Washington, April 1 (RHC)-- The U.S. COVID-19 death toll has topped 550,000 -- by far the highest in the world, and the true figure is likely even higher.  A new study in the American Journal of Public Health suggests Florida has undercounted the number of COVID deaths by thousands. 

The U.S. state of Arkansas has become the latest state to lift its statewide mask mandate, ignoring calls by President Biden for states to keep restrictions in place as COVID cases are rising in 26 states. 

In other news, The New York Times has revealed NYU Langone Health, a major hospital system in New York City, has set aside COVID vaccines solely for employees of Bloomberg, which is run by the billionaire former mayor of New York, Mike Bloomberg.  The news comes just weeks after Bloomberg Philanthropies gave another part of NYU a $25 million donation.