The judge says the key question is whether the Mills administration mandate ‘treats a secular activity more favorably than a comparable activity rooted in the free exercise of religion.’
coronavirus
Parents hopeful as medical providers prepare to give COVID vaccines to younger children
Pfizer is expected to soon submit data to the FDA, paving the way for approval for elementary-aged children as soon as next month.
U.S. easing foreign travel restrictions, but vaccinations required
The changes will allow families and others who have been separated by the travel restrictions for 18 months to plan for long-awaited reunifications.
MaineHealth awarded $1 million to study COVID-19 testing in vulnerable communities
The funding will be used to study ways to make regular testing accessible and to increase testing usage among Maine’s immigrant, low-income and homeless populations.
States brace for confusion about COVID-19 booster rollout
The two federal agencies that determine who should get a booster – the FDA and CDC – are not expected to issue decisions until later this week.
Maine sees record number of COVID-19 hospitalizations
The 214 hospitalizations reported on Monday exceed the previous record of 207, which was set at the height of last winter’s case surge.
Pfizer says COVID-19 vaccine is safe for kids ages 5 to 11
For elementary school-aged kids, Pfizer tested a much lower dose – a third of the amount that’s in each shot given now.
Another View: Mocking vaccine resisters isn’t helping
Complex reasons are often behind refusals to take the shots.
Review of Moderna, Johnson & Johnson boosters ‘a few weeks away,’ Fauci says
After the FDA approved a third shot of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine for high-risk people, recipients of the other vaccines are “understandably feeling left out,” said chief pandemic medical adviser Anthony Fauci.
Hospitalizations for COVID-19 equal Maine’s peak during pandemic
There were 207 patients with the infectious disease in hospitals statewide on Sunday, and 79 of them were in intensive care – another record.