coronavirus first responders News

Despite Police Officer, Firefighter Deaths, Some Still Resist COVID Vaccines

It was supposed to be a turning point in the coronavirus pandemic for Erin Tokley, a longtime Philadelphia police officer, Baptist minister and 47-year-old father of three. It was supposed to be the day of his vaccine appointment. Instead it …

Workers’ Comp Benefit Denied to Family of Missouri Officer Who Died from Virus

The family of a Lebanon, Mo., police officer who died of COVID-19 has been denied workers’ compensation, city officials said. Officer Kendle Blackburn died Dec. 28 after a long battle with the virus. A release from Gov. Mike Parson’s office …

States Need Data on Medical Workers’ Coronavirus Status

Experts and health officials who are trying to plan a response to the coronavirus outbreak are missing a critical piece of information โ€” the number of health care workers who have tested positive for the disease. Washington state faced the …

Coronavirus Infections on Rise in Already-Strained Urban Police Departments

When nine police officers showed up to make an arrest near Melrose Avenue in the Bronx last Wednesday, none wore a mask or gloves to protect them from coronavirus. Similar scenes play out all over the city daily: officers making …