COMMENTARY: We need our political leaders to denounce anti-vaccine nonsense

The Big Boost Week continues to see tens of thousands of people going out to get their booster dose each day. Yesterday, 46,156  booster doses were administered across the motu and brings the total so far to more than two million doses.

ORLANDO, Fla. - Walt Disney World will no longer require face coverings for fully vaccinated guests in both outdoor and indoor locations starting Feb. 17. The company website was updated on Tuesday. However, face coverings will still be required by all guests (ages 2 and up) on enclosed Disney transportation, including Disney buses, monorails, and Disney Skyliner. ORLANDO, FLORIDA, UNITED STATES - 2019/07/17: Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse statue inside of the Magic Kingdom theme park .

Virgin Galactic logo. Virgin Galactic, an aerospace and space travel company, announced it will open up ticket sales to the public beginning Feb.

Alberta’s chief medical officer of health, Dr. Deena Hinshaw, asks Albertans to respect each other’s experience as the province moves toward an endemic phase of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The province will drop the requirements for vaccine certificates at the beginning of March, with the Premier saying it’s time to move on. But not all businesses agree and some say they will keep the measures until they feel the time is right.

Quebec to end COVID-19 vaccine passport system on March 14 “A doula can offer continuous care throughout pregnancy, birth and the postpartum period that can be really helpful for parents who are navigating a system that is often unknown to them,” said Door’s doula Stephanie De Sousa.The MotherWit doula care team argue that a doula is not just another person in the room. They claim the benefits of a second support outweigh the risks.“We help to reduce trauma in births.

‘We’re not prepared’ — What it takes to recover from long COVID Carrie Anna McGinn got the virus around the same time, and is also still dealing with symptoms including extreme fatigue, chest pain and shortness of breath.“I can’t think properly. I can’t be the active mom that I want to be.

Police in Westampton, New Jersey are investigating a robbery from December where the man pictured allegedly showed his handgun and demanded a gas attendant give him money.  WESTAMPTON, N.J. - Officers with the Westampton Police Department in Burlington County, New Jersey, are investigating a robbery from December. According to police, a suspect robbed the Lukoil gas station at 584 Rancocas Road on Dec. 19, 2021, at 7:31 a.m. Officers said the suspect was wearing a white hooded sweatshirt and black sweatpants.

In recent weeks, the city has seen a rash of gun violence involving young people and Toronto Police released some startling statistics on Tuesday. Erica Vella reports.

Alberta Health Minister Jason Copping says COVID-19 is not going away, but the pressures on the hospital system is improving.

PHILADELPHIA - Family and loved ones are searching for answers after a man was stabbed to death outside a South Philadelphia Wawa early Monday morning. The Philadelphia Police Department identified the 49-year-old victim as Roger Segal. According to a police source, video surveillance show Segal went inside the Wawa on South Columbus Boulevard around 2 a.m.

PHILADELPHIA - A local mother is speaking out after she said her son and his friend were beaten by a group of other teens on Market Street. FOX 29’s Hank Flynn spoke with Jojuan Powell who said the attack on her 14-year-old son was completely random. Now, she’s sharing the video of the attack and urging other parents to do a better job at knowing where and what their children are doing. "I don’t even know what should happen," Powell said. "I just know I don’t want it to happen to another child." The mother said her son met up with a friend at an arcade in the Fashion District on Saturday.

Queen Elizabeth is out and about after a COVID-19 scare.

RYLAN Clark has opened up about his mental health crisis saying it hit him in the face like "a baseball bat". Rylan, 33, was hospitalised after suffering a breakdown after he split from husband Dan Neal.

Security footage captured a flock of birds drop dead mid-flight on Feb. 7 in the northern Mexican city of Chihuahua.

PHILADELPHIA - Police say a young girl was injured during a drive-by shooting at a North Philadelphia grocery store. Philadelphia Police Captain John Walker told reporters that the 12-year-old victim was entering a store on the 4600 block of Hurley Street when someone in a red car fired at least seven shots. According to Walker, the shooter is believed to have fired from the backseat of a red Acura.

PHILADELPHIA - Police shot a knife-wielding suspect who allegedly stabbed his aunt then approached officers Tuesday afternoon in South Philadelphia, according to investigators. Philadelphia Police Sergeant Eric Gripp said officers responded to the 2000 block of South Beechwood Street and encountered the suspect still holding the knife he used in the stabbing. Officers told him to put down the knife, but he refused and started walking towards officers, Gripp explained. Police tased the suspect, but it did not stop him and an officer fired one shot that hit the man in the torso, according to police. The suspect and his aunt were both taken to an area hospital, but police did not share information on their conditions. MORE LOCAL HEADLINES___DOWNLOAD: FOX 29 NEWS APP | FOX 29 WEATHER AUTHORITY APPSUBSCRIBE: Good Day Digest Newsletter | FOX 29 Philly on YouTubeAdvertisementFOLLOW: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

announced on Tuesday. A new transplant method using umbilical cord blood was originally being used to treat the woman’s acute myeloid leukemiabut following the treatment, scientists discovered she had no detectable levels of HIV for 14 months despite discontinuing antiretroviral therapy (ART). ART involves taking a combination of HIV medicines to manage and treat symptoms, according to the National Institute of Health. The research was conducted by the International Maternal Pediatric Adolescent AIDS Clinical Trial Network (IMPAACT) P1107 beginning in 2015, according to an NIAID news release announcing the findings. Researchers observed the outcomes of up to 25 participants living with HIV who underwent a transplant with cord blood stem cells for cancer treatment, hematopoietic disease, or other underlying diseases, the news release continued. The patient was a woman of mixed-race ancestry and was HIV-positive for four years, according to researchers at the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI) on Tuesday. She was also diagnosed with leukemia and was in remission for her cancer after chemotherapy treatment, the news release continued. In 2017, the patient received the stem cell treatment supplemented with adult donor cells from a relative and by day 100, there was no HIV detected. After 37 months of the stem cell transplant, the patient stopped all HIV treatment. FILE - Test tubes that contains blood samples from patients that tested positive with HIV.

B.C. Health Minister Adrian Dix confirms that in the coming weeks, students in elementary, secondary and post-secondary institutions will have the opportunity to take home a COVID-19 test kit to use if they become sick.

Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said Tuesday the province is shifting its COVID response to a long-term management strategy.

As B.C. drops most public health restrictions, including indoor gathering limits, provincial health officer Dr.

Speaking at Tuesday’s press briefing, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry announces several changes to COVID-19 restrictions beginning Wednesday, Feb.

Ontario government slightly accelerating plans to ease attendance limits at indoor sports events.Initially permitted capacity was going to rise to 50 per cent Feb. 21 and 100 per cent on March 14.

BTS member, V, has tested positive for COVID-19.Weverse, the official fan source for the K-pop group, shared a statement from Big Hit Music about V's diagnosis Tuesday.«V visited the hospital Tuesday afternoon on the 15th after experiencing a mild sore throat and took the PCR test. He was diagnosed with COVID-19 tonight,» the statement began.

Coachella and Stagecoach festivals have dropped all COVID-19 safety precautions ahead of both events making a return this spring.Coachella will take place at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California between April 15-17 and 22-24, while Stagecoach will be held at the same venue between April 29-May 1.Previously, the festivals’ promoter Goldenvoice had announced that proof of vaccination against COVID-19 would no longer be required. Now, it has also dropped entry requirements including a negative test taken in the 72 hours prior to attendance and the wearing of masks.The health and safety guidance on the websites for both events has now been updated to confirm that the new policy is “in accordance with local guidelines”.

The best thing New Zealanders can do as we move into Phase 2 of our response to the Omicron variant of COVID-19 is get boosted and give each other some space, said Director General of Health, Dr Ashley Bloomfield.

Nicole Brown, a second grade teacher, sits at a laptop computer with one of her students during a lesson at Carter Traditional Elementary School in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Jon Cherry/Getty Images) WASHINGTON - The digital divide is an ongoing issue for some communities nationwide that struggle to access affordable, high-speed internet service and purchase inexpensive computer equipment.

A 33-year-old man was shot twice in the neck and stomach Tuesday afternoon in North Philadelphia, police said.

Music fans attend day two of 2015 Stagecoach, California's Country Music Festival, at The Empire Polo Club on April 25, 2015 in Indio, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for Stagecoach) INDIO, Calif. - Goldenvoice, the company behind the Coachella and Stagecoach Music festivals on Tuesday announced it will be dropping its masking, vaccination, and COVID-19 testing requirements in accordance with new state guidelines that take effect Wednesday ending the vaccination requirement and mask mandate for outdoor mega-events."As we prepare to spend an incredible weekend in the desert together we are announcing that there will be no vaccination, testing or masking requirements at Stagecoach 2022, in accordance with local guidelines," festival officials announced on Twitter.RELATED: Stagecoach country music festival announces 2022 lineupA short time later, Goldenvoice announced the new regulations will also apply to Coachella. "The event shall be presented in accordance with applicable public health conditions as of the date of the event and which may change at any time as determined by federal, state or local government agencies or instrumentalities, artists or the promoter; such requirements may include, without limitation, changes to capacity, attendance procedures and entry requirements, such as proof of vaccination and/or negative COVID-19 test, and other protective measures such as requiring attendees to wear face coverings," according to an announcement on websites for both events Tuesday.California will end its statewide indoor mask mandate on Feb.

Bill Omar Carrasquillo, known to his fans and followers as 'Omi in a Hellcat' was named in a 62-count indictment last fall.  SWEDESBORO, N.J. - A New Jersey YouTube Star, known online as ‘Omi in a Hellcat’ says he has pleaded guilty in what federal prosecutors say was one of the largest illegal TV pirating rings they’ve ever seen.Bill Omar Carrasquillo took to his YouTube channel earlier this month to share the news that he had pleaded guilty in the case. "I’m letting you guys know that I’m pleading guilty," Carrasquillo said, adding that the decision came after long talks with his attorney. "It sucks to lose my house, to lose properties, money, all my cars, my jewelry – it’s an embarrassment," he added. "This is to kind of let you know man that you don’t want to take easy routes in life."Carrasquillo says in his video that he also did not pay his taxes and that his plea was about ‘accepting responsibility.’ He had previously claimed past accountants and tax preparers got him into tax trouble.  After a two-year investigation, the 34-year-old was named in a 62-count federal indictment.

Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield leads a briefing for media organisations at 12.00 pm today to provide more detail on home isolation in Phase 2 of the Omicron response, including how this will be supported by technologies and other means through the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Social Development, and the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment. Dr Bloomfield will be joined by Ministry of Health Primary Care Lead, Dr Joe Bourne and MSD Deputy Chief Executive, Viv Rickard.

COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy—already known to protect women from hospitalization and severe complications—can also protect babies younger than 6 months, researchers reported today.

COVID-19 cases continue to decline in the United States, including a substantial drop in children, as mask mandates continue to make news.

Alberta government started rolling out vaccines for the novel coronavirus, Premier Jason Kenney joined the Danielle Smith Show on Global News Radio to discuss his governments’ response to the pandemic over the past year, including the latest round of public health restrictions that prohibit indoor and outdoor social gatherings, among other measures.“The government of Alberta regards restrictions as being a last and limited resort, not a first and maximum resort like many other governments have,” Kenney said.“But at the end of the day, we have to act to protect our health care system.”Kenney asserted that “the single biggest impact” on Albertans’ health outside of COVID-19 has been the cancellation of surgeries and restricting access to

Ontario Premier Doug Ford on Tuesday thanked the province’s first recipients of the COVID-19 vaccine, saying they put their community and patients ahead of themselves.

Jason Kenney announced the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine to be administered in the province will happen Tuesday afternoon.Kenney made the announcement while appearing on the Danielle Smith Show on 770 CHQR Tuesday morning.“I’ve got breaking news for you, Danielle, if you’d like,” Kenney said about 45 minutes into his hour-long interview.“I just got confirmation from AHS that the first vaccination will be administered to a nurse I believe at 4 p.m. today, I think probably in south Calgary.”The first shipment of Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine arrived in Alberta on Monday night, at the Calgary airport.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford delivered a brief statement following the first steps taken in beating the COVID-19 pandemic — the vaccine rollout, which began Monday, where he said it is a “massive step forward” in the fight against the virus.

COVID-19 vaccination today.Premier Doug Ford’s office says a health-care worker will receive the first dose at a hospital in Toronto.The first shots will be administered at the University Health Network.

Premier Doug Ford was present when the first doses of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine touched down in Ontario, his office said in a statement early Monday.Ford was photographed next to an airplane at a Hamilton airport that carried the vaccine shipment on Sunday night.“The province has been preparing for this day for months and we are ready for the road ahead,” Ford’s office said in a statement.“It’s time to start vaccinating Ontarians.

COVID-19 vaccine, Premier Doug Ford said in a brief statement Thursday.The first doses of Pfizer’s vaccine, approved Wednesday by Health Canada, will arrive on Tuesday, Dec.

COVID-19 pandemic.Premiers asked for the meeting in September and wanted it focused exclusively on their unanimous demand that Ottawa add at least $28 billion a year to its annual health transfer payment to provinces and territories.But while Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he’s willing to discuss the issue, he has been clear that getting through the pandemic is more pressing, as far as he’s concerned.

The Ontario government reports officials are almost ready to receive the first doses of the Pfizer vaccine once they arrive in Canada. Premier Doug Ford toured a facility in Toronto. Travis Dhanraj has more.

COVID-19 vaccine before Christmas is about the best present Prime Minister Justin Trudeau could have hoped for this holiday season.Trudeau had been getting roasted like a yuletide turkey by the opposition over the Liberal government’s vague plans to get the vaccine into the arms of Canadians.For that, Trudeau and company had only themselves to blame.The political damage for the Liberals started piling up when Trudeau said Canada had no capacity to produce our own vaccines and other countries that did would vaccinate their own citizens first.Then, as other countries unveiled fast-tracked vaccine schedules, the Trudeau government could only offer some fuzzy guesswork on when vaccines would arrive in Canada.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford said on Monday that in his opinion, it’s unconstitutional to force people to get a COVID-19 vaccine and that he doesn’t believe in mandating a vaccine.

COVID-19 vaccine plans this afternoon.Ford will be holding a news conference with General Rick Hillier, chair of the COVID-19 vaccine distribution task force.They will be joined by Health Minister Christine Elliott and Solicitor General Sylvia Jones at Queen’s Park.

Premier Jason Kenney spoke out Thursday night about people who won’t wear masks out of principle in places where they’re required, saying they should get a grip and not “go where you have to wear a mask.” Kenney shared his thoughts on a live Q&A on his Facebook page, where he was asked about an Edmonton server who was attacked during a confrontation over the city’s mask bylaw.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford on Monday demanded answers on the exact delivery date and quantities of COVID-19 vaccines for the province – when such information is available – from the Canadian federal government and from pharmaceutical companies.

Doug Ford says he wants a clear delivery date for the province’s share of COVID-19 vaccines, stressing that “the clock is ticking” when it comes to fighting the novel coronavirus.Ford says he’s been asking the federal government for clarity as to how much of what vaccine the province will receive and when, but hasn’t gotten the answers he needs.The premier says he’s set to speak to Pfizer, one the drugmakers that has entered into an agreement with Canada, this afternoon but expects he will be told the information must come from Ottawa.