Will Stone - NPR
Free COVID tests headed to nation’s schools
The initiative will make available millions of tests for school districts as they enter the winter months when COVID activity is expected to peak.
Pfizer asks FDA to greenlight new omicron booster shots, which could arrive this fall
Pfizer has submitted data on its bivalent COVID-19 booster shot that specifically targets the latest omicron subvariants. If authorized, the company says the shots could be ready as soon as September.
The new U.S. monkeypox vaccine strategy offers more doses — and uncertainty
Missteps and delays have hampered the U.S. effort to vaccinate people against monkeypox. Now state health officials and community members are trying to adapt to a controversial "dose sparing" plan.
With new guidance, CDC ends test-to-stay for schools and relaxes COVID rules
Revised guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention looks to minimize COVID-19's disruption of daily life while conceding that the pandemic isn't over.
White House declares monkeypox a public health emergency
Declaring a public health emergency can free up resources to help the administration respond to the monkeypox outbreak. So far more than 6,000 people in the U.S. have been infected.
Coronavirus FAQ: I’m a one-way masker. With mask mandates going away, is that helpful?
Even as mask mandates on transportation and public spaces are being lifted, some folks still want to mask up to reduce the risk of a coronavirus infection. Here's a guide to one-way masking.
CDC extends transportation mask mandate until May 3
The Biden administration will continue to require travelers to wear masks on planes and other forms of public transport.
Sleeping with even a little bit of light isn’t good for your health, study shows
Just a night or two of exposure to faint light is enough to raise your pulse and increase insulin resistance — factors that increase the risk of heart disease and diabetes, researchers find.
Evidence grows that vaccines lower the risk of getting long COVID
Being fully vaccinated seems to substantially cut the risk of later developing the persistent symptoms that characterize long COVID.
It’s safe to unmask in many places, says the CDC. These experts aren’t quite ready
Infectious disease specialists surveyed by NPR say they're not ditching their masks just yet.
Americans get sicker as omicron stalls everything from heart surgeries to cancer care
Slammed by COVID-19, many U.S. hospitals have put off essential procedures. Delays are leading to consequences like heart attacks and sending people to emergency rooms to get care.
U.S. COVID hospitalizations hit new record high, raising risks for patients
There are more patients and, in some places, not enough health care workers to go around. Research shows the crowding will impact care and increase mortality for all patients.
What we know about the symptoms — and the severity — of the omicron variant
Researchers are looking at data from U.S. cases to determine if the variant causes milder disease. Even if the answer is yes, they say, rates of hospitalization could be high during the surge.
I’m fully vaccinated and I also had COVID. Do I need a booster?
Booster shots have been authorized for all U.S. adults, and the government is urging people to get them. But what if you've already had COVID and the vaccine? Here's what scientists say.
U.S. COVID cases start to rise again as the holidays approach
After declining most of the fall, new infections are up again in more than half of U.S. states, worrying experts about what the holiday season may bring.
What you need to know about COVID boosters
You've seen the headlines about COVID boosters. But what does it all mean for you? Here's how to sort through the science and figure out if and when you need a booster and which one to get.
What causes long COVID is a mystery. Here’s how scientists are trying to crack it.
It's not clear why some people who get COVID-19 are plagued with symptoms for many months after being infected, but scientists are investigating what's behind these "long haul" cases.
Even with the no-mask guidance, some pockets of the U.S. aren’t ready to let go
Many Americans are still making sense of new CDC guidance that vaccinated people no longer have to wear masks in most indoor settings.