Coronavirus Watch: How the government fell short with hospitals in need of staff
Nearly two years before COVID-19 was declared a national emergency in the United States, the federal government set out to add thousands of medical workers to its emergency reserve.
But by the time COVID-19 hit and the government had set a hiring goal of 10,300, it had only half that many.
Former President Trump's administration failed to hire enough workers and President Biden's 200-page plan when he entered office didn't mention efforts to expand their ranks.
Read more on a shortage of emergency staff at hospitals during the pandemic here.
It's Thursday, and this is Coronavirus Watch from the Paste BN Network. Here's more news to know:
- Moderna released data Wednesday showing its vaccine is safe and effective in kids ages 6 months to 6 years. The vaccine developer said it plans to request emergency use authorization from the Food and Drug Administration soon.
- Nearly 4 million children fell into poverty in the month after the expanded child tax credits spurred by COVID-19 expired in December, as most parents say they struggled to find and afford child care during the pandemic.
- Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton tweeted Tuesday that she has tested positive for COVID-19, adding that she has mild cold symptoms but is "feeling fine."
See our COVID-19 resource guide here. See total reported cases and deaths here. On vaccinations: About 77% of people in the U.S. have received at least one vaccine shot, and about 65% are fully vaccinated, according to the CDC.
– Cady Stanton, Paste BN digital editor fellow, @cady_stanton