Bay Area woman battling cancer survives bear attack while visiting Tahoe

An East Bay woman survived being mauled by a bear in North Lake Tahoe over the weekend. She said she wanted to share her story as a warning to others.

Arizona Supreme Court upholds ruling blocking school mask bans

Justices on the Arizona State Supreme Court have upheld a judgment from a lower court that found a mask mandate ban passed by the GOP-controlled state legislature as unconstitutional, due to the way it was passed.

CDC approves Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine for kids 5 to 11

CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky gave final approval Tuesday evening after an advisory panel just hours earlier unanimously recommended kids aged 5-11 should get the shot.

NIH to study ‘long COVID-19’ in pregnant women

The agency announced Tuesday that it will support a four-year follow-up study to learn about the potential long-term effects of COVID-19 on women who contracted the disease during pregnancy.

FDA issues warning after spike in eye injuries from alcohol-based hand sanitizers

The FDA said between January 1, 2018, and April 30, 2021, it has identified “3,642 cases of side effects resulting from eye exposure to these hand sanitizers,” likely due to the increase in use during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Indonesia becomes 1st country to greenlight Novavax COVID-19 vaccine

Biotechnology company Novavax says that Indonesia has given the world’s first emergency use authorization for its COVID-19 vaccine, which uses a different technology than current shots.

‘Vax’ earns 2021 word of the year from Oxford English Dictionary

“When our lexicographers began digging into our English language corpus data it quickly became apparent that vax was a particularly striking term,” Oxford Languages said on its website.

U.S. military weighs penalties for service members who refuse COVID vaccine

As deadlines loom for military and defense civilians to get mandated COVID-19 vaccines, senior leaders are wrestling with the fate of tens of thousands who flatly refuse the shots or are seeking exemptions, and how to make sure they are treated fairly and equally. It could be a career-ending decision, or could trigger transfers, travel restrictions and requirements to repay bonuses.

Civil complaint filed over nasal spray falsely advertised as COVID-19 treatment, DOJ says

The Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission filed a civil enforcement action against a Utah company after it claimed its nasal spray could prevent or treat COVID-19.

Shanghai Disneyland closes after mass COVID-19 testing over 1 contact

After testing everyone, the park will remain shut on Monday and Tuesday as it continues to cooperate with pandemic prevention efforts, Shanghai Disneyland said in a statement Monday.

COVID-19 vaccines for kids 5-11 to be ‘fully up and running’ next week, White House says

The shot still needs a final recommendation from the CDC, but White House COVID-19 coordinator Jeff Zients said Monday that “starting the week of November 8, the kids’ vaccination program will be fully up and running.”

FDA delays decision on Moderna COVID-19 vaccine for kids 12-17

U.S. regulators are delaying their decision on Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine for children 12 to 17 while they study the rare risk of heart inflammation.

Ice Cube refuses COVID vaccine and walks away from $9M movie paycheck: report

Ice Cube reportedly backed out of a $9 million paycheck on a movie because he refused to get the COVID-19 vaccine, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

Halloween: Americans revive spirit of country’s spookiest holiday

The COVID-19 pandemic put a damper on Halloween gatherings last year. But although the pandemic isn’t over — last year’s fear is giving way to a renewed appetite for Halloween traditions, especially trick-or-treating.