On Aging

Long lines and computer isues are making it more difficult for some people to get the vaccine. These Floridians hope to snag one of 800 doses available at a vaccine site in Fort Myers.

'Just Cruel': Digital Race For COVID-19 Vaccines Leaves Many Seniors Behind

12:38pm February 04, 2021

by Will Stone

Glitchy websites, jammed phone lines and long lines outside clinics are complicating the vaccine rollout. And older Americans and those without caregivers and computer skills are at a disadvantage.

A technician adjusts the oxygen tanks for medical use at a Columbia University field hospital in April of 2020. The surging waves of cases of COVID-19 around the U.S. have led to shifting surges in demand by hospitals for extra oxygen.

Oxygen Industry Scrambles To Keep U.S. Patients With COVID-19 Breathing

2:59pm February 03, 2021

by Yuki Noguchi

Supply shortages of oxygen for hospitals have plagued many countries, but the U.S. has averted the most dire — partly because the industry figured out new ways to share resources and anticipate needs.

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Health & Safety

Podcast's Call-In Show Will Deal With Triumphs, Challenges Of Getting Older

6:07am February 03, 2021

NPR's Noel King talks to Anna Sale, host of member station WNYC's podcast Death, Sex & Money, who will host a call-in show along with Colorado Public Radio's Jo Ann Allen about life after 60.

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The nearly 5,600-page legislative package that Congress passed in December includes new laws regarding aid to rural hospitals, funds for training more physicians, modest improvements in mental health care parity, and medical bill transparency.

Beyond COVID-19: 4 Other Key Health Issues Congress Recently Addressed

5:00am January 28, 2021

by Emmarie Huetteman

The huge spending bill Congress passed last month included aid to rural hospitals, training for new doctors, new rules regarding mental health coverage and requirements for billing transparency.

A health worker holds an N95 respirator in the emergency room at OakBend Medical Center in Richmond, Texas, in July. N95s are tested and approved by a federal agency as having demonstrated that they can filter out a minimum of 95% of airborne particles.

Health & Safety

Why N95 Masks Are Still In Short Supply In The U.S.

5:00am January 27, 2021

by Yuki Noguchi

Early in the pandemic, shortages of N95 respirators and other medical gear prompted panic across the world. A year later, the masks still aren't widely available to U.S. consumers.

With the pandemic, many people are turning to at-home workouts and walks in their neighborhoods. That's good, says Exercised author Daniel Lieberman. "You don't have to do incredible strength training ... to get some benefits of physical activity."

Just Move: Scientist Author Debunks Myths About Exercise And Sleep

2:13pm January 21, 2021

by Terry Gross

Paleoanthropologist Daniel Lieberman says the concept of "getting exercise" is relatively new. His new book, Exercised, examines why we run, lift and walk for a workout when our ancestors didn't.

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People lined up to receive the COVID-19 vaccine at a mass vaccination site in Disneyland's parking lot in Anaheim, Calif. on Jan. 13. The state says all residents 65 or older are now eligible to receive the vaccine.

OPINION: Moral Tragedy Looms In Early Chaos Of U.S. COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution

7:00am January 16, 2021

As states suddenly expand the categories of people eligible for the first scarce shipments of vaccine, who will be watching to make sure those hit hardest by the pandemic aren't left behind?

Staff and residents of the Ararat Nursing Facility in the Mission Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles got COVID-19 shots on Jan. 7. Coronavirus cases, hospitalizations and deaths have been surging throughout Los Angeles County.

Why You Should Still Wear A Mask And Avoid Crowds After Getting The COVID-19 Vaccine

8:36pm January 12, 2021

by Joanne Silberner

It takes time after vaccination for immunity to the virus to build up, and no vaccine is 100% effective. Plus, scientists don't yet know if the vaccine stops viral spread. Here's what's known so far.

Exercised: Why Something We Never Evolved to Do Is Healthy and Rewarding, by Daniel E. Lieberman

'Exercised' Explains Why It Can Be Hard To Commit To Working Out — And Why We Should

10:29am January 05, 2021

by Barbara J. King

Harvard University's Daniel Lieberman looks at exercise from an evolutionary point of view, concluding that we evolved to limit our physical activity where possible, saving it for survival activities.

To 'Keep Sharp' This Year, Keep Learning, Advises Neurosurgeon Sanjay Gupta

1:50pm January 04, 2021

by Terry Gross

CNN's chief medical correspondent says it's never too late to develop new brain pathways. Even small changes, like switching up the hand you use to hold your fork, can help optimize brain health.

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