For kids afraid of needles: Try detective thinking The FDA has authorized the use of Pfizer's Covid-19 vaccine for children ages five to eleven. Many young children are afraid of injection needles. So are some adults. KUOW‘s Bill Radke asked one Seattle child how she overcame her fear. Bill Radke
With an off-label drug discontinued, families' other option costs thousands more Kids who need a hormone-blocking drug to prevent premature puberty have lost an off-label option. The company that makes the medicine, which is 1/8 the cost of the FDA-approved version, withdrew it. Sydney Lupkin
As vaccine mandate kicks in, 91% of New York City employees have had at least 1 shot New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio is claiming victory as enforcement of COVID-19 vaccine mandate begins for all city workers. As of Monday, 91% of the city's workforce has had at least one shot. Gus Contreras
The U.S. has new COVID vaccine rules for international travelers. Here's what to know The requirements set by the Biden administration take effect Nov. 8 and cover approved vaccines, exceptions for the unvaccinated and protocols after arrival. Fran Kritz
Covid blog: Omicron cases surge in Washington state Updated news about the coronavirus pandemic in Seattle and Washington state. KUOW Staff
Shanghai Disneyland is shut down, and 30,000 people are tested, after one COVID case On Sunday, people weren't allowed to leave the park due to contact tracing after a woman tested positive for COVID-19 after her visit. It's the latest in China's strict measures to fight the disease. Joe Hernandez
'Vax cards,' 'vax sites,' 'fully vaxxed': Why 'vax' is Oxford's 2021 word of the year If last year was marked by the emergence of COVID-19 on a global scale, this one has been all about the new solution to end the pandemic: the vaccines. Joe Hernandez
6 tips to help you pick the right health insurance plan The open enrollment period to buy health insurance on HealthCare.gov starts now and runs through Jan. 15, 2022. Look for more options and expanded subsidies this year — and more help signing up. Selena Simmons-Duffin
Your public school kid's lunch might be served on a pizza slice box. Here's why Labor issues are making staples of school dining hard to find, triggering the worst supply chain headaches these institutions have faced in years. "It's like a ginormous hurricane," one official says. Frank Morris
The COVID-19 pandemic has now killed 5 million people around the world The U.S. leads the world in the number of confirmed deaths from the virus — 745,800 people — followed by Brazil and India, according to Johns Hopkins University's coronavirus tracker. Jaclyn Diaz
