The COVID-19 summer surge does not appear to be over yet. Wastewater monitoring from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows COVID-19 viral levels are currently very high nationwide.
In Arizona, 3,420 cases of the virus were confirmed last week. That’s an 11% increase from the previous week. And it's a similar weekly caseload to what the state was reporting in early January, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services.
But the number of Arizonans hospitalized for COVID-19 last week in Arizona declined from the previous week and was much lower than the three-season average number of hospitalizations this time of year in Arizona.
Still, the CDC recommends everyone six months and older should stay up-to-date with COVID-19 vaccines.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration this week gave approval to vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna which have been updated to target newer strains of the virus.
The CDC says immunization is especially important for those 65 and older, pregnant women, or people with other health conditions that might put them at higher risk.
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The FDA plans to add a “black-box warning” to COVID-19 vaccines — that’s the strongest warning the agency can issue. But Will Humble, the Arizona Public Health Association president, says the move isn’t as alarming as it sounds. -
City officials said that they will need to make up $22 million after the American Rescue Plan funds for homeless services expire. Since they are temporary, the city needs to replace the gap to maintain current service levels. -
The University of Arizona and pharmaceutical company Sunshine Biopharma are developing medical technology to minimize the severity of coronavirus infections. -
A new report from the Helios Education Foundation shows Arizona's chronic absence rates still haven't bounced back to pre-pandemic levels. -
Arizonans had been facing hurdles to getting COVID-19 shots amid regulatory confusion caused by shakeups at the CDC. But a state health department order has now cleared the way for broader access.
