Pandemic fears are fading along with omicron: AP-NORC poll Omicron is fading away, and so are Americans' worries about COVID-19. As coronavirus pandemic case numbers, hospitalizations and deaths continue to plummet, fewer people now than in January say they are concerned that they will be infected after the rise and fall of the wildly contagious virus variant, according to a new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research . AP NEWS

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California, Oregon, Washington to end school mask mandates SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Schoolchildren in California, Oregon and Washington will no longer be required to wear masks as part of new indoor mask policies the Democratic governors of all three states announced jointly on Monday. AP NEWS

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Pfizer Covid vaccine is less effective in kids 5 to 11, study finds New data suggest the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid vaccine works substantially less well at preventing infection and hospitalizations in kids 5 to 11. Helen Branswell STAT

Newly emerging data suggest the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid vaccine works substantially less well at preventing infection and hospitalizations in children aged 5 to 11 than it does in those aged 12 to 17 — a finding that is raising questions about whether the companies chose the wrong dose for the younger children.

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Hong Kong mortuaries hit capacity

 -- Facilities for storing dead bodies at hospitals and public mortuaries in Hong Kong are at maximum capacity due to a record number of COVID-19 fatalities, the Hospital Authority said on Monday, as officials battle to control a surge in cases.

Nearly half of Biden's 500M free COVID tests still unclaimed WASHINGTON (AP) — Nearly half of the 500 million free COVID-19 tests the Biden administration recently made available to the public still have not been claimed as virus cases plummet and people feel less urgency to test. AP NEWS

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NYC schools drop outdoor mask mandate; indoor mandate stays NEW YORK (AP) — New York City public school students will be allowed to remove their masks outside starting next week but must keep them on indoors for now, Schools Chancellor David Banks said Friday. AP NEWS

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