The Biden administration will pay community groups to help boost trust in vaccines The Health Resources and Services Administration is distributing $66.5 million to community groups working across 38 states and Washington, D.C. to help with local vaccine outreach. NPR.org

In this politically polarized time, White House health officials have acknowledged that they are not always the best messengers when it comes to promoting COVID-19 vaccines.

You're more likely to die from COVID-19 in the US than in other high-income countries amid omicron, data suggests More infections may lead to a rise in COVID-19 deaths, health experts say. Data shows the U.S. case fatality rate is among the highest in the world. YahooNews

Although the omicron variant of the coronavirus is less likely to cause severe disease compared with previously dominating strains, the USA is still experiencing more COVID-19 deaths than at almost any other point in the pandemic.

How Denmark Decided COVID Isn’t a Critical Threat to Society The country became the first in the EU to lift all COVID restrictions despite leading the world in per capita infections. Derek Thompson The Atlantic

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Derek Thompson: Denmark just lifted all COVID restrictions. What justifies this decision?

Recalculating COVID Hospitalizations; Deaths During Omicron; J&J Production Paused A daily roundup of news on COVID-19 and the rest of medicine Judy George medpagetoday

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As of Wednesday at 8 a.m. ET, the unofficial U.S. COVID toll is 77,054,088 cases and 909,020 deaths, up 200,476 and 3,476, respectively, from yesterday.

Canadian protesters block the busiest international crossing in North America as tensions ramp up over Covid-19 rules Canadian protesters have impeded access to the busiest international crossing in North America again Tuesday, escalating tensions as frustration over demonstrations against Covid-19 rules continues to roil the nation. Paula Newton and Travis Caldwell, CNN CNN

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COVID endangers fragile health systems in Pacific nations: Report Palau and Fiji have high vaccination rates allowing it to contain virus but countries like Solomon Islands lag behind. Al Jazeera Al Jazeera

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For nearly two years, most Pacific countries have managed to keep the spread of the coronavirus at bay with quarantines and lockdown measures, helped by their geographic isolation. For some of the countries, it is the first time they are seeing a rise in cases...

Governor ending New Jersey's school mask mandate TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — New Jersey's governor intends to lift the statewide COVID-19 mask requirement in schools early next month in a major step toward getting back to normal as the omicron surge drops off, his office said Monday. AP NEWS

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The state’s COVID-19 caseload is dropping after a spike around the holidays fueled by the omicron variant — a trend seen nationwide, too.

Aid to volcano-hit Tonga brings 1st COVID outbreak, lockdown BANGKOK (AP) — For more than two years, the isolation of the Pacific archipelago nation of Tonga helped keep COVID-19 at bay. But last month's volcanic eruption and tsunami brought outside deliveries of desperately needed fresh water and medicine — and the virus. AP NEWS

BANGKOK (AP) — For more than two years, the isolation of the Pacific archipelago nation of Tonga helped keep COVID-19 at bay.