A potential coronavirus vaccine developed by U.S. biotech company Moderna and the National Institutes of Health started its final phase of testing Monday. The trial includes up to 30,000 volunteers.
Category: NPR
City in Washington State Drives Hospitalizations Down In Coronavirus Battle
The only hospital in Yakima, Wash., nearly reached its capacity in June due to the coronavirus. But the community took action and now offers lessons on how to bring hospitalizations down.
Trump’s Favorite Coronavirus Metric, The Case Fatality, Is Unreliable
President Trump often cites the coronavirus case fatality rate, saying it is more important than the number of cases or deaths. But medical experts say it’s not a good way to measure the pandemic.
Studies Suggest Immunity To The Coronavirus Is Likely To Be Short Term
Some studies suggest immunity to the coronavirus doesn’t last long. That might have implications for the development of vaccines.
Knee Repair’s Use Of Surgical Assistant Leads To A Costly Surprise Bill
A college student’s bill for outpatient knee surgery is a whopper — $96K — but the most mysterious part is a $1,167 charge from a health care provider she didn’t even know was in the operating room.
Rapid, Cheap, Less Accurate Coronavirus Testing Has A Place, Scientists Say
A single test that can give false reassurance sounds bad. But a $10 test for the coronavirus, if repeated daily, would discover real infections, say proponents of such tests as screening tools.
Kids Get Coronavirus, But Do They Spread It? We’ll Find Out When Schools Reopen
Studies show children have lower rates of COVID-19 and have milder symptoms than adults. But there’s less information on how much kids spread the virus, which is key to safely reopen schools.
Gene Therapy Shows Promise For Hemophilia, But Could Be Most Expensive U.S. Drug Ever
The first gene therapy for hemophilia could be approved by the FDA within six months, according to the drugmaker, raising hopes among families. But the drug’s price could be $3 million per patient.
Rule Change Gives Laid-Off Workers More Time To Sign Up For COBRA Insurance
People who lose their job-based health plan usually get 60 days to decide to continue it — and pay more — under federal rules. But a recent pandemic-related rule change allows more decision time.
NPR Investigation: Opioids Are Still The King For Many Doctors, Dentists
The U.S. health care industry has begun reducing the use of high-risk opioid pain medications. But clinicians in many fields still prescribe large quantities of opioids, ignoring federal guidelines.
