A hospital spokesperson says the facility is implementing crisis standards for staffing in keeping with guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at this time.

The entire state is in the COVID-19 red zone, with an incidence rate of 180.72 average daily cases per 100,000 people as of Friday. 

The school's principal says, between COVID-19 and personal days, it's difficult to keep teachers fully staffed in classrooms.

Those kinds of masks are considered better at filtering virus from the air. But they previously were in short supply, and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention officials had said they should be prioritized for health care workers.

The White House says the federal website where Americans can request free COVID-19 tests will begin accepting orders on Wednesday. 

COVID-19 infections are rising again in Missouri nursing homes as the highly contagious omicron variant surges.

Some Missouri schools facing staffing and student absences because of COVID-19 are facing difficult decisions because state law limits virtual instruction to 36 hours per school year.

The district says in the future, students exposed to COVID-19 cases will be tracked, and parents will receive a notice from their child's school. Parents can choose to have their children quarantine, but they won't be required to do so. 

One Paducah hospital is taking another step to deal with COVID-19 as the impact of the virus grows more intense. This comes as all of our hospitals deal with beds filling up and staff members out on quarantine.

The omicron variant is surging in people of all ages. Since the return to school, the variant has hit the adolescent age group harder than before.

Both the hospitals and the Purchase District Health Department recommend following the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's guidelines for quarantine.

The measure received bipartisan support in both chambers.

As a record number of Americans are infected with COVID-19, largely due to the rapidly spreading Omicron variant, some states' health care systems are beset with nearly full intensive care units.

The Supreme Court has stopped the Biden administration from enforcing a requirement that employees at large businesses be vaccinated against COVID-19 or undergo weekly testing and wear a mask on the job.

President Biden says his administration will make the most protective N95 masks available for no charge.

Watch live coverage as President Joe Biden gives an update on his administration's response to the Covid surge.

With COVID-19 cases on the rise, health experts stress it's time to mask up again. The CDC might possibly update its mask guidance, recommending the public wear N95 or KN95 masks.

The district's superintendent says masks will be required for students, employees and visitors starting Jan. 14. 

"Our hospitals are becoming strained, and we're seeing impacts in our schools and communities," Gov. Andy Beshear said. "Mask up, get your vaccine and booster." 

Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Illinois Public Health Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike continued Wednesday to pound the drum that vaccinations, booster shots and masks are the best way to prevent the spread of the disease that has landed an unprecedented 7,100 people in hospitals across the state.

COVID-19 case numbers are spiking at rapid rates. The omicron variant is overwhelming hospitals and medical staff nationwide. Health experts at Baptist Health Paducah predict cases will continue to increase over the next few weeks, but there is a silver lining. 

In his letter, Shively says cases and quarantines among students and staff are continuing to climb "particularly at Paducah Tilghman." 

In-person instruction is set to resume on Jan. 18, the school district says. 

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — The Illinois Department of Corrections has temporarily paused intakes from county jails because of COVID-19 outbreaks at prisons, the agency said Tuesday.

The Biden administration is increasing federal support for COVID-19 testing for schools in a bid to keep them open amid the omicron surge.

The confrontations with Sens. Rand Paul and Roger Marshall came in a hearing on the federal response to the omicron variant of COVID-19 as the Biden administration faces growing scrutiny alongside record hospitalizations, testing challenges and messaging frustration — issues the GOP has seized on.

COVID-19 cases are on the rise, but health leaders say people are too relaxed regarding the precautions needed to fight against the virus.

That number could’ve been higher, had vaccination rates not leveled off.

More than 145,900 people were in US hospitals with Covid-19 as of Tuesday.

Students in the nation's third-largest school district will resume classes this week after leaders of the Chicago Teachers Union accepted a proposal with the district over COVID-19 safety protocols.

The policy applies to students and all adults, including visitors, regardless of whether they've been vaccinated. 

Local leaders are deciding whether to enforce a federal mandate surrounding COVID-19 vaccines and weekly tests. The ruling applies to companies and organizations with more than 100 employees.

Consumers will not need to visit their doctor or get a prescription to obtain the free tests, the department said. And the tests won't be subject to copays or deductibles.

FRANKFORT, KY — Last week, Kentucky reported more new COVID-19 cases than in any one-week period so far in the pandemic. Gov. Andy Beshear says Kentucky had 52,603 new COVID-19 cases from Jan. 3 to Jan. 9. 

Gov. Andy Beshear is providing an update on the coronavirus in Kentucky.

The number of people being treated for COVID-19 across Missouri continues to set records as virus cases surge across the state and strain hospital capacity.

The Chicago Teachers Union is holding a "day of action" on Monday after weekend negotiations failed to produce an agreement over Covid-19 safety protocols.

UPDATED: 1/8 at 4 p.m.

High risk, immunocompromised and elderly patients qualify for the treatment.

The Department of Defense awarded a $51 million contract to Goldbelt Security, LLC, "for delivery of over-the-counter COVID-19 test kits." 

As COVID-19 cases rise, testing options dwindle. West Towne Pharmacy owner Brandy Key says testing has ramped up since Christmas. West Towne, like many pharmacies, can't get at-home tests.

The Kentucky Department for Public health also reports that all but one of the state's 120 counties are in the COVID-19 red zone

The Supreme Court is taking up two major Biden administration efforts to bump up the nation’s vaccination rate against COVID-19 at a time of spiking coronavirus cases because of the omicron variant.

Gov. Andy Beshear says a record surge of COVID-19 cases has renewed concerns that Kentucky’s hospitals could become overrun with virus patients.

Southern Illinois Healthcare is temporarily suspending elective procedures at SIH Memorial Hospital of Carbondale and SIH Herrin Hospital. The decision was made due to a rise in the number of COVID-positive inpatients.

"We need to take all steps necessary to keep our patients, workforce, visitors and communities safe," the Mayo Clinic said in a statement.

"It is critical that we protect our children and teens from COVID-19 infection and the complications of severe disease," CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said in a news release

The new recommendation: "A single Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-10 vaccine booster dose is recommended for persons aged 12 to 17 years at least 5 months after primary series under the FDA's emergency use authorization."

Just one day after reporting a record 6,915 new COVID-19 cases, Kentucky has surpassed that total by more than 2,000. 

"After careful consideration and analysis with city and state officials, health and safety experts, the artist community and our many partners, the Recording Academy and CBS have postponed the 64th Annual GRAMMY Awards Show," CBS and the Recording Academy announced in a joint statement.