, worth the wait?
The shot, which is based on proteins rather than mRNA, appears to be as effective as the COVID vaccines from Moderna and Pfizer and with fewer side effects. But is it arriving too late? By Amy Maxmen
Health
Back pain? Bum knee? Be prepared to wait in California for a physical therapist
There’s a nationwide shortage of physical therapists, but the crunch is particularly acute in California, which has a lower-than-average ratio of PTs to residents. By Mark Kreidler
Bay Area
Season of Sharing helps COVID orphan who became parent and breadwinner to his brothers
After losing his mother to COVID, a young East Bay man caring for his brothers fell behind on rent, until Season of Sharing stepped in. By Jill Tucker
Health
COVID, flu and RSV are rising in the Bay Area. Here’s how to minimize risk this Thanksgiving
An uptick in COVID cases and hospitalizations, and an early flu and RSV season, may make some people think twice about spreading respiratory viruses at the holiday table. By Kellie Hwang
Health
COVID hospitalizations are rising but Americans mostly not worried about the virus
Three-quarters of adults express little or no worry about getting infected with the virus this winter, according to a new survey. But COVID is coming. By Aidin Vaziri
San Francisco
S.F. shuts down ‘problematic’ COVID test sites that handed out $5 bills
Gentech, which operated sites near open-air drug markets, lured members of the public with $5 in cash for each test taken. Some payments may have been used to buy street drugs. By Aidin Vaziri
Health
The life expectancy gap between men and women is getting worse. Here’s why
The gap in life expectancy between U.S. men and women grew to its largest in 25 years in 2021, largely driven by men being more likely to die from COVID-19 and drug overdoses. By Catherine Ho
Health
How likely are you to have COVID rebound after taking Paxlovid? New study finds an answer
A new study has affirmed that 1 in 5 individuals who take the antiviral medication Paxlovid to treat COVID-19 encounters a rebound infection. By Aidin Vaziri
Health
Get your COVID and flu shots together ahead of Thanksgiving, CDC urges
Getting COVID-19 and flu shots at the same time is not only safe but might also improve community uptake, according to a real-world study. By Aidin Vaziri
Bay Area
Here is how SFO is keeping track of infectious diseases this winter
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has expanded its infectious disease surveillance efforts to include four major airports, including San Francisco International. By Aidin Vaziri
Health
Mask mandates return in some settings even as COVID-19 stalls in California
Several Bay Area counties reinstated precautionary mask mandates in hospital and health care settings this week, even as COVID-19 numbers remain flat to down. By Aidin Vaziri
San Francisco
Another S.F. street will be car-free. This time, nobody’s raising a fuss
A half-mile segment of road in McLaren Park in San Francisco’s southeast is removing car traffic for good after city supervisors signed off on a plan to convert it to a promenade. By Ricardo Cano
Health
New COVID vaccine uptake is ‘abysmal’ — even among older demographics
In the first month after the availability of the new COVID-19 vaccines, a mere 7% of U.S. adults and 2% of children received the shots, a rate deemed “abysmal” by one health expert. By Aidin Vaziri
Politics
California’s chief justice says COVID improved access to state courts
Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero said the state’s courts are holding 6,000 remote hearings every day. By Bob Egelko
Politics
Padilla’s COVID absence delays confirmation of Alameda County judge to federal bench
A Senate Judiciary Committee vote on President Biden’s contested nomination of Alameda County Superior Court Judge Eumi Lee was postponed Thursday. By Bob Egelko
Health
Pfizer to charge $1,390 for its lifesaving Paxlovid COVID treatment on commercial market
The price of Paxlovid will more than double, to $1,390 for a five-day course, when the lifesaving COVID-19 treatment enters to the commercial market next month. By Aidin Vaziri
Health
Silicon Valley tech executive gets 8 years in prison for COVID fraud scheme
Mark Schena, the president of Sunnyvale-based Arrayit Corp., was found guilty of orchestrating a $77 million coronavirus testing scheme and deceiving investors. By Aidin Vaziri
Bay Area
California Sen. Laphonza Butler tests positive for COVID-19, working remotely
The new senator says she is experiencing mild symptoms after testing positive for the virus after a little more than a week on the job. By Nora Mishanec
Health
Free access to lifesaving COVID treatment is ending. Here’s what to know
The federal government has announced the end date for free access to COVID-19 treatment Paxlovid, which significantly reduces hospitalization and the risk of death. By Aidin Vaziri
Health
Bay Area seniors urged by CDC chief to get winter COVID, flu, RSV vaccines
A day after she got the updated COVID vaccine herself, new CDC Director Dr. Mandy Cohen urged East Bay seniors to do the same. By Catherine Ho
Politics
State Supreme Court leaves employers on the hook for work-from-home expenses
The state Supreme Court won’t shield employers that refused to compensate employees for expenses when they had to work from home because of COVID-19. By Bob Egelko
Health
Long COVID: New study reveals kids' risk for mysterious illness
Research from the CDC counts a lower percentage of American adults who have had long COVID and says the risk to children is far less. By Aidin Vaziri
Health
It’s not COVID, but symptoms won’t pass? You may have a ‘long cold’
People who test negative for the coronavirus but experience a lingering cough, fatigue or digestive issues may suffer from “long colds,” according to a new study. By Aidin Vaziri
Health
Who is dying from COVID now? This group represented 90% of deaths
A new study from the CDC reveals the demographic group that has accounted for the majority of this year’s COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths. By Aidin Vaziri
Health
Here’s why you won’t need your paper COVID vaccination cards anymore
Vital for entry into various establishments such as restaurants, concerts and sporting events, the rectangular white cards were at one point in high demand. By Aidin Vaziri
Politics
State can be held liable for San Quentin COVID deaths, court rules
The state can be held responsible for the deaths of San Quentin inmates from COVID-19 after infected inmates were transferred in, a court ruled Tuesday. By Bob Egelko
Health
California doctors who deliver COVID falsehoods no longer committing ‘misconduct’
California briefly became the only state to include delivering COVID misinformation in its official definition of physician misconduct. Now Gov. Newsom has quietly repealed it. By Nanette Asimov, Bob Egelko
Health
California sees decline in COVID hospitalizations. Will it last?
The latest state and national data signal a modest but reassuring trend as the state emerges from a summer coronavirus swell. By Aidin Vaziri
Health
Bay Area residents clamor for new COVID vaccine, but shots remain in short supply
The new COVID vaccine, which targets more recent variants, is now available in the Bay Area, but people interviewed in the East Bay report a wait for appointments. By Michael Cabanatuan