Coronavirus cases

St. Louis officials cited the rise in transmission of coronavirus cases and other respiratory illnesses for the updated mandate.

The session was originally scheduled to start this week with three meeting days, but leaders announced last week they will meet only one day this week and likely will cancel all in-person meetings the following week, Jan. 11-13.

“We do not feel safe,” a parent said during a protest.

St. Louis County officials are providing the COVID-19 vaccine to residents of independent living facilities who don’t qualify for vaccines made available for nursing home residents.

Some people in the St. Louis region are driving hours to get the COVID-19 vaccine in rural areas. Regional health officials say people with resources are doing so when others can’t, but they don’t fault them for it.

Several small hospitals in the region report they’ve spent more time trying to find hospitals that can treat treat their sickest patients, particularly those at risk for COVID-19.

At least 13.6 million Americans have caught the coronavirus this year — more people than the entire populations of Michigan and Iowa combined. But the situation likely will get much worse this winter, based on new research from Washington University.

People in St. Louis and St. Louis County need to comply with orders to wear masks, said Dr. Alex Garza, head of the St. Louis Metropolitan Pandemic Task Force. But those in surrounding counties also should use them, he said.

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker is placing an additional restriction on Metro East bars and restaurants to try to slow the spread of coronavirus in the region.

Illinois officials are imposing new health restrictions for Metro East restaurants, bars and gatherings to reduce the spread of the coronavirus.