Category: NPR

Without Federal Protections, Farm Workers Risk Coronavirus Infection To Harvest Crops

Labor advocates say the lack of enforceable federal standards to ward off the coronavirus allows farmers to prioritize the harvest over worker safety.

Governors To Work With Rockefeller Foundation To Improve Virus Testing In U.S.

NPR’s Ari Shapiro talks with Dr. Rajiv Shah, president of the Rockefeller Foundation, about the foundation’s efforts to implement a national coronavirus testing and tracing plan.

Drug Companies Face Lawsuits From Opioid Crisis As They Respond To The Pandemic

As pharmaceutical companies face a tsunami of lawsuits and criminal probes stemming from the opioid epidemic, they are accused of using the coronavirus crisis to rehabilitate their image.

Coronavirus Cases Are Surging. The Contact Tracing Workforce Is Not

NPR surveyed all 50 states about their contact tracing work. The workforce has barely grown since mid-June while cases have skyrocketed.

Missouri Voters Approve Medicaid Expansion Despite Resistance From Republican Leaders

Missouri is the second state to expand the health care program via ballot measure during the pandemic. Nearly a quarter million people could get health insurance thanks to the measure.

Public Health Experts Warn Bars Are Seeds For Coronavirus Outbreaks

There are many stories of how nights out at bars can lead to coronavirus outbreaks. Public health experts say bars are perfect for spreading this virus. That’s led many states to close them down.

In Pandemic, Green Doesn’t Mean “Go.” How Did Public Health Guidance Get So Muddled?

Public officials continue to send mixed messages about the pandemic: We’re open for business, but also, stay home if you can. Without clear guidance, people feel confused or stop trying to be safe.

Missouri To Vote On Medicaid Expansion To Uninsured Adults

Missourians will vote Tuesday on whether to expand Medicaid to uninsured adults. The pandemic has raised the stakes for residents who have lost jobs and insurance coverage.

Pandemic Deepens Cancer’s Stress And Tough Choices

For many cancer patients, daily life can feel full of risky choices involving work, family, friends and money. Nearly every option pits the risks of catching the coronavirus against other downsides.

Public Health Expert Calls To Repair Distrust In A COVID-19 Vaccine

Public health officials say a promising coronavirus vaccine is on it’s way in 2021. But does that matter if only half of Americans say they’re willing to get such a vaccination?