Category: NPR

Pfizer Says FDA Will Soon Authorize COVID-19 Vaccine For 12-15 Age Group

The company said in late March that clinical trials showed the vaccine elicits “100% efficacy and robust antibody responses” in adolescents.

For Kurdish Americans In Nashville, A Beloved Leader’s Death Prompts Vaccine Push

Some immigrant groups are closing the ethnic gap on COVID-19 shots. For many Kurdish Americans, their fears about vaccination are entangled with their experiences in refugee camps after fleeing Iraq.

U.S. Vaccinations May Be Reaching A Tipping Point To Stop The Virus, Experts Say

New coronavirus cases are at their lowest level since October. Some health experts think the vaccination campaign deserves credit for tamping down the U.S. outbreak. But will the downturn last?

Retail Therapy: CVS Plans To Expand Mental Health Care In Stores

As the number of people seeking therapy soars during the pandemic, CVS has begun testing a model to offer counseling services in its stores. It hopes to reduce costs for both patients and itself.

COVID-19 Has Hit The Amish Community Hard. Still, Vaccines Are A Hard Sell

Despite deaths and high infection rates, the parts of Ohio where the Amish live have the state’s lowest vaccination rates. Most Amish aren’t getting vaccinated; the few who do aren’t open about it.

Why New Guidelines For Opioid Treatment Are A ‘Big Deal’

More health workers are now able to prescribe buprenorphine for opioid addiction treatment. Nora Volkow of the National Institute on Drug Abuse says it will help lessen stigma and increase access.

As Pregnancy-Related Deaths Rise In The U.S., Experts Say Expanding Medicaid Is Key

The U.S. is the only industrialized nation where the rate of pregnancy-related deaths is rising. Black mothers face the highest risk, and the CDC estimates over half of these deaths are preventable.

Why Black And Latino People Still Lag On COVID Vaccines — And How To Fix It

It’s not a matter of vaccine hesitancy, say advocates. Instead, poorly located clinics, lack of flexible appointments and other barriers to access are hampering Philadelphia’s hardest-hit communities.

COMIC: How I Cope With Pandemic Numbness

Each week I check the latest deaths from COVID-19 for NPR. After a while, I didn’t feel any sorrow at the numbers. I just felt numb. I wanted to understand why — and how to overcome that numbness.

The Pandemic Imperiled Non-English Speakers In A Hospital

Data from a Boston hospital showed that Latino patients who did not speak English well had a 35% greater risk of death from COVID-19. The hospital has added interpretation capacity.