UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak received fines from UK Metropolitan Police Tuesday for breaking COVID-19 lockdown rules. UK Metropolitan Police announced that they have made “over 50 referrals for fixed penalty notices (FPN) to the ACRO Criminal Records Office for breaches of Covid-19 regulations who following the referral issue [...]

The Biden administration Tuesday announced a new policy initiative directing the Secretary of Health and Human Services to create a nationwide action plan on long-term effects of COVID-19. This initiative was announced with the hopes of moving towards a future where COVID-19 can be better managed and protected against. Long-term effects of COVID-19, known as “long [...]

Led by Florida Republican governor Ron DeSantis, twenty-one states filed a lawsuit Tuesday against the Center for Disease Control’s public transportation mask mandate. The current CDC order, in place since February of last year, requires those traveling on “conveyances” within the United States, including airplanes, trains, and buses, to wear a mask. It also requires [...]

The Ottawa Police Service Monday arrested a member of Ontario’s provincial parliament for his participation in the “Freedom Convoy” protests in February, according to a statement. Randall Hillier represents Lanark-Frontenac-Kingston, an area east of Toronto at the mouth of the Saint Lawrence River. The Ottawa police said they began receiving complaints about “social media posts [...]

The US Supreme Court Friday ruled that the Navy and Department of Defense can reassign Navy SEALs who refuse to get vaccinated against COVID-19. Earlier this month, the Pentagon asked the Supreme Court to allow it to stop the deployment of unvaccinated SEALs. The court’s decision temporarily blocks the January ruling from a Texas federal [...]

If any mental picture is evoked by the recent Wisconsin Supreme Court decision invalidating the State’s COVID-19-era stay-at-home/business-closure Order (Wisconsin Legislature v. Palm, et. al.) it’s probably of unrestrained partying — without masks and social-distancing — engaged in by less-risk-averse residents when unexpectedly freed of the Order’s constraints. That’s certainly one vivid takeaway from the case. [...]

In early May the Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled that the Wisconsin Governor’s extension of the state’s stay-at-home order was an unlawful overstep of his authority. The Republican legislature had filed suit because they believed that extending the stay-at-home order would hurt many of the businesses in the state. At the same time, across the country, white Americans [...]

Disinformation occurs when false information is sent with an intention to deceive, while misinformation occurs when false information is sent without an intention to deceive. This commentary notes that tardy official communication of policy promotes disinformation and misinformation. Further disinformation can arise from a lack of opportunities for public participation in policymaking. Resolving these problems [...]

As recently reported, with the reopening of the New York Stock Exchanges, persons on the floor are required to sign what is called a COVID-19 waiver. The text of such a waiver is unclear but its effect pernicious. For a person who has a contract already, the waiver amounts to a modification of the contract.  [...]

One of the focal points of the government health response to COVID-19 in India has been the extensive use of mobile phone applications such as the Aarogya Setu for contact tracing and quarantine. The applications have already been subject to widespread criticism for insufficient protection of user data. Notwithstanding the role of mobile phone applications, [...]