A couple of factors are at play, starting with the emergence of the highly contagious omicron variant.
Health
Posted inHealth, Maine, News
Maine hospitals report spike in staff absences caused by COVID-19
MaineHealth and Northern Light Health are urging Mainers to get vaccinated to ease the burden on health care workers caused by the surge likely being fueled by the omicron variant.
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Posted inHealth, Nation / World
With omicron, hospital patient numbers may be more important than case counts
With the true number of infections probably much higher than the case count, ‘Hospitalizations are where the rubber meets the road,’ says a public health professor.
Posted inHealth, Maine, News
Portland police reporting a rash of drug overdoses since Christmas
The trend in Portland seems to be a reflection of what has been happening in Maine as overdose deaths in 2021 are on pace to shatter the record set in 2020.
Posted inAndroscoggin County, Health, News, Schools & Education
Lisbon School Department vaccination clinic called off
The vaccination clinic was canceled because the partner agency was not willing to operate the clinic after school hours.
Posted inHealth, Maine, News
Omicron spreading in Maine as hospitalizations climb
The coronavirus variant made up 8.75% of the positive tests in the week leading to Christmas, according to genomic sequencing by The Jackson Laboratory in Bar Harbor.
Posted inBusiness, Health, Nation / World
FDA allows Pfizer boosters for 12- to 15-year-olds as omicron surges
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now must decide whether to go along with the recommended boosters for the younger teens.
Posted inBusiness, Health, Nation / World
CDC tells even vaccinated people to avoid cruise ships
Shares of Carnival Corp., Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. tumbled on the news.
Posted inHealth, Nation / World
FDA expected to authorize Pfizer boosters for ages 12-15 by next week
Older teenagers are already eligible for boosters, and younger children have more recently received their initial vaccine doses.
Posted inHealth, Maine
It may be time to upgrade from cloth masks to hi-tech ones, experts say
Better masks will better block transmission of the virus, especially omicron, some say.