Coronavirus

A Year Into Covid, States Debate Public Health Shutdown Powers

Lawmakers in many states are angling to relocate, reduce, or otherwise refine the power to make public health decisions.

  • By Michael Schulson , Undark

Vaccination Outreach Shifts as Demand Drops in Some States

Nationwide, state and local health agencies are coming up with a variety of new strategies to persuade people to get vaccinated against Covid-19

  • By Christine Vestal, Stateline

Local Jail Operating Costs Rose by $25 Billion in Last 40 Years

But the coronavirus has ushered in creative lower-cost alternative jail programs that could last long after the pandemic, local leaders say.

  • By Kate Elizabeth Queram

Justice Department Defends Tax Mandate Provision in Covid Relief Bill

In a court filing, the department responded to a lawsuit filed by Ohio’s attorney general, who said the tax mandate was unconstitutional and encroached on his state’s financial decisions.

  • By Andrea Noble

With New Tourism Campaign, Alaska Pleads ‘Don’t Forget About Us’

Alaska launched a national campaign to attract tourists back, offering free vaccinations at that state’s major airports as an incentive.

  • By Kate Elizabeth Queram

Cities Battle Another Long-Lasting Covid Reminder: PPE Litter

Discarded masks and plastic gloves are turning up on beaches and in waterways with increasing frequency.

  • By Andrea Noble

Tourism, Business Travel May Not Fully Recover for 4 Years, Industry Officials Say

Corporate travel spending dropped 70% during the pandemic, contributing to the tax revenue losses that tourism-dependent cities and states experienced.

  • By Andrea Noble

New Treasury Office Will Oversee Covid Relief and Recovery Programs

Billions in state and local government aid is part of the office's portfolio.

  • By Bill Lucia

Cities Prepare to Spend Historic Sums of Federal Aid

In addition to filling budget gaps, they're looking at longer-term recovery programs focused on areas like housing and job training.

  • By Bill Lucia

Deep Cleaning Isn’t a Victimless Crime

COMMENTARY | The CDC has finally said what scientist have been screaming for months: The coronavirus is overwhelmingly spread through the air, not via surfaces.

  • By Derek Thompson, The Atlantic

One Change that Could Help Nursing Homes Recover from Covid-19 Fears and Become Safer Places for Aging Parents

COMMENTARY | Nursing homes have struggled through COVID-19 deaths and lockdowns. Giving nurses more quality time with patients can help them win back trust.

  • By Bianca Frogner , The Conversation

Vaccinations Lag for Home Health Workers

They’re less likely to have had a shot than hospital and nursing home workers.

  • By Sophie Quinton and Kristian Hernández, Stateline
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No Extra Vaccines for Hot Spot States, White House Says

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer had requested a boost in Covid-19 vaccines to help combat a rising number of infections in her state.

  • By Andrea Noble

What Inspired Digital Nomads to Flee America’s Big Cities May Spur Legions of Remote Workers to Do the Same

COMMENTARY | The pandemic has spurred many workers to contemplate their futures – and whether they ever want to return to office life.

  • By Rachael A. Woldoff and Robert Litchfield, The Conversation

Need a COVID-19 Vaccine? Visit Your Local Transit Center

Transit agencies across the country are giving free rides to vaccine sites and some are hosting clinics in their facilities.

  • By Jenni Bergal, Stateline

When to Reopen

COMMENTARY | Let’s stop pretending that pandemic rules that made sense in April 2020 still make sense a year later.

  • By Yascha Mounk, The Atlantic

Covid Racial Disparities Loom Large in Rural Counties

As federal and state government officials ramp up vaccination efforts, white people outpace people of color in getting vaccinated.

  • By Aallyah Wright, Stateline

How Two Local Governments Got Covid Vaccination Registrations Right

From system failures to overbooked appointments, the technology many governments relied on to manage vaccinations crashed and burned. But New Orleans and Dallas County found software that worked.

  • By Andrea Noble

12 Months of Trauma: More Than 3,600 US Health Workers Died in Covid’s First Year

The Guardian and Kaiser Health News investigated U.S. health care worker deaths during the pandemic, providing a window into the workings and failures of the nation's health system.

  • By Christina Jewett and Jane Spencer, Kaiser Health News

HUD Prepares to Distribute $5 Billion to Help With Homelessness

The department released figures Thursday for how much individual states and localities will get from the pot of grant funding, part of the recent federal coronavirus relief package.

  • By Bill Lucia

Survey: 45% of Parents Want More Options Than College for Their Children

But 54% of parents polled said they want their kids to enroll in college after high school, according to a Carnegie/Gallup poll.

  • By Jean Dimeo