PRISTINA, Kosovo — Kosovar doctors on Friday threatened to take action in support of a colleague who was arrested for refusing to treat a patient after working hours. Police reported that pulmonologist Ibrahim Hoti was detained a day earlier and local health authorities suspended him from work. It was not…
Marchers protest Romania's virus restrictions as cases soar
BUCHAREST — Marchers took to the streets Saturday in the Romanian capital of Bucharest to protest restrictive measures to fight the spread of COVID-19 even as new daily infections and deaths rose in the European Union nation. About 1,000 people converged on Victory Square and University Square, expressing frustration with…
Duke University to require COVID vaccinations for fall term
DURHAM, N.C. — Duke University will require all new and returning students to present proof of vaccination to student health officials before they can enroll for the fall semester, the school’s president said Friday. A statement from Duke President Vincent Price says the policy will cover all undergraduate, graduate, and…
Texas governor bans mandated COVID-19 'vaccine passports'
AUSTIN, Texas — Texas Gov. Greg Abbott used his executive power Tuesday to ban state government and some private entities from requiring COVID-19 “vaccine passports” to access services, in the latest move from a Republican governor pitting public health campaigns against personal freedom and private choices. According to Abbott’s order,…
UK regulator reports 30 clot cases linked to AstraZeneca jab
LONDON — Britain’s medicines regulator said it has identified 30 cases of rare blood clot events associated with the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine but stressed the benefits “continue to outweigh any risks.” The Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency said the risk associated with this type of blood clot is “very small”…
Foreigners flock to Serbia to get coronavirus vaccine shots
BELGRADE, Serbia — Thousands of vaccine-seekers from countries neighboring Serbia flocked to Belgrade on Saturday after Serbian authorities offered foreigners free coronavirus jabs if they showed up over the weekend. Long lines of Bosnians, Montenegrins and Macedonians — often entire families — formed in front of the main vaccination center…
Biden to highlight vaccine as US nears 100 millionth shot
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden is set to highlight his administration’s push to dramatically expand distribution of COVID-19 vaccines Thursday, with the nation on the cusp of meeting his goal of injecting 100 million doses in his first 100 days in office — on Day 58 of his presidency. From…
Hunt for vaccine slots often leads through scheduling maze
PROVIDENCE, R.I. — The road to a COVID-19 shot often leads through a maze of scheduling systems: Some vaccine seekers spend days or weeks trying to book online appointments. Those who get a coveted slot can still be stymied by pages of forms or websites that slow to a crawl…
Greek police, protesters clash in Athens suburb
ATHENS, Greece — Greek police clashed with more than 500 protesters in an Athens suburb on Sunday evening, using tear gas and stun grenades to disperse the crowd. The crowd was protesting police violence, but views of what happened earlier Sunday diverge widely. In an announcement, police say that a…
Kids with autism in UK detained in
A British Parliamentary committee says many people with autism or learning disabilities are being detained in “horrific” conditions and is calling for an overhaul of the system intended to evaluate their treatment. The Joint Committee on Human Rights said in a report issued Friday that it heard “grim” evidence about…
Potential target for cardiac fibrosis treatment
A research team led by scientists from the Consortium for Fibrosis Research & Translation (CFReT) at the University of Colorado School of Medicine has identified a potential target for treating heart failure related to fibrosis. Fibrosis is a wound-healing response after tissue injury or stress. Cardiac fibrosis can cause abnormal…