A number of states are breaking with federal guidelines and starting to vaccinate people by age group, drawing criticism from essential workers and people with underlying conditions who are getting bumped back in line.

In Connecticut, officials say they're trying to balance equity with speeding up the pace of vaccinations. Under a new vaccination plan that began on March 1, educators are still prioritized but essential workers like grocers, security officers and janitors, who would have been next in line, now have to wait until their age group comes up.

"I am very excited honestly," said Missy Giandurco, 41, who teaches eighth-grade special education. "It's been a very stressful year and the governor made the right choice by moving it forward a little faster."

White House taps insurers to boost vaccinations among vulnerable communities The initiative is aimed at boosting lagging efforts to ensure Covid-19 shots are distributed equitably. Susannah Luthi POLITICO

The Biden administration on Wednesday announced a new initiative with health insurers to ensure some of their most high-risk customers get vaccinated against Covid-19, as the White House tries to energize lagging efforts to distribute the shots equitably.

Factbox: Latest on the worldwide spread of the coronavirus Johnson & Johnson's newly authorized vaccine has started shipping, while a highly transmissible variant of coronavirus first identified in the Brazilian city of Manaus has been detected in Britain for the first time. Reuters Staff U.S.

(Reuters) - Johnson & Johnson’s newly authorized vaccine has started shipping, while a highly transmissible variant of coronavirus first identified in the Brazilian city of Manaus has been detected in Britain for the first time.

Tactical shift: Europe seeks vaccine 'overdrive' to catch up BERLIN (AP) — Slow off the blocks in the race to immunize its citizens against COVID-19, Germany faces an unfamiliar problem: a glut of vaccines and not enough arms to inject them into. Like... AP NEWS

BERLIN (AP) — Slow off the blocks in the race to immunize its citizens against COVID-19, Germany faces an unfamiliar problem: a glut of vaccines and not enough arms to inject them into.

In Texas and Mississippi, Hundreds of Thousands Still Have No Water Weeks After Winter Storms | The Weather Channel - Articles from The Weather Channel | weather.com Two deadly and devastating winter storms cracked water mains, froze equipment and shut down treatment plants. - Articles from The Weather Channel | weather.com The Weather Channel

In the weeks following two deadly and devastating winter storms, millions of people across the South have seen their power restored. Unfortunately, hundreds of thousands remain without clean water.

Chinese vaccines sweep much of the world, despite concerns TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — The plane laden with vaccines had just rolled to a stop at Santiago’s airport in late January, and Chile’s president, Sebastián Piñera, was beaming. “Today,” he said, “is a... AP NEWS

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — The plane laden with vaccines had just rolled to a stop at Santiago’s airport in late January, and Chile’s president, Sebastián Piñera, was beaming. “Today,” he said, “is a day of joy, emotion and hope.”