Category: NPR

U.K. COVID cases are rising. Health officials are watching to see if the U.S. is next

The rise of the more infectious BA.2 variant in the U.S. — plus signals in the sewage — also point to a possible uptick in cases, and have health officials on alert.

People with ‘medium COVID’ are caught in a gray area of recovery with little support

Even if you don’t have long COVID, it can still take weeks to recover — much longer than the isolation period implies. Millions of Americans are finding that this still majorly disrupts their lives.

A surge in COVID-19 spurs new lockdowns in China’s cities

In the latest wave, the highly transmissible omicron variant has moved more quickly than contact tracing allows.

Therapy dogs can help relieve pain in the ER

They have offered comfort at nursing homes, schools — even disaster sites. Now, a study shows that a 10-minute visit from therapy dogs can help relieve emergency room patients’ pain.

Americans are stuck in unhealthy pandemic habits. Here’s how to reboot

After two years of pandemic life, people have learned to cope in ways that have become stubborn, unhealthy habits. But there are positive steps we can take to reset a healthy lifestyle.

Nurses are waiting 6 months or more for licenses despite hospitals’ need for nurses

Staffing shortages at hospitals across the U.S. are made worse by state boards take months to process nursing licenses. It’s resulted in a huge backlog in nurses waiting for jobs during the pandemic.

WHO Africa’s 1st woman leader helps continent fight COVID

Dr. Matshidiso Moeti has become one of the world’s most compelling voices urging better consideration of Africa’s people — especially women.

After an Alzheimer’s diagnosis, her husband asked for help to die with dignity

Novelist Amy Bloom talks about how, at her husband’s insistence, she traveled with him to Zurich so he could legally terminate his life. Her new memoir is In Love.

New Zealand changes its tack on surging COVID-19 cases

Experts say New Zealand’s actions have likely saved thousands of lives by allowing the nation to mostly avoid earlier, more deadly variants and buying time to get people vaccinated.

Finding help for teens who grow up caregiving for their disabled military parents

More than two million American children and teenagers live with a wounded or ill military parent. Many help with their care and face challenges like stress, anxiety and social isolation.