Health & Safety
Pennsylvania sees a dramatic surge in COVID cases driven by the Delta variant
COVID-19 cases are rising in parts of Pennsylvania. NPR's Steve Inskeep talks to Dr. Jeffrey Jahre, an infectious disease expert with St. Luke's University Health Network, based in Bethlehem, Pa.
News brief: New York's Trump case, COVID surge, Michigan school shooting
New York's attorney general wants to question ex-president Trump in a civil fraud case. U.S. Delta cases surge. A Michigan school district, its officials and some staff, are sued after a shooting.
Health experts implore Americans to get COVID vaccine shots as cases spike
The CDC is now recommending booster shots of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for everyone 16 and older. The recommendation comes as cases surge across the country, putting pressure on many hospitals.
Poop sleuths hunt for early signs of omicron in sewage
Scientists have identified the new coronavirus variant in wastewater in a few U.S. cities. This type of surveillance can help communities stay a step ahead of omicron's spread.
What omicron's alarming spread means for the U.S.
The omicron variant is gaining a foothold in Europe. Scientists say it is spreading faster than delta and can do so even in places where many people are vaccinated. What could this mean for the U.S.?
Fix the global vaccine rollout or face even worse COVID variants, experts warn
The world has "lost the plot" on equitable vaccine access and is falling far short of targets to vaccinate the global south, according to scathing assessments from experts.
Opinion: I want my mom to see her grandkids for Christmas. Travel bans make it tough
Jacqueline Muna Musiitwa was planning for her mom to fly from Zambia to the U.S. for Christmas. Ever-changing travel bans are making it seem like a holiday dream that won't come true.
Parts of Pilot Mountain State Park will reopen Saturday
A portion of Pilot Mountain State Park is expected to reopen this weekend after a fire scorched more than a thousand acres at the site.
Burn ban remains in place for Triad and High Country
State forest fire officials have lifted an outdoor burn ban for about one-third of the state's counties.