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Spain says masks no longer totally obligatory indoors

Spain took another step Wednesday toward a sense of normality amid the pandemic by partially ending the near two-year-long obligatory use of masks indoors.

The government decree, passed Tuesday, keeps masks mandatory for visitors and staff in medical centers and nursing homes, although patients won't always be obliged to wear them.

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Shanghai allows 4 million out of homes as virus rules ease

Shanghai allowed 4 million more people out of their homes Wednesday as anti-virus controls that shut down China's biggest city eased, while the International Monetary Fund cut its forecast of Chinese economic growth and warned the global flow of industrial goods might be disrupted.

A total of almost 12 million people in the city of 25 million are allowed to go outdoors following the first round of easing last week, health official Wu Ganyu said at a news conference. Wu said the virus was "under effective control" for the first time in some parts of the city.

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Lebanon crisis exposes children to deadly viruses

Child vaccination rates in Lebanon have dropped by more than 30 percent, compounding a health crisis marked by drug shortages and an exodus of trained professionals, the United Nations said Wednesday.

"The critical drop in vaccination rates has left children vulnerable to potentially deadly diseases such as measles, diphtheria and pneumonia," the UN children's agency UNICEF said in a new report titled "A worsening health crisis for children".

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Hepatitis of unknown origin in kids recorded in more countries

Cases of hepatitis of unknown origin, first detected in UK children, have now been recorded in four more European countries and the U.S., the EU health agency said on Tuesday.

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Pfizer to seek US authorization for third Covid shot in children

Pfizer and BioNTech on Thursday announced positive results from a clinical trial on the safety and immune response of a third dose of their Covid vaccine in children aged five through 11, adding they would soon seek regulatory authorization.

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What do we know about "stealth omicron" so far?

What do we know about "stealth omicron" so far?

It's an extra-contagious version of the omicron variant, but it doesn't seem to cause more severe disease.

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Shanghai eases 2-week shutdown, letting some residents out

Some residents of Shanghai were allowed out of their homes as the city of 25 million eased a two-week-old shutdown Tuesday after videos posted online showed what was said to be people who ran out of food breaking into a supermarket and shouting appeals for help.

About 6.6 million people will be allowed to leave their homes, but some must stay in their own neighborhoods, according to the online news outlet The Paper. The government said some markets and pharmacies also would reopen.

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Djokovic is motivated to compete again for biggest titles

Novak Djokovic is ready to move on from the controversy surrounding his refusal to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

"I miss competition," the Serbian tennis star said Sunday on the opening day of the clay-court season at the Monte Carlo Masters in Monaco. "I still feel motivation to be on the tour and compete… and try to challenge the best players in the world for the biggest titles."

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Shanghai to allow parents to stay with COVID-infected kids

Following a public uproar, Shanghai is allowing at least some parents to stay with children infected with COVID-19, making an exception to a policy of isolating anyone who tests positive.

The announcement came as China's largest city remained in lockdown and conducted more mass testing Wednesday following another jump in new cases.

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Madrid's Ancelotti likely to miss Chelsea game with COVID-19

Real Madrid will likely be without coach Carlo Ancelotti for the first leg of the Champions League quarterfinals against Chelsea because of COVID-19.

Ancelotti tested positive for the coronavirus last week and did not travel to London with the rest of the squad on Tuesday.

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