Derek Hawkins

Author's posts

Pandemic life, two years later: Where do you fit in?

This personal pandemic check-up shows how many Americans share your experiences.

Your questions on the coronavirus, answered: What is the duration of omicron covid-19 symptoms?

Whether symptoms from the omicron variant resolve faster remains to be seen.

Your questions on the coronavirus, answered: J&J shot and booster vs. omicron?

We know that Johnson & Johnson recipients who got boosted with an mRNA shot are well protected against the delta variant. But omicron is far more slippery.

With omicron, many vaccinated Americans will at some point test positive. Here’s what to do.

From at-home care to evaluating an emergency, here’s what to do if you get a breakthrough coronavirus infection.

Your questions about covid-19, answered: Are vaccinated people who have breakthrough infection less contagious?

The vaccinated do appear to be less contagious than the unvaccinated — or at least contagious for a shorter period of time.

Your questions on the coronavirus, answered: What covid-illnesses are covered as disability?

Qualifying for disability benefits — including for an illness caused by covid-19 — can be a complex, sometimes laborious process.

California is seeing covid-19 cases drop. Has the state turned the tide on the delta variant?

Experts say the state’s embrace of vaccines, masks and other public health measures has helped it contain the highly transmissible delta.

How at-home coronavirus testing is becoming part of Biden’s plan for managing the pandemic

Instead of waiting days for results from slower but more accurate PCR tests, more Americans could test themselves before returning to school, going to weddings or attending conferences, and get a reading in minutes.

People who got Johnson & Johnson’s coronavirus shot feel left behind in push for boosters

Many of the 14 million Americans who got the single-dose vaccine worry about when they will become eligible for an additional shot.

Orlando urges residents to conserve water due to surge in covid hospitalizations

The region has faced shortages of liquid oxygen, used in water treatment, as a growing number of critically ill people require respiratory therapy.