MEDICINE

Preliminary findings from a new study in southern California show that the COVID-19 omicron variant causes less severe disease than other variants. Connecticut health providers say that aligns with the kinds of cases they are seeing in local hospitals.

Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center is suing Hartford HealthCare and its subsidiaries, including Hartford Hospital, claiming that it is trying to create a monopoly on hospital services by acquiring physician networks.

As WBUR’s Gabrielle Emanuel reports, much of the burden has fallen on school nurses, who say they are having to come up with policies on the fly.

Vaccinated residents of Massachusetts beginning Monday will be able to access a digital record of their COVID-19 vaccine history, including a scannable QR code, that could be stored on their smartphone and presented to businesses requiring immunizations for entry.

A new study by researchers at UMass Amherst shows that women who get vaccinated against COVID-19 pass antibodies to their breastfeeding babies.

Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont is ordering nursing home workers and contractors who have significant contact with residents to get a vaccine booster shot by Feb. 11, noting the state's increasing COVID-19 infection rate among staff.

The program has carved out spaces with lower light and room for privacy: "I would say we have over a 99% success rate, even with kids who have some pretty substantial needs."

Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont said three million COVID-19 rapid tests and six million N95 masks will soon be made available to residents.

Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont said digital pandemic access cards will be tested as soon as next week.

If every unvaccinated person in Massachusetts got their COVID-19 shots, the state's COVID-19 hospitalization rate would drop by 50%, Gov. Charlie Baker…