• Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.

FDA weighs J&J vaccine, House fo vote on COVID-19 relief bill, snow moon: 5 things you need to know Friday

Editors, USA TODAY
·5 min read
  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.

FDA weighing approval of a third COVID-19 vaccine

A proposed new COVID-19 vaccine from Johnson & Johnson is expected to get a thumbs-up Friday from a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advisory committee. If the FDA formally grants authorization as anticipated within the next few days the U.S. will have three approved vaccines. Like the other two, from Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech, the Johnson & Johnson vaccine underwent a large clinical trial showing its safety and effectiveness. The J&J vaccine differs from the two already authorized, because only one shot is recommended, instead of two. Meanwhile, starting Friday, the COVID-19 vaccine will be available in select CVS stores in 17 states. The drugstore chain announced Wednesday that it would be expanding its vaccination rollout to pharmacies in six states: Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Louisiana, Ohio and Pennsylvania.

Prefer to listen? Check out the 5 things podcast:

House to vote on Biden's COVID-19 relief bill

The House will vote on President Joe Biden's $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package Friday. The Democratic-controlled House will likely pass the package, although it will face some opposition in the Senate. Republicans have united against Biden's relief package, including several moderate senators who said the legislation is excessive and goes beyond its scope. Though Biden had hoped the legislation would be bipartisan, Democrats on Capitol Hill are eager to pass it through both chambers by mid-March, when a federal boost to unemployment benefits expires.

Ex-Olympic coach's death by suicide changes investigation

Police expected former USA Gymnastics coach John Geddert to turn himself in for arraignment on a multitude of charges on Thursday, but are instead now investigating his death by suicide. The 63-year-old is the former owner of the gymnastics club where hundreds of women and girls said serial-molester Larry Nassar sexually abused them – many even said Geddert knew about it, failed to take action, then lied to police about it. The charges levied against him were 20 counts of human trafficking and forced labor and one count each of first-degree sexual assault, second-degree sexual assault, racketeering and lying to a police officer. Nassar is serving a 175-year prison sentence.

Suicide Lifeline: If you or someone you know may be struggling with suicidal thoughts, you can call the U.S. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255) any time of day or night or chat online.

Biden heads to Texas to assess damage after horrific winter storm

In his first trip as president to a disaster zone, President Joe Biden is heading to Texas, one week after the state was ravaged by a winter storm that left millions without electricity and clean water for days. Biden, who will spend much of his time accompanied by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, is bringing first lady Jill Biden with him to Houston with plans to meet with local leaders to discuss the storm, relief efforts and recovery. A visit to a COVID-19 health center where vaccines are being distributed is also on the agenda. At least 4.3 million Texans lost electricity last week during the winter storm, and millions more lost water or were under a boil advisory. Texas is not part of the national power grid, and instead has its own electrical grid that covers nearly the entire state. Their grid is operated by the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, which has come under fire for the outages. Biden has approved a major disaster declaration for over 100 counties in the state.

Moonlight, feels right? It's time for this year's snow moon

A snow moon — so called because of February's typically heavy snowfalls — rises in the east around nightfall Friday on its way to setting early Saturday morning in the west. Each full moon has its own name. This comes from the tradition of people around the world through millennia naming months after nature's cues. According to the Old Farmer's Almanac, full moon names in our part of the world date back to Native Americans who lived in the northern and eastern U.S.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Johnson & Johnson vaccine, COVID-19 relief bill, snow moon: 5 things to know Friday

Recommended Stories

  • From the hinterland to Hollywood: how Indian farmers galvanised a protest movement

    Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is struggling to beat back his biggest political challenge in years from a protest movement which began with disgruntled farmers travelling to New Delhi on tractors and is now gaining wider support at home and abroad. Simmering in makeshift camps housing tens of thousands of farmers since last year, the movement has seen a dramatic growth in recent weeks, getting backing from environmental activists, opposition parties and even A-list Western celebrities. At its heart are three new farm laws passed by the government last September, thanks to the majority Modi's right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) enjoys in the lower house of parliament.

  • Water near Arizona Air Force base is tainted in latest case

    The U.S. Air Force says it will be distributing bottled water to thousands of residents and business owners near its base in suburban Phoenix until at least April, marking the latest case of chemicals from military firefighting efforts contaminating the water supply in a nearby community. Luke Air Force Base announced this month that studies showed high levels of contaminants had affected drinking water for about 6,000 people in roughly 1,600 homes as well as a few neighboring businesses. A contractor is scheduling deliveries of drinking water to the homes of people who picked up their first bottles this week, said Sean Clements, chief of public affairs for the 56th Fighter Wing at the base.

  • Ethiopia's Tigray crisis: How a massacre in the sacred city of Aksum unfolded

    Eritrean troops killed hundreds in Aksum in Ethiopia's Tigray region, witnesses tell Amnesty and the BBC.

  • After a chaotic year, Biden moves to reclaim the USPS, despite a defiant Postmaster General Louis DeJoy

    Biden nominated three people to open positions on the agency's governing board, who, if confirmed by the Senate, would create a Democratic advantage.

  • Pilot reports UFO, says missile-like object flew over plane during flight to Phoenix

    A pilot at American Airlines radioed Sunday that an unidentified object flew over their jet during a flight while they were over New Mexico.

  • Brazil death toll tops 250,000, virus still running rampant

    Brazil’s COVID-19 death toll, which surpassed 250,000 on Thursday, is the world’s second-highest for the same reason its second wave has yet to fade: Prevention was never made a priority, experts say. Since the pandemic's start, Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro scoffed at the “little flu” and lambasted local leaders for imposing restrictions on activity; he said the economy must keep humming along to prevent worse hardship.

  • Costco raising starting wages to $16 amid calls for federal $15 minimum – will competitors follow?

    Lawmakers debate gradually raising federal minimum wage to $15 by 2025 as second-largest retailer says raising its wages ‘constitutes a significant competitive advantage’

  • New York prosecutors finally have Trump's tax records — and the public will likely never see them

    In the race to get former President Donald Trump's tax records, New York prosecutors have won. While it was more of a marathon than a sprint, the Manhattan District Attorney's Office confirmed Thursday that it had received Trump's tax records a year and a half after first requesting them. Manhattan DA Cyrus Vance and his team will now be able to dig through what sources tell CNN are "millions of pages" of documents spanning January 2011 to August 2019. Vance got the documents, which include financial statements and engagement agreements, from Trump's accounting firm Mazars USA. The transfer happened within an hour of the Supreme Court ordering that Mazars hand over the documents on Monday, Vance's spokesperson told reporters. Forensic accountants and analysts are now prepared to root through the records to find potential fraud or wrongdoing by the former president. But because the records were handed over as part of a grand jury investigation, they're unlikely to ever be made public. Democrats in the House had meanwhile been trying to access Trump's tax returns from the time they gained a majority two years ago. Courts had ruled both for and against the Democrats' subpoenas, but the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit ultimately decided in December not to rule in the case, essentially letting Trump run out the clock. It's unclear if Congress will try to pursue Trump's records again now that he's out of the White House. More stories from theweek.comJournalist Tim O'Brien, who's seen Trump's taxes, thinks Trump's accountant will now flip in D.A. inquiryDemocrats should take the Romney-Cotton proposal seriouslyThe GOP's apathy for governing is being exposed

  • Counterpoint: Panthers are in no place to mortgage their future on Deshaun Watson

    Why trade for Deshaun Watson if it means the Panthers are left without pieces around him to allow Carolina to succeed?

  • Russell Westbrook announces plan to open an academy in South L.A.

    NBA star Southern California native Russell Westbrook is launching an academy for middle school and high school students in South L.A.

  • Coronavirus latest news: Opening windows better than masks in primary schools, says Sage scientist

    The Queen: people who refuse vaccine should think of others Analysis: Queen shows personal commitment in a time of crisis Merkel refuses Oxford jab amid calls to 'lead by example' Commuters 'should get used to fewer trains after pandemic' Subscribe to The Telegraph for a month-long free trial A scientist involved advising the Government has said there is little point in primary school children wearing face masks. Professor Calum Semple, a member of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage), told BBC Radio 4: "Primary school children are the lowest risk both to themselves and to society. "There is really good data coming out ... that shows that children are half as likely to acquire the virus to a third as likely to acquire the virus. "When it comes to transmitting they are probably half as likely to transmit it as adults. That risk actually gets smaller as you go into younger age groups. I am not a great fan of young children wearing face masks. "If I had to invest in a single activity to improve the environment both for the children and the adults, I'd be looking at improving the ventilation, unsealing windows that have been painted shut and kept shut for energy-saving reasons. "That would be a much more effective way to reduce transmission in schools." Follow the latest updates below.

  • How to get on a Mecklenburg vaccine wait list, and other COVID tips we learned this week

    Observer readers submitted dozens of questions ahead of Wednesday’s live Q&A with Mecklenburg County deputy health director Dr. Raynard Washington.

  • Police chief says militia groups ‘want to blow up’ Capitol building at Biden State of the Union

    US Capitol Police Chief Yogananda Pittman argued to maintain increased law enforcement presence at the Capitol ahead of Joe Biden’s first address to Congress, following warnings from militia groups that she says want to “blow up the Capitol and kill as many members as possible” in connection with the president’s upcoming State of the Union. “So based on that information, we think that it’s prudent that Capitol Police maintain its enhanced and robust security posture until we address those vulnerabilities going forward,” she said.

  • Canada sees good news about COVID-19 inoculations as doses arrive more quickly

    Canada's COVID-19 vaccination campaign is ramping up after earlier supply disruptions and the number of inoculations last week hit a five-week high, officials said on Thursday. Canada has deals with Pfizer Inc and Moderna Inc, but both companies ran into production problems last month and reduced shipments. The country trails many other nations in the total number of inoculations and critics accuse Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's Liberal government of bungling the rollout.

  • Coinbase says the entire crypto market could be destabilized if Bitcoin's anonymous creator is ever revealed or sells their $30 billion stake

    Satoshi Nakamoto owns about 5% of the bitcoin market. If their 1.1 million cache was transferred, bitcoin prices could plummet, Coinbase said.

  • Victim’s glasses found in car of South Dakota Attorney General who claimed he hit a deer

    Jason Ravnsborg charged with three misdemeanour counts after accident leading to death of 55-year-old pedestrian

  • Frasier and Rugrats both set to return to TV

    The 1990s shows will be rebooted for the new Paramount+ streaming site. So why all the nostalgia?

  • I tried a TikTok hack for making the best mashed potatoes and I'll never use plain salted water again

    Comedian Jourdyn Parks shared her hack for getting flavorful mashed potatoes every time by boiling the potatoes in meat or chicken stock.

  • Dutch parliament: China's treatment of Uighurs is genocide

    The Dutch parliament on Thursday passed a non-binding motion saying the treatment of the Uighur Muslim minority in China amounts to genocide, the first such move by a European country. Activists and U.N. rights experts say at least one million Muslims are being detained in camps in the remote western region of Xinjiang. The activists and some Western politicians accuse China of using torture, forced labour and sterilisations.

  • Thierry Henry resigns as coach of Montreal in MLS

    CF Montreal lost a head coach and Major League Soccer said goodbye to a marquee name with news Thursday that Thierry Henry was stepping down. Citing family reasons, the 43-year-old former star striker said he was quitting the club after one season at the helm to return to London. Kevin Gilmore, Montreal’s president and CEO, called it a “difficult day,” but said Henry was leaving on good terms.