February 16, 2023 Navy lifts deployment restrictions on sailors not vaccinated against COVID-19 The Navy will no longer consider COVID-19 vaccination status when making decisions about sailor deployments; reversing more than a year of COVID policy.
February 16, 2023 Hong Kong population down for 3rd straight year as death toll from COVID-19 rises The population in Hong Kong has dropped for a third straight year during the pandemic. Many residents are also leaving in response to the erosion of Western-style civil liberties.
February 16, 2023 Africa's CDC hopes Mpox vaccines will arrive in 'another two weeks,' after months of seeking doses Africa is hoping to receive more Mpox vaccine doses in the next two weeks. The doses will be sent to countries with the largest overall Mpox burden first.
February 15, 2023 Small Mexican airline Aeromar announces closing due to financial problems after pandemic A small Mexican airline Aeromar has announced it's closing due to financial problems after trying to recover from the pandemic. Aeromar was unable to bounce back from COVID-19 downturn.
February 15, 2023 Bolivian hospitals struggle as dengue outbreak kills dozens Bolivian hospitals are struggling to keep up as an outbreak of dengue is spreading rapidly and killing dozens. This marks Bolivia’s largest outbreak since the COVID-19 pandemic.
February 15, 2023 China shifts COVID origin blame after WHO abandons study into virus beginnings The People's Republic of China is dismissing accusations of impeding the World Health Organization's investigation into the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic.
February 15, 2023 Turkey faces post-earthquake water shortage, disease risks Turkey is facing a shortage of clean water after two deadly earthquakes damaged the region’s sanitation infrastructure. The water shortage also increases the risk of disease outbreaks.
February 15, 2023 Twitter erupts after CDC Director Walensky tells Congress masking guidance 'doesn't really change with time' Centers for Disease Control Director Rochelle Walensky told a House representative in Congress that the agency's guidance on masking changes with community spread and not with time.
February 15, 2023 European Medicines Agency expects annual COVID vaccination campaigns, similar to flu shot The EMA's head of health threats and vaccine strategy believes COVID-19 vaccination campaigns may be conducted once a year, similar to the flu shot.
February 15, 2023 CDC Director Rochelle Walensky says child masking will not change with time Walensky told Congress that masking guidance ‘doesn’t really change with time’ but with the level of disease.