Interferon does not help hospitalized COVID-19 patients, NIH study finds

A recent National Institutes of Health trial published on Monday highlights the failure of a COVID-19 treatment known as interferon beta-1a, a medicine with both antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties.

Gates Foundation to spend $120M on access to Merck’s antiviral COVID-19 pill

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation says it will spend $120 million to boost access to generic versions of drugmaker Merck’s antiviral COVID-19 pill for lower income countries, if the drug gets approved by regulators.

Arkansas restaurant pays student employees to do homework during shift

A restaurant group in Arkansas is allowing student employees to do homework for an hour while on the clock, an initiative that is raising grades and also recruiting more employees amid the country’s labor shortage.

Preparing students for college during pandemic
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Local counselor helps high school students prepare for the transition to college during the pandemic.

September was worst month for child COVID-19 infections, AAP says

The American Academy of Pediatrics also said the overall COVID-19 infection rate is 8,035 cases per 100,000 children in the population.

How have churches navigated during the pandemic?
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Two pastors join The Factor to discuss how the pandemic has impacted their churches and congregations.

J&J COVID-19 booster: FDA panel endorses extra dose at least 2 months later

An FDA panel on Friday voted to recommend a booster dose of the single-shot Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine at least two months later.

Italy's mandatory COVID-19 pass for all workers prompts protests

All workers across public and private sectors in Italy are required to show a COVID-19 health pass to get into their place of employment.

US to lift travel ban for vaccinated foreign nationals on Nov. 8

The White House is expected to announce fully vaccinated international travelers who are foreign nationals will be allowed into the united states starting Nov. 8.

HPD Senior Police Officer John Wilbanks passes away after battle with COVID-19

Senior Police Officer John Wilbanks, who has been an officer with the Houston Police Department since June 1994, passed away on Wednesday after a battle with COVID-19, the police chief said.

US unemployment claims fall to lowest level of COVID-19 pandemic

U.S. unemployment claims dropped 36,000 to 293,000 last week, the lowest level since the start of the pandemic, the Labor Department said.

Bali reopens to some foreign travelers as COVID-19 surge subsides

Bali reopened for some international travelers for the first time in over a year. They must have proof of vaccination, test negative and quarantine.

Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner delivers ?State of the City? address
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Mayor Turner spoke about how the city has responded to the COVID-19 pandemic, the rise in crime and major weather events. This year?s theme was "We Always Rise" celebrating the city?s resiliency and strength during challenging times.

NASA employees gather outside campus Tuesday in opposition to federal vaccine mandate

A group of NASA employees, both civil servants and contractors, gathered outside of the campus Tuesday in opposition to President Biden’s Federal Mandate, which requires companies with 100 or more employees to get vaccinated against the Covid-19 virus.

Report finds more people facing medical debt during pandemic

More than half of people who caught COVID-19 or lost income because of it, are now dealing with medical debt, according to a report by the non-profit healthcare advocate The Commonwealth Fund.

Companies hard-pressed for holiday staff despite millions of job openings

Companies that typically hire thousands of seasonal workers are heading into the holidays during one of the tightest job markets in decades, making it unlikely they’ll find all the workers they need.