Scientists Pen Letter Critical Of CDC Policy On Ventilation And Masks NPR's Ari Shapiro talks with Dr. Celine Gounder, who was on Biden's Coronavirus Transition Task Force, about the letter she and others wrote criticizing the CDC's current guidance on the coronavirus.
LA County Health Official On Getting Vaccines To The Unhoused NPR's Ailsa Chang speaks with Dr. Heidi Behforouz, medical director of Housing for Health at the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services, about vaccinating people experiencing homelessness.
How Herd Immunity Works — And What Stands In Its Way Scientists say the pandemic will only end in the U.S. when we achieve what's called herd immunity. Play with our simulations to see how immunity can stop an outbreak in its tracks. Thomas Wilburn
What A 30,000-Person Survey Reveals About Day-To-Day Life In The Pandemic The responses reveal the impact on living standards in nine low- and middle-income countries — and may help governments find a way to help citizens most in need. Malaka Gharib
American Life Expectancy Dropped By A Full Year In The First Half Of 2020 The group that suffered the largest drop in life expectancy was Black males — a decline of 3 years. Hispanic males also saw a large decrease, with a decline of 2.4 years. Laurel Wamsley
Why Washington state's Phase Finder is not achieving vaccine equity When it comes to Covid-19 vaccinations in Washington state, top health officials like to talk about how they’re making the rollout equitable. But data shows big disparities in vaccinations, and community groups are stepping up to fill the gaps. Anna Boiko-Weyrauch
Houston Doctor Notes Spike Of Carbon Monoxide Poisonings During Texas Winter Blast NPR's Ari Shapiro talks with Dr. Samuel Prater in Houston about a surge in patients suffering from carbon monoxide poisoning. Many were trying to keep warm after major power failures in Texas.
White House Announces Expanded COVID-19 Testing, Manufacturing And Virus Sequencing The administration says there will only be a few million doses of Johnson & Johnson's vaccine available to distribute right away, assuming the company gets FDA authorization in the next few weeks. Laurel Wamsley
Shoppers Splurged In January As New Stimulus Checks Arrived Retail sales soared 5.3% last month compared to December, much more than anticipated, as U.S. families began receiving new federal coronavirus relief checks. Alina Selyukh
Vaccinating Homeless Patients Against COVID-19: 'All Bets Are Off' A community health center is now immunizing the local homeless population. But vaccination logistics, already complex, are compounded by the additional barriers in communication and transportation. Yuki Noguchi