An an analysis released Wednesday, the US Food and Drug Administration said the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine has met the requirements for emergency use authorization -- another step toward the authorization of a third shot for the United States.

The Division of Public Health made its pitch to the Joint Finance Committee (JFC) Wednesday, justifying all the work they've done in the past year--and will continue to do in the coming year--to combat a global health crisis. 

Delaware health officials remain focused on their priority for equitable COVID-19 vaccine distribution and outlined ways of achieving that goal at Tuesday's weekly COVID-19 news conference.

State departments continue to plead their cases for budget increases before Delaware's Joint Finance Committee, and on Tuesday, the overarching state agency tasked with responding to a global pandemic laid out what's happened in the last year and where their efforts are currently focused. 

Under a cold, punishing rainfall that would have likely postponed a race at Dover International Speedway, it was full speed ahead on Monday, February 22, 2021, for a mass COVID-19 vaccination center put on by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in partnership with the Delaware Eme…

The state's mass vaccination site at Dover International Speedway will be able to accommodate more second dose appointments for Delawareans.

"Whether you're diagnosed with COVID or cancer. It should not mean you have to leave your job or lose your paycheck," said Liz Richards, Executive Director of the Delaware Cares Coalition for Paid Leave. 

Sixteen percent of Delawareans surveyed said they either "definitely won't" or "probably won't" get the COVID-19 vaccine while 70% percent will "definitely" get vaccinated, according to a new state survey.

Delaware did not receive any COVID-19 vaccine this week as a result of winter storms across the country creating shipping delays.

The Delaware State of Emergency has been extended another 30 days--a formality at this point--but the limit on indoor gatherings has been increased once more, Gov. John Carney announced Friday. 

The state's response to vaccine equity issues raised by the Latin American Community Center (LACC) on WDEL isn't good enough, according to that organization's leader.

Six days of second dose vaccinations at Dover International Speedway solely for Delawareans who got their first dose at state DMVs or Salesianum School will now begin on Sunday, February 21, 2021, because of winter weather.

"It's not time to let your guard down. It's time to double down on COVID-19 mitigation efforts," said Governor John Carney Tuesday. "Wear your mask, doubled it up, be extra cautious. We want to get to a place where we've reduced the spread."

Delawareans who were vaccinated at mass clinics at the Dover, Delaware City, or Georgetown DMVs or Salesianum School in mid-to-late January can begin registering for an appointment to get their second dose of COVID-19 vaccine Wednesday by clicking here any time after 11 a.m. on February 17, 2021.

A leader in the state's Hispanic and Latino communities is slamming the state for its approach to vaccine equity, saying there hasn't been any so far.

In just over three hours, 3,800 appointments for second shots were taken.

A group of 29 U.S. Senators is calling for a renewed focus on ensuring COVID-19 relief--particularly the initial $600 payments from the first round of CARES Act funding--is making its way into the hands of those who need it most: the homeless. 

"[We] don't want to be left with our guard down," said Governor John Carney Tuesday as he talked about how Delaware continues to improve on the COVID-19 front, while new variants appear on US shores.

Second dose vaccines are becoming available to the thousands of Delawareans who were vaccinated at DMVs up and down the state in mid-January after many were left feeling fearful and anxious over a lack of vaccine supply and communication. 

The Christina School District took part in a pilot program that utilized a cutting edge, automated, COVID-killing robot to cleanse its classrooms with blasts of light. 

If you received unemployment benefits during the pandemic, you no longer need to report that as income on your state taxes, thanks to a bill signed into law by Gov. John Carney Monday. 

U.S. Senator Chris Coons has introduced legislation which would earmark $130 billion to invest in America's public school infrastructure in light of the insufficiencies exposed by the pandemic. 

Appointment slots for COVID-19 vaccinations are opening up and filling up fast at area Walgreens pharmacies.

A year after the University of Delaware came under fire from state lawmakers for a lack of diversity and low in-state enrollment, President Dennis Assanis touted achievements in both areas even as the university stares down a $250 million deficit and declining enrollment amid rising costs du…

The Biden administration announced it will begin direct shipments of coronavirus vaccines to retail pharmacies next week, expanding points of access for Americans to receive shots as concerns about variants of the virus expand.

After brief technical difficulties at the start of the Joint Finance Committee hearings Tuesday, lawmakers took their first crack at Governor John Carney's budget proposal, questioning funding for police body cameras and a COVID-19 contingency fund.

President Joe Biden and a group of 10 Republican senators have very different ideas for the next coronavirus relief bill.

As Delaware prepares to receive more COVID-19 vaccine from the the federal government, the state is expanding its vaccination program to create a focus on underserved, minority communities, state officials announced Tuesday 

President Joe Biden is open to some negotiation on his $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package, a senior administration official told CNN, but the $600 billion counterproposal announced by some Republican senators Sunday is "not going to scratch the itch."

The Division of Public Health is vowing to administer second doses of vaccine within the extended CDC timeframe despite the state's shift in focus to getting more first doses in arms.

Governor John Carney will now have the opportunity to sign into law legislation that would remove unemployment benefits from taxable income, after the state Senate approved House Bill 65 Thursday. 

Governor John Carney has proposed a $4.7 billion budget for Fiscal Year 2022, which includes a small raise for state employees and a COVID-19 contingency fund for the ongoing pandemic.

To-go cocktails could be sticking around.

WDEL has learned a scheduled clinic at the Dover DMV solely for Phase 1a aimed at giving healthcare workers their second dose of vaccine was postponed Tuesday.

Most Brandywine School District schools have 60% or less of their students learning in the hybrid model, but their superintendent hopes to bring more of their struggling students back into the classrooms.

The state has announced two new partnerships aimed at vaccinating seniors.

"Our mothers, and our friends, and our neighbors are calling and asking us: 'Where can we get the vaccine? Where can we get tested? How can we help?' Well today, we can start answering those questions in a broader way," said Paul Calistro, chair of the Governor's Commission on Community and …

A drive-thru food pantry at Dover Downs on Monday, January 25, 2021, had to close before it really even officially got started.

The Moderna COVID-19 vaccine created antibodies that neutralized coronavirus variants first found in the United Kingdom and South Africa, the company said in a news release on Monday.

When a Dover High School educator heard that a colleague who tested positive for COVID-19 was told to continue to report to school, it was the last straw in what's been a struggle rife with concerns as the pandemic continues to rage.

Vaccination clinics at the Delaware City and Georgetown DMV sites ran more smoothly Sunday after some spent their entire day in traffic, in line Saturday.

Seniors invited to attend Saturday's mass drive-thru vaccination clinic at the Delaware City DMV had an appointment, but even having an appointment meant an hours-long wait with many spending their entire day in line, adding to frustration that surrounds the vaccination process.

"We did move forward with the Trump administration's recommendations to get as much vaccine out as possible; we did so with the assumption that we will see adequate supply for the second doses," said Delaware Division of Public Health Director Dr. Rick Hong. "We are eagerly waiting for that …

Of the 73,600 seniors who've registered so far to get the COVID-19 vaccine, 11,500 have been offered an appointment to be vaccinated this weekend. 

Delawareans are one step closer to not having to pay state tax on their unemployment funds.

President Joe Biden's first full day in office Thursday will focus on getting the COVID-19 pandemic under control, rolling out his national strategy that includes several executive actions related to vaccinations and testing in hopes of moving the federal response in a different direction.

More than 56,000 seniors registered to get the COVID-19 vaccine at an upcoming state drive-thru clinic on the first day registration was open.

Starting Wednesday morning, Delawareans 65 and older can register to get an appointment to get the COVID-19 vaccine at upcoming mass vaccination clinics.

President-elect Joe Biden thanked Delaware and its people for supporting his political journey “through the good times and the bad" at a send-off event Tuesday.