On Aging

Doctors test a hospital staffer Tuesday for coronavirus, in a triage tent that's been set up outside the E.R. at St. Barnabas hospital in the Bronx. Hospital workers are at higher risk of getting COVID-19, and public health experts fear a staffing shortag

States Get Creative To Find And Deploy More Health Workers In COVID-19 Fight

8:40am March 25, 2020

by Selena Simmons-Duffin

To stop COVID-19, retired doctors are signing up to take clinical shifts. Specialists, including dentists, could move to front line care. And med students are fielding calls in overwhelmed clinics.

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N95 respirator masks (left), and surgical masks are both critical for medical personnel during the COVID-19 pandemic, and already in short supply in some spots. Already, pharmacists are reusing surgical masks to conserve their supply.

Health & Safety

Mask Shortage Straps Pharmacists Who Need Them To Keep Medicines Pure

8:43am March 20, 2020

Fifteen percent of hospital pharmacists who prepare injectable drugs are going without the protective masks they typically rely on, or are using substitutes for the masks.

MedStar Washington Hospital Center's "ready room" in Washington, D.C., has mostly been used to house emergency supplies — but some storage carts have been moved out to make way for patient assessment stations.

Are U.S. Hospitals Ready?

2:16pm March 17, 2020

Here's what it will take for medical facilities across the nation to handle the coming surge of COVID-19 patients.

A member of the custodial staff at Los Angeles' Union Station, taking extra care in the waiting area — all part of enhanced cleaning efforts at major transit hubs in response to COVID-19.

Health & Safety

Ships, Planes And Other Spots Are Getting A 'Deep Clean.' What's That Mean?

5:00am March 17, 2020

There is no universal protocol defining "deep clean" as industries work to eradicate the coronavirus. Instead they are tailoring sanitation efforts in accordance with what makes sense for them.

Ventilators can be a temporary bridge to recovery — many patients in critical care who need them for help breathing get better.

As The Pandemic Spreads, Will There Be Enough Ventilators?

3:11pm March 14, 2020

by Patti Neighmond

In severe cases of COVID-19, as lungs become inflamed, membranes that transfer oxygen into the blood can become blocked. Some hospitalized patients need mechanical breathing support to recover.

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In a widely shared graphic, a tan curve represents a scenario without social distancing measures and where the U.S. hospital system becomes inundated with coronavirus patients.

Flattening A Pandemic's Curve: Why Staying Home Now Can Save Lives

7:21pm March 13, 2020

by Maria Godoy

From school closures to event cancellations, the disruptions are real — and vital. It's all to slow the spread of coronavirus, so hospitals don't get so overwhelmed that they can't treat the sickest.

A passenger checks flight information at Fiumicino airport in Rome, Italy. President Trump imposed a 30-day ban on most travelers coming from from European countries, beginning late Friday E.T.

Public Health Experts Question Trump's Ban On Most Travelers From Europe

11:35pm March 12, 2020

by Jason Beaubien

A key medical adviser to the president on COVID-19 defends the travel restrictions as "the right public health call." But others dismiss the move as "remarkably pointless" or, potentially, dangerous.

Early symptoms of COVID-19 are much the same as those of the flu or a cold. Don't panic. Call your doctor to check in, if you're worried, but treating mild or moderate symptoms at home until you're well will protect you and help stop the spread of whateve

You Have A Fever And A Dry Cough. Now What?

2:16pm March 11, 2020

by Selena Simmons-Duffin

Whether your mild or moderate symptoms mean you have a cold, the flu, or COVID-19 doesn't change the medical advice right now. Stay home, rest, and call or email your doctor if symptoms worsen.

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Pharmacist Raphael Lynne gives a flu shot in Miami in 2018. This year's vaccination against influenza has been reducing infections by "about 40 to 50 percent," says Emily Martin, an epidemiologist with the University of Michigan School of Public Health.

U.S. Flu Season Beginning To Ease, Modelers Say

6:05pm March 09, 2020

by Joe Palca

Though COVID-19 has captured the headlines, influenza places a huge burden on the health care system. This year's flu shot provides good protection, the CDC says, so do get one if you haven't already.

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In light of the spread of COVID-19, some U.S. health insurers have begun to allow patients to order a larger emergency supply of their routine medicines for diabetes, heart disease and other chronic conditions.

Health & Safety

How To Boost Your Emergency Supply Of Prescription Medicines

4:19pm March 09, 2020

by Patti Neighmond

Insurers have begun easing restrictions on refills of some prescription drugs, in light of coronavirus. Still, co-pays for stocking up on that bigger supply can be prohibitive, say consumer advocates.