The On Deadline Podcast

Pfizer has formally submitted its COVID vaccine to the FDA for emergency use authorization for use in children ages 5 and younger. Scientists have had a tough time perfecting the vaccine dosage for little bodies--strong enough to illicit an immune response against coronavirus but not too strong to bring on side effects. So we'll take a closer look.Here in California we just had a battle of NorCal vs. SoCal, but that was in football with the Rams and 49ers going at it in the NFC Championship. The Rams won that round--but when it comes to the battle of controlling COVID, the Bay Area is blowing away Los Angeles--we'll explain. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After the governor of California, the mayors of Los Angeles and San Francisco plus a whole bunch of their VIP guests were all photographed without masks at yesterday's NFC Championship at Sofi stadium..........a lot of people are asking today if mask mandates have officially jumped the shark.An LA County Supervisor says it may be time to let people make their own decisions and calculated risks on when and where to mask up--so we'll talk with her about what comes next on mask policies. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

More countries in Europe are easing COVID restrictions; and several U.S. cities and states that had tough COVID precautions in place are gradually lifting them.San Francisco even is loosening its indoor mask requirements. But not in Los Angeles County. When should restrictions be eased? Doctors want everyone now to where N-95 and KN-95 masks--out with the old cloth and thinner surgical masks. But there are lots of questions on how to wear them, for how long and if they can be reused; so we'll try to answer some of them. We've talked about that subvariant of omicron, it's "little brother" the B-A-2. Well it's officially here in U.S., with a handful of cases reported in Los Angeles County. Is this the start of something much more ominous?And remember back to the early days of the pandemic when everyone was buying up all the alcohol? Sales were great. But now some alcohol makers are running out or supply. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It was supposed to be iron clad and strictly enforced: the COVID vaccine mandate on indoor spaces in Los Angeles meant that if you wanted to go to a gym, or movie theater or restaurant, you had to show proof of being vaccinated.Turns out no one seems to be enforcing it..........and no fines or warnings have been issued by city public health officials.And If you took a COVID test recently and are still waiting for the results after two days...you're far from alone. We talk to one man who had to wait weeks before a response. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The COVID vaccine booster shot effort is in need of............a boost.The numbers of booster shots going into arms of Americans has slowed considerably in recent weeks and public health officials are wondering what they can do to kickstart the effort.Also on today's podcast, we're looking at why some pharmacies are telling immunocompromised people they can't get a fourth booster shot............even though the CDC has given it the green light. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What if the Omicron variant had a little brother? Well, it kind of does. Scientists are paying attention to a variant of this troublesome COVID variant. The Omicron relative is being called B-A 2, it's been found in both Europe and the U.S.--so we'll get to know this omicron relative and try to decipher how big of a problem it could be.Ethical questions are being raised about a hospital refusing to perform a heart transplant until a man gets vaccinated. So far, he's refused to get the shots..........even as the hospital is balking at going through with his transplant.And each time restaurants have started to climb off the mat from this COVID pandemic.........another new variant arrives and a new wave of infections follows. We'll hear from restaurant owners who are barely keeping their doors open after two years of this. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

School aged kids here in California must receive about seven different inoculations before they're allowed in classrooms--they include vaccines against things like Polio, the chickenpox, measles mumps and rubella. Well one California lawmaker would like to add COVID-19 vaccinations to the list. So we'll take a closer look at making COVID vaccinations a permanent requirement for kids in the classroom.Those government-provided free, at-home rapid COVID testing kits are allegedly in the mail to the millions of people who ordered them online last week---plus, insurance companies are now required to cover the costs of rapid tests. Will all of these steps help ease the COVID testing shortage?And new research could provide answers on the origins and persistence of one Long COVID symptom: the dreaded so-called "brain fog" that some COVID victims still have months after their infection. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Teenagers are now cleared by the CDC and FDA to be vaccinated against COVID-19; but what if their parents won't let them get the shots? A bill in California would let kids as young as 12 get vaccinated without their parents consent. But can kids that young really make their own medical decisions?The pandemic has more parents in California taking their kids out of school and moving them into homeschooling. Some even form their own small groups and co-ops--we'll take a closer look.Then: There are thousands of Americans who caught COVID in the first wave of the pandemic back in early 2020; and two years later, they're still grappling with symptoms and effects of the virus. What more do we know about Long COVID?And finally, whether it's the great resignation or the great "shift," the pandemic has most definitely brought about long lasting changes to the American economy. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Two years ago on this very day...life in the United States would change as we know it. The CDC confirmed the first case of COVID-19 in the country. It came from samples taken in Washington State. Since then, the virus has spread everywhere infecting tens of millions of people and killing more than 850,000 so far. So today we're taking stock of the COVID-19 pandemic two years later. We'll explore what we've learned and the progress that's been made in trying to save lives and slow the spread of the virus. But can we ever eliminate it? Some European countries are considering drastically easing restrictions and learning to live with the virus. Should we do that here? We'll check in with a long hauler to find out how she and others like her are holding up two years in. And we look into what can be done to move us along to the end...and what does that end look like? To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We've been told for a few weeks now that the omicron COVID variant is producing milder illnesses in the people unlucky enough to catch it--and indeed, there have even been some very preliminary studies backing up that notion.But what if we had it all wrong?We're starting to see an increase in COVID deaths here in L-A County. Last Tuesday, 15 deaths from COVID complications were reported by public health; that jumped to 66 recorded on Saturday, the highest in more than nine months. So we'll take a closer look at the supposedly "milder" omicron variant.Also--the hope had been that with the wildfire-like spread of the omicron variant, the COVID pandemic would turn "endemic," meaning we could start to treat COVID sicknesses like a seasonal flu. That thinking, it turns out, might have been too optimistic. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Supreme Court strikes down President Biden's vaccine mandate for businesses with 100 or more employees. But the justices are allowing a mandate for healthcare workers to stand.President Biden is pledging more free at-home tests and high-quality masks for Americans as the Omicron surge continues.Many hospitals are at a breaking point right now. And nurses in Southern California are unhappy with new rules allowing them to come back to work after testing positive for Covid-19 if they don't have any symptoms. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Private insurance will start covering the cost of at-home Covid-19 tests. Will it be easy to get reimbursed? And will it remain hard to find them?Pfizer is producing an Omicron-specific version of its Covid vaccine, but will it be too late to make a difference by the time it's available?And we could soon see the number of Covid cases plummet in the U.S. Scientists say we may be close to the peak of the Omicron surge. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The United States set a new record with more than 140,000 Covid-19 patients in the hospital, but the good news is that most cases don't appear to be as severe.The CEO at United Airlines says none of the company's vaccinated employees died of Covid-19. Will this convince other businesses to implement vaccine mandates.We still don't have vaccines approved for children under the age of 5. When will that change?And even though more kids are getting Covid-19, some health experts think it's smart and necessary to keep schools open. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Scammers are taking advantage of how hard it is to get a Covid-19 test amid the current Omicron surge. They're selling fake testing kits online and even setting up fake testing sites.Like doctors, veterinarians are being hit hard by the pandemic. There's extra pressure on them with all the new pets people have bought over the last couple years. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The number of kids hospitalized with Covid-19 in the United States is higher now than at any point during the pandemic. Is Omicron more dangerous to children or is it just the fact that kids under 5 can't get vaccinated?The CDC's changing guidance and messaging has been confusing and often frustrating to many Americans.And with Covid-19 cases surging, people might already be doing away with their 2022 New Year's resolutions. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A new Covid-19 vaccine already approved for use in India could be a "game changer" for developing countries. It's cheaper and easier to produce than most of the vaccines we have now.Some medical advisors to President Biden's transition team have been critical of the administration's response to Covid-19. They say we need to learn to live with the virus rather than tying to wipe it out. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This is not the new year mashup we were hoping for: catching the flu, and COVID, at the same time--it's being labeled "Flurona"and the first case has been reported in Los Angeles County. Add one more anxiety to your pandemic bingo cards.Schools in Chicago are closing again. The teacher's union there voting to go back to remote learning because of the omicron surge, running up against Chicago's mayor and many parents who have no desire to go back to Zoom classes. Will the same thing start happening in more school districts across the country?And with the rate of new infections setting pandemic records on an almost daily basis ....should we really still be focusing on cases when deciding to shut things down? A growing number of doctors say no. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The winter COVID surge is well under way in the United States, leading to dubious new records. About one million cases were recorded Monday which surpassed the old record of 590-thousand set just last week. Can the country's healthcare system withstand the onslaught of cases and hospitalizations? If that's not bad enough...there's a new variant found in southern France that has some scientists worried.Meanwhile hospitals are having a tough time finding enough of Pfizer's and Merck's COVID pills just as they're filling up. Students are exhausted, stressed and burned out from the pandemic. Many of them are struggling with mental health issues and the constant changes when it comes to schools opening and closing.And finally.........COVID has exposed some major holes in America's system of caregiving for the children, the elderly and those in need. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The FDA kicked off 2022 by approving Pfizer's COVID booster shot for children as young as 12. Can boosted young teenagers play a big role in slowing COVID's rapid spread this Winter?2022 also starts with some relief from medical bills--there should be much fewer surprises the next time you have to check into a hospital or pay a visit to the ER.If you're hopeful for a better 2022 than 2021...don't pay attention to how much money you're spending for things like gas, food and clothes. Everything is costing more as inflation tightens its grip on the American economy. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Omicron may fuel the Winter surge in the U.S. That might be a good thing.Pfizer is tweaking its vaccine for kids 5 and younger because trials show it's not really working on them.The pandemic created a wild economy in 2021. What's in store for 2022? To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

New studies show booster shots might stop the omicron variant.The COVID Winter surge is wreaking havoc in the pro sports world as dozens of athletes are now out due to league protocols. Will the rest of Winter see a bunch of canceled and postponed games in the NHL, NBA and even the NFL? To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Promising data from Pfizer shows its antiviral Covid-19 pill reduces severe illness, hospitalizations, and death. And it appears to hold up against the Omicron variant.A healthcare professional who is fully vaccinated and boosted just came down with Covid-19 for a second time.California is reenacting a statewide mask mandate amid a surge in cases, even among the vaccinated. Will people actually mask up?And the pandemic is part of the reason we're dealing with a nationwide shortage of teachers. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The pandemic has now taken the lives of 800,000 Americans. Did it have to be this bad?And the second-largest public school district in the country is delaying a vaccine mandate for students 12 and older. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The omicron variant is still a mystery scientists and doctors are trying to unravel. Dr. Michael Osterholm explains what omicron means for the future of the pandemic and a Winter surge.The pandemic is being blamed for inflation. When will price hikes slow down?Ostriches are helping scientists detect COVID-19. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The FDA and CDC approve Pfizer booster shots for older teenagers. Are they really needed?California could be headed for another Winter surge.The pandemic is apparently increasing everyone's blood pressure. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

New research shows the vaccines are holding up well against omicron, especially the boosters.Chewing gum is showing promise in killing coronavirus.The U.S. Surgeon General has issued a public health advisory on the mental health challenges confronting teens and kids during the pandemic. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Doctors and scientists are learning more about the omicron variant. It seems to be more contagious but not as severe.Pandemic-related supply chain problems are now leading to a cream cheese shortage on the East Coast much to the dismay of bagel fans.A fake arm is used to avoid a real vaccine. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

More and more cases of the omicron variant are being found in the U.S. and the rest of the world. That's leading to a lot more concern and nervousness out there. New information could add to all that. South African scientists are warning omicron may be causing more reinfections than earlier virus mutants.Parts of the U.S. are dealing with a record number of COVID hospitalizations.A new study explains why some people have an easier time with COVID compared to others. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

President Biden announces new measures to fight COVID and the omicron variant. One calls for health insurance companies to reimburse people for at-home test kits.The U.S. is lagging behind other countries when it comes to available and affordable rapid at-home COVID tests.Did omicron really begin in a person? Its origins might not be human. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The omicron variant is now in the U.S. A person in San Francisco who was fully vaccinated arrived from South Africa. They're dealing with mild symptoms and recovering. How worried should we be about this variant? Do we have to start over now? To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The origins of the omicron variant remain a mystery but it's possible it's been around for a while now.Omicron is making stock market investors and traders nervous.Merck's COVID treatment drug might not be as strong as once believed.Pharmacies are struggling with a shortage of pharmacists and other workers. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The omicron variant is here. What is it? Where did it come from?Can vaccines work against it?Will travel bans be enough to stop its spread?Can this variant escape current and upcoming treatments and pills to stop COVID? To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

COVID-19 cases are surging again in Europe. New lockdowns and vaccine mandates are being met with resistance.Could a central vaccine database benefit the U.S.?Food banks are dealing with supply chain problems just before the holidays.If you took Thanksgiving off last year, we have tips to prepare a Thanksgiving meal in case you're rusty. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Winter is coming and COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations are on the rise across the U.S. Can the vaccines help stop another surge?Thanksgiving travel looks to be even worse this year after many people skipped visiting family last year. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The FDA has formally approved Covid-19 booster shots from Pfizer and Moderna for all American adults ahead of the holiday season.We've seen a sharp increase in the number of people hospitalized with eating disorders, and the pandemic is partly to blame.There have been all kinds of shortages recently. Now, it's a shortage of Santa Clauses! To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Pfizer is asking federal regulators to authorize its antiviral pill to treat Covid-19. Merck has a similar medication. And both will be selling them to poorer countries for cheap. Will this turn the tide against the virus?California is allowing all adults to sign up for booster shots. Will they help us fight an expected winter surge?And Thanksgiving is coming up. How do you deal with getting together with family members who aren't vaccinated? To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A new survey details how students in Los Angeles are still dealing with the effects of the pandemic. Many say there needs to be more of an emphasis on mental health.Turns out that hundreds of deer in Iowa have Covid-19. What does this mean for humans?And we've heard a lot about the current worker shortage from the perspective of job-seekers. But what about companies that are hiring? Have they been forced to change the way they recruit and retain employees? To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Pfizer will ask the FDA to approve COVID-19 booster shots for all adults.California could be seeing the start of another Winter surge.A post-pandemic baby boom could hit. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Pfizer says it has a COVID-19 treatment pill that can save lives and keep people out of the hospital.California is seeing lower-than-expected demand for booster shots. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The federal government says workers at big companies have to be vaccinated or tested weekly starting in early January. Is this basically a national vaccine mandate?Los Angeles County is the latest big metropolitan area in the U.S. to require vaccination proof for most indoor areas.Workers used the pandemic to quit their jobs and look for better opportunities but many came crawling back after striking out. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

COVID-19 cases are on the rise in the San Francisco Bay Area despite its strict rules.Some parents say they're not getting their younger kids vaccinated even if they themselves are already vaccinated.Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti tests positive for COVID-19 while on an overseas trip. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The CDC is on the cusp of approving the Pfizer vaccine for 5 to 11 year olds. But Moderna's vaccine is on hold for kids because of a potential side effect related to heart inflammation.Open enrollment for 2022 health insurance plans is underway. How do you know you're making the right decision?And it looks like pandemic-related issues are going to make travel this holiday season a mess. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Another grim milestone for the Covid-19 pandemic.What does the future of the virus look like? Are we just going to have to learn how to live with Covid-19?Organized labor is having a moment, thanks in part to the pandemic. But will it last? To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

New research shows that a widely available antidepressant could be even more effective than a new pill from Merck at treating Covid-19. And it's much less expensive.Speaking of that pill, Merck will allow a nonprofit group to manufacture it for low and middle income countries. But it won't allow for a generic option.The FDA is expected to give final approval to Pfizer's vaccine for 5 to 11 year old kids later this week. How much resistance will we see from parents?Yet another thing made worse by the pandemic: Childhood obesity. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Some airline pilots are uniting to say they shouldn't be forced to get vaccinated.Is it OK to get a Pfizer booster shot if you got the Moderna or Johnson & Johnson vaccines?The pandemic has led to higher prices of just about everything. What will slow down the increase? To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Moderna is charging poorer countries more for its COVID-19 vaccine. But why?Pandemic-related supply chain problems are impacting grocery store shelves. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Merck is seeking emergency approval from the FDA for its new antiviral COVID pill.The pandemic has exacerbated the U.S.'s child care crisis. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sweden and Finland are pausing the Moderna vaccine for men under 30 over concerns about a cardiovascular side effect.Merck is charging the U.S. government more than 40 times what it costs to produce a dose of its new COVID treatment.The flu and COVID-19. Will we see the dreaded twindemic this Winter. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Cheap, quick and easy at-home COVID tests are hard to find. We were promised them but where are they?Los Angeles is set to impose a vaccine mandate to visit more indoor places.The pandemic changes how we view cars and auto transportation. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Merck says its new antiviral pill shows promise in fighting COVID-19.California now has a vaccine mandate for all eligible school students.The Biden administration looks to end "surprise" medical billing.Businesses pivot to try to survive during the pandemic. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices