50 STATES

News from across the USA

ALABAMA Montgomery: Hospitals support an extension of a statewide face mask order, at least until more people become vaccinated against COVID-19, the head of the Alabama Hospital Association said Monday.

ALASKA Anchorage: The state Department of Health and Social Services has reported fewer than 100 influenza cases this flu season, down from close to 400 at this time last year. Carrie Edmonson, a state nurse epidemiologist, said health orders aimed at limiting the coronavirus’ spread have also curbed the flu.

ARIZONA Phoenix: Gov. Doug Ducey and state health officials have announced a new hybrid approach that makes residents 55 and older and front-line essential workers eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine. The Department of Health Services opened 50,000 appointments Tuesday in Glendale and Phoenix for the group.

ARKANSAS Little Rock: Gov. Asa Hutchinson and GOP lawmakers on Monday proposed overhauling the state’s Medicaid expansion to encourage recipients to work after its work requirement was halted by the courts and the Biden administration.

CALIFORNIA San Francisco: Indoor dining, movie theaters and gyms in the city can reopen within 24 hours, Mayor London Breed said Tuesday.

COLORADO Fort Collins: The state has already surpassed its goal of getting 75% of teachers and child care workers a first dose of COVID-19 vaccine by March 5.

CONNECTICUT Hartford: A package of tax changes, including a plan to prevent 110,000 commuters with out-of-state jobs from being doubletaxed because they’ve been working at home amid the pandemic, received final legislative approval Monday.

DELAWARE Wilmington: Stephanie Sanford didn’t camp much before the pandemic, but she’s found it a great antidote to the anxiety of the era and has been encouraging friends and family to turn to the outdoors to process and relieve the stress of COVID19. She has even gotten her friends to join her on her outdoor trips by starting a group called Black Girls Hike Too, which now has more than 1,000 followers. Amid the disproportionate impact of pandemic-related stress and anxiety on Black women, Sanford strongly urged friends and family to challenge the idea that the outdoors wasn’t for them.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Washington: Booking a vaccine appointment has become so strenuous that some are concerned it could create even more hesitancy among residents who don’t have the technical experience or means, WUSA-TV reports. Katie Wall-Mansen started the group DC Vaccine Coalition, with volunteers helping to find and make appointments, after reading comments on social media about how confusing the process was, especially for seniors.

FLORIDA Tallahassee: Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis reflected as much on the past year as on his priorities for 2021 during a State of the State address Tuesday that touted his coronavirus response. As the staunch opponent of lockdowns and business restrictions said that Florida is in much better shape than other states because it is open for business, the Capitol itself was closed to the public because of the pandemic.

GEORGIA Savannah: More than 2 million Georgians have received at least a first vaccine dose, but coronavirus cases and community transmission remain high, and the state’s death toll rose by 80 on Monday. HAWAII Wailuku: Maui Health plans to increase the number of first-dose COVID-19 vaccination appointments it offers, while Kauai has widened the availability of vaccine doses.

IDAHO Boise: The state’s suicide rate dropped steeply before the pandemic, but the trend may have reversed in 2020. Idaho had the biggest drop of any state from 2018 to 2019, but 2020’s toll may be even worse than the 2018 peak, according to preliminary federal data.

ILLINOIS Champaign: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced Monday that it has authorized emergency use of a coronavirus saliva test developed by the University of Illinois. Gov. J.B. Pritzker said the move unlocks federal funding to provide 1 million tests to public universities.

INDIANA Indianapolis: Residents ages 55 to 60 are now eligible for COVID-19 vaccines, health officials announced Tuesday.

IOWA Des Moines: Meatpackers will be vaccinated this week as newly approved shots from Johnson & Johnson arrive.

KANSAS Kansas City: A local hospital has raised its minimum hourly wage to $15 and boosted pay for workers who were already making that much. The University of Kansas Health System said the change will be reflected in paychecks beginning Friday. The hospital has not laid off or furloughed staff during the pandemic, it said in a release.

KENTUCKY Frankfort: Legislation that would provide broad protections to shield businesses from coronavirus-related lawsuits won approval from the state Senate after a long debate Monday evening.

LOUISIANA Baton Rouge: Bars can reopen indoors, restaurants can hold more customers, and churches won’t have capacity limits for worship services, under loosened coronavirus rules announced Tuesday by Gov. John Bel Edwards.

MAINE Portland: A new emergency rental assistance program has started accepting applications. Expecting high demand, MaineHousing is asking tenants and landlords to communicate before applying.

MARYLAND Annapolis: Officials announced a plan Monday to improve equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines in the city. Leadership at the Baltimore Convention Center Field Hospital has been working closely with hospital-based community health teams to encourage eligible people in high-vulnerability ZIP codes to register, Gov. Larry Hogan’s office said.

MASSACHUSETTS Boston: State alcohol regulators have seen a 300% uptick in direct-to-consumer alcohol deliveries throughout the pandemic, state Treasurer Deborah Goldberg said Tuesday.

MICHIGAN Lansing: Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Tuesday announced a further loosening of restrictions starting Friday, easing capacity limits in restaurants and a host of other businesses while also allowing for larger gatherings and for families to visit nursing homes after being tested for the coronavirus.

MINNESOTA Minneapolis: After saying last week that the state plans on vaccinating 70% of seniorswith at least one dose by the end of March before expanding eligibility, Gov. Tim Walz now says it could be done in less time with the new onedose Johnson & Johnson shot.

MISSISSIPPI Jackson: Gov. Tate Reeves said he is getting rid of most mask mandates Wednesday and lifting most other restrictions, including on seating in restaurants.

MISSOURI Columbia: Residents wouldn’t have to repay millions of dollars in federal unemployment overpayments under legislation advanced in the state House.

MONTANA Browning: The Blackfeet Nation on Tuesday began offering COVID-19 vaccines to people 18 and older at two clinics this week.

NEBRASKA Lincoln: More than 84,000 vaccine doses were administered last week, according to the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services. Residents can visit the state’s official vaccination campaign at FinishStrong.Ne.Gov for more info, the agency said. Once registered, they’ll be notified when vaccination begins in their area.

NEVADA Carson City: Officials are preparing to cede decision-making power over coronavirus measures to county officials starting May 1.

NEW HAMPSHIRE Concord: New businesses that opened just in time to be slammed by the pandemic would be eligible for more help under a bill before a state Senate committee Tuesday. The state distributed more than $400 million in federal funding through its Main Street Relief Fund, but only those listed as established before May 26, 2019, were eligible.

NEW JERSEY Trenton: NJ Transit will receive 300 vaccine doses this week to distribute to its front-line workers at the agency’s vaccination sites in Maplewood and Camden thanks to an agreement struck with the state Department of Health.

NEW MEXICO Santa Fe: The state Senate has advanced a bill that would require public schools to extend the academic calendar next year in an effort to help students catch up from the loss of learning during the pandemic.

NEW YORK Olean: St. Bonaventure University President Dennis DePerro died Monday from complications of COVID-19, according to the university. He was 62.

NORTH CAROLINA Raleigh: Gov. Roy Cooper announced Tuesday that the state will open up vaccine eligibility Wednesday to those who are front-line essential workers or have serious underlying health issues, with increased supply moving up the expansion by a week.

NORTH DAKOTA Bismarck: The state is rolling out another round of grants to help communities prevent suicides, and officials say there’s more urgency with this funding, given the pandemic and its added stresses for many residents. The Department of Human Services’ Behavioral Health Division will award $750,000, to be shared by up to 19 community groups, local and tribal governments and nonprofits.

OHIO Columbus: An outdated manual reporting system that led to the undercount of more than 4,200 COVID-19 deaths last month will now be retired, the state’s health department director said Tuesday. “We have been building the plane as we fly it,” Health Director Stephanie McCloud said. “And unfortunately, we weren’t given all new parts to build it well. We did not have time to stop the plane to land it, get the new parts that we need and then take off again.”

OKLAHOMA Oklahoma City: The president of the Oklahoma State Medical Association said he is encouraged and happy that the State Department of Health will begin using federal COVID-19 death reports, which show about 2,500 more deaths than the department has reported. “As physicians we want to make sure that these numbers are accurate and timely,” Dr. George Monks said.

OREGON Portland: Health officials expect to receive 34,000 doses of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine this week. “A one-dose regimen will allow us to vaccinate more Oregonians more quickly,” said Paul Cieslak, medical director for communicable diseases and immunization for the Oregon Health Authority.

PENNSYLVANIA Harrisburg: Fans will soon return to pro sports venues after the state eased restrictions on large gatherings. The Pittsburgh Penguins said the ice hockey team would allow 2,800 people into PPG Paints Arena on Tuesday for its first home game with fans since March 8, 2020.

RHODE ISLAND Providence: The city has received permission from state health officials to start vaccine registrations for residents 50 and up who live in the hardest-hit neighborhoods, the mayor announced Tuesday.

SOUTH CAROLINA Columbia: The majority of the state’s residents will be newly eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine starting next week, Gov. Henry McMaster announced Tuesday. Teachers, grocery store employees and people with certain medical conditions can sign up for appointments beginning Monday.

SOUTH DAKOTA Sioux Falls: After nearly a year of being barred from visiting the incarcerated, families and friends will soon have the chance to visit their loved ones in the state’s prison facilities. Phased scheduling with COVID-19 screening procedures will start Monday and roll through March 15, according to the South Dakota Department of Corrections.

TENNESSEE Nashville: More than 1 million Tennesseans will become eligible for vaccines Monday after the Department of Health announced it was expecting a large supply. Health Commissioner Lisa Piercey said that includes people 16 and up who have high-risk health conditions, as well as caregivers and household residents of medically fragile children.

UTAH Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced it has donated $20 million to help a program aimed at distributing COVID-19 vaccines to poor countries around the world. The donation from the humanitarian arm of the Utah-based faith is going to UNICEF as part of the organization’s work with the COVAX initiative.

VERMONT Montpelier: The state is expanding eligibility for vaccines to teachers next week, Gov. Phil Scott said Tuesday. While the first allocation of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine will be reserved for educators, teachers will be able to choose if they’d prefer the two-dose options.

VIRGINIA Richmond: Lawmakers have approved a loosening of alcohol laws to help businesses and local governments recover from the pandemic. One measure would permanently allow sale of to-go cocktails. Another would effectively allow local governments to seek state approval to create open-container zones.

WASHINGTON Renton: Teachers continue to resist returning to classrooms, despite Gov. Jay Inslee’s urging. Educators in Renton voted not to return to in-person teaching as scheduled for some on Wednesday.

WEST VIRGINIA Charleston: The state reported no new COVID-19 deaths Monday. “I am so delighted by this it’s unbelievable,” Gov. Jim Justice said. “We have lost nobody in the last 24 hours.”

WISCONSIN Madison: Teachers will be prioritized to receive the first shipment of the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine, a supply boost that won’t be matched for several weeks, state health officials said Tuesday.

WYOMING Cheyenne: Gov. Mark Gordon said in his State of the State address Tuesday that the state could see a tourism “bonanza” if pent-up post-pandemic demand for summer travel brings visitors to the state.