On Aging

A study by the National Institutes of Health this week suggests people who got the J&J vaccine as their initial vaccination against the coronavirus may get their best protection from choosing an mRNA vaccine as the booster.

A study of COVID vaccine boosters suggests Moderna or Pfizer works best

5:26pm October 13, 2021

by Rob Stein

Should people who get a COVID booster get a different vaccine from their original shot? The results of a highly anticipated study suggest that in some cases the answer may be yes.

Everyday tasks — such as buttoning a shirt, opening a jar or brushing teeth — can suddenly seem impossible after a stroke that affects the brain's fine motor control of the hands. New research suggests starting intensive rehab a bit later than typical

The Best Time For Rehabilitation After A Stroke Might Actually Be 2 To 3 Months Later

7:24pm September 20, 2021

by Jon Hamilton

Intensive rehabilitative therapy that starts two to three months after a stroke may be key to helping the injured brain rewire, a new study suggests. That's later than covered by many insurance plans.

Health & Safety

Life Kit: Dating Over 50

5:12pm September 19, 2021

by Tanya Ballard Brown

NPR's Life Kit has tips for how to get back on the dating scene for those 50 and older.

Charlie Callagan's bone marrow transplant for multiple myeloma was recently postponed at the last minute because Oregon hospitals are overwhelmed with treating COVID-19 patients.

Health & Safety

Overwhelmed With COVID Patients, Oregon Hospitals Postpone Surgeries And Cancer Care

7:58pm September 16, 2021

by Erik Neumann

Patients with advanced cancer and heart disease are among those who have had to wait for surgeries and other procedures as critically ill, unvaccinated COVID patients strain the medical system.

Dr. Simone Gold discourages vaccination against COVID-19 and promotes alternative, unproven therapies. She has spent much of the past year speaking at events like this one held in West Palm Beach, Fla., in December. The conference was aimed at young peopl

This Doctor Spread False Information About COVID. She Still Kept Her Medical License

10:36am September 14, 2021

by Geoff Brumfiel

Simone Gold isn't alone. NPR found other physicians who retained their licenses despite spreading misinformation online and to the media about effective COVID-19 vaccines and unproven treatments.

ECMO is the highest level of life support — beyond a ventilator, which pumps oxygen via a tube through the windpipe into the lungs. Instead, the ECMO process basically functions as a heart and lungs outside of the body — routing the blood via tubing t

Across The COVID-Ravaged South, High-Level Life Support Is Difficult To Find

5:00am September 06, 2021

by Blake Farmer

ECMO, the highest level of mechanical life support, functions as a temporary heart and lungs for some of COVID-19's sickest patients. But the waitlist is too long for many patients who need it.

Health care providers who administer a COVID-19 vaccine "off-label" face legal liability, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns.

CDC Warns Against Off-Label Use Of COVID Vaccine

5:00am September 02, 2021

Using the COVID vaccine "off-label" — whether that's for booster shots or young children — may be tempting to some vaccine providers, but the CDC warns it could get them into trouble.

Federal health officials are planning ahead to give booster shots in the fall to all U.S. adults, starting with those who were vaccinated early on, like the elderly, health care workers and first responders.

COVID Booster Shots Are Coming. Here's What You Need To Know

10:55am August 19, 2021

If all goes to plan, Americans who got Pfizer or Moderna shots can get a third dose eight months after their last jab. Here's why health officials think you'll need one.

Demonstrators calling on people to wear masks gather outside school district headquarters in Marietta, Ga., last week. A recent review at pandemic data finds requiring masks, capping the size of gatherings and instituting certain bar, gym and restaurant r

Even Moderate COVID Restrictions Can Slow The Spread Of The Virus — If They're Timely

1:04pm August 17, 2021

by Selena Simmons-Duffin

Mask mandates and other interventions can help stop a surge, even where vaccination rates are low, say scientists who've reviewed states' data. When the measures start and how long they last matters.

Tourists still stop by to see the confluence of the Mississippi and Ohio rivers in the city of Cairo, Ill., where commercial ships dock on the banks. A long history of racial tension dating to the Civil War still stings in Cairo. And like many rural towns

Why A Hard-Sell Pitch For COVID Vaccines Won't Work In This Rural Illinois Town

7:00am August 15, 2021

by Cara Anthony

The sponsor of 4-H clubs nationally is tapping its respected roots in rural communities to promote COVID-19 vaccines. But it won't be easy, locals say. Start with trusted local voices — and listen.