The Air Force has administratively discharged 27 individuals for refusing to get vaccinated against the coronavirus, making them the first members to face such consequences for defying the vaccine mandate, AP reports.
Driving the news: The Air Force's deadline to get vaccinated was Nov. 2, and last month the service branch said that nearly 97% of its active-duty service members had complied with the mandate.
California Health and Human Services Secretary Mark Ghaly said Monday that the state will reinstate a mask mandate in all indoor public spaces starting on Wednesday, Reuters reports.
Why it matters: The move comes amid rising concern about the Omicron variant, which has led to an uptick in cases in recent weeks. The rate of infections in California has increased 47% since Thanksgiving, per Reuters.
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D) said in an interview the arrival of COVID-19 vaccines spell "the end of the medical emergency" as it relates to the virus, and he will not implement a statewide mask mandate in response to the Omicron variant.
Why it matters: Polis told Colorado Public Radio he prefers pushing vaccinations versus mask mandates, and that the latter should be left to localities. He added that public health officials "don’t get to tell people what to wear."
The Supreme Court on Monday declined to block New York's coronavirus vaccine mandate for health care workers, which does not allow for religious exemptions.
Why it matters: A group of health care workers had sued the state arguing the mandate violated their religious freedoms.
Veterinary hospital operator Alliance Animal Health has secured an investment from private equity firm L Catterton at a valuation of between $750 million and $800 million, Axios has learned from four sources.
Why it matters: Private equity in 2021 has shown an insatiable appetite for veterinary care.
Only about half of nursing home residents have received a COVID booster shot — an ominous statistic as Omicron rapidly spreads around the world.
Why it matters: Experts recommended booster shots — especially for this vulnerable population — even before the emergence of Omicron. But preliminary data shows that two doses of Pfizer's vaccine isn't very effective against the new variant, although three is.
The U.K. government on Sunday raised its official coronavirus alert level, citing an increase in cases largely driven by the Omicron variant.
Why it matters: The country first detected the new strain late last month in two travelers returning from Southern Africa. In response, Prime Minister Boris Johnson reintroduced COVID-related restrictions to curb infections.
South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa tested positive for COVID-19 on Sunday and is being treated for "mild" symptoms, his office announced.
Driving the news: The government's statement did not specify whether the president has the Omicron variant though it did note that Ramaphosa, 69, is fully vaccinated and remains in "good spirits" as he self-isolates in Cape Town.
More than half a billion people globally were pushed into extreme poverty last year due to health care costs during the coronavirus pandemic, the World Health Organization and the World Bank said Sunday.
Why it matters: The pandemic exasperated global inequities in access to health care, according to the organizations. It also triggered the worst economic crisis since the 1930s, ultimately making health care harder for people to obtain.
