Covid-19

The coronavirus pandemic in Utah was downplayed this week by a Republican lawmaker, who received a fact check from the state's largest-circulation newspaper.

"A Utah Republican lawmaker made an inaccurate claim that the shortage of ICU beds in Utah hospitals was not because of the COVID-19 pandemic but partly because of bad business decisions" The Salt Lake Tribune reported Wednesday. "Rep. Paul Ray, R-Clearfield made the comment during a hearing on what lawmakers could do to thwart President Joe Biden's vaccine mandate for businesses. Ray was riffing on whether people should be required to be vaccinated."

The California recall election results show that the GOP stance against pandemic safety measures is harming the Republican Party, MSNBC's Joy Reid opined on Wednesday.

Reid said that Republicans "love" Covid.

North Carolina's second-most populous county has suspended hundreds of government workers as new vaccine policies go into effect.

"Mecklenburg County has suspended 598 employees without pay for failing to upload results of their weekly COVID-19 test, according to a statement given to Channel 9. These county employees will remain under suspension until they show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test," WSOC-TV reported Wednesday.

In Atlanta, Georgia, on Wednesday, a group of protesters gathered outside the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention headquarters and chanted, "Nicki Minaj told me the truth. Fauci lied to me."

The protesters, of course, are referring to a viral tweet fired off by rapper Nicki Minaj, where she claimed that the COVID-19 vaccine had negative effects on one of her relatives.

Another woman is dead after buying into myths about the COVID-19 vaccine.

NBC News reported on Samantha Wendell, who was going to have her dream wedding on Aug. 21, instead, she ended up in the hospital, dying from the deadly virus.

Vice News on Wednesday reported on a new trend among some in the anti-vaccine community who are now referring to themselves as "purebloods."

The publication notes that the term is what the villainous Death Eaters in J.K. Rowling's "Harry Potter" books refer to themselves as, and that Rowling created the term with the intention of "drawing parallels with the Nazi doctrine of the 'master race.'"

Pope Francis on Wednesday spoke out against "denier" cardinals who refused the coronavirus vaccine, in an apparent swipe at his main opponent who recently contracted Covid-19.

"In the College of Cardinals, there are a few deniers. One of them, the poor man, contracted the virus," the pontiff told reporters as he flew home from a trip to Slovakia.

"Fox & Friends" co-host Steve Doocy on Wednesday promoted a Colorado school that uses what one of its co-founders told Fox News is an "innovative approach" for funding since its application to establish a charter school was denied.

Merit Academy in Woodland Park, Colorado, according to Doocy, is a "public school" that "focuses on traditional studies like math, science, and patriotism" and "vows to keep politics out of the classroom."

Arizona on Tuesday became the first US state to file suit against President Joe Biden's Covid vaccination mandate for federal employees and businesses with more than 100 employees.

Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich, a Republican, announced the filing of the suit against what he described as an "unconstitutional" move by the Democratic president.

Broadway celebrated the return of some of its biggest musicals on Tuesday after an 18-month coronavirus shutdown, a landmark moment in New York's post-pandemic recovery.

"Hamilton," "Wicked," "The Lion King" and "Chicago" were all resuming performances, to the delight, and relief, of the industry and theater lovers.

Prior to the coronavirus pandemic, Antonio Fernandez, 64, had envisioned staying in his job at Chevron in Houston for perhaps another five years.

"I probably think I had five more years to work, at least," Fernandez said of his role with the oil giant. "I wasn't looking forward to being retired."