People with substance use disorder are more vulnerable to COVID-19 New research shows people with substance use disorders are significantly more vulnerable to a breakthrough infection of COVID-19. Will Stone
Football fans are packing into stadiums without masks, but it hasn't been an issue How risky is attending a professional or college football game during this phase of the pandemic? Millions are doing so, mostly unmasked. Wade Goodwyn
Parents should be patient about getting COVID vaccines for kids, White House says There are fresh logistical challenges, warns the White House's COVID czar in an exclusive interview with NPR. For example, young children will be getting a smaller dose delivered via smaller needles. Tamara Keith
FDA authorizes use of Pfizer's COVID vaccine for 5- to 11-year-olds The agency acted after an independent panel of scientists strongly supported the move. Kids could start getting vaccinated within the week. Joe Neel
South Korea seeks a path to normal life from COVID-19 South Korea is seeking a degree of normalcy by gradually easing restrictions. "We have to find a way to safely coexist with COVID-19 even if that means taking some risks," an official said. Se Eun Gong
COVID's endgame: Scientists have a clue about where SARS-CoV-2 is headed Pandemic predictions have been made — and then things would change. But based on models and studies (including a 1980s test that squirted virus up human noses), researchers have a new endgame thesis. Michaeleen Doucleff
Kathryn Whitehead: How can we safely deliver vaccines to the right cells? mRNA vaccines are groundbreaking—but the mRNA inside them is fragile. Kathryn Whitehead explains how scientists have created the right "packing material" to safely deliver these to the right cells. Manoush Zomorodi
Vaccinated seniors navigate life in mostly unvaccinated rural America Vaccination rates in much of rural America remain low. But there's one consistent holdout demographic: seniors, many of whom remember lining up eagerly as children to get the polio vaccine. Kirk Siegler
Keller Rinaudo: How can delivery drones save lives? In rural areas, basic health care can be out of reach. Keller Rinaudo founded Zipline, a delivery company that uses drones to deliver necessary medical supplies within hours, even minutes. Manoush Zomorodi
NAACP urges pro athletes not to sign with Texas teams over voting and abortion laws Player organizations in the NBA, NHL, NFL, WNBA and MLB were sent an open letter by the organization's national and state presidents. Jonathan Franklin
