Children's Health

Experts say that Florida's high coronavirus positivity rates among those under age 18 is likely due to who gets tested.

What Accounts For High Coronavirus Positivity Rates Among Florida Kids?

10:34pm July 17, 2020

by Laurel Wamsley

Florida reports a positivity rate of 31% among those under 18 tested for the virus, while the state's positivity overall rate is 18%. Experts say there are good explanations for the kids' high rate.

Pregnancy is a time of hope and dreams for most women and their families — even during a pandemic. Still, their extra need to avoid catching the coronavirus has meant more isolation and sacrifices, too.

Safe Pregnancy As COVID-19 Surges: What's Best For Mom And Baby?

12:22pm July 17, 2020

by Laurel Wamsley

Preliminary evidence suggests the coronavirus can pass through the placenta, and pregnancy slightly raises a woman's risk of a severe case of COVID-19. Medical experts urge calm and common sense.

School Administrators Grapple With Reopening Decision

5:41am July 17, 2020

by Cory Turner

As President Trump and the U.S. Department of Education push school leaders to quickly reopen K-12 schools, superintendents across the country insist science, not politics, will guide them.

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News Brief: COVID-19 Vaccine Hacks, School Reopening Decisions, Opioid Prescriptions

5:00am July 17, 2020

Russian hackers are targeting COVID-19 vaccine trial information. School administrators must decide if they will host in-person learning this year. And, doctors are still prescribing too many opioids.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that the city will offer free child care to 100,000 students when schools reopen for part-time in-person instruction in September. Here, children play at Manhattan's High Line park on Thursday.

What To Do About Part-Time School? NYC Announces Free Child Care For 100,000 Students

8:52pm July 16, 2020

by Laurel Wamsley

The city aims to provide relief for working parents who either can't afford to stay home or can't find child care for the days that students aren't in school.

Though the pandemic has left us all less able to socialize in person with our close friends and community, we're still finding ways to use screens and other methods to connect and maintain relationships, research suggests.

Loneliness Hasn't Increased Despite Pandemic, Research Finds. What Helped?

8:22pm July 15, 2020

by Joanne Silberner

Though anxiety has increased in the U.S. in recent months, a drastic spike in loneliness that psychologists expected hasn't emerged. People seem to be finding new ways to connect, researchers say.

Listener Questions On School Reopening Answered

4:05pm July 15, 2020

NPR education and science correspondents answer listener questions about the reopening of schools and how students and educators can stay safe from the spread of the coronavirus.

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Marcelina Alvarez, a technician at Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx, administers an EKG to Israel Shippy to check the functioning of his heart.

Health & Safety

Why Doctors Keep Monitoring Children Who Recover From Mysterious COVID-Linked Illness

2:40pm July 15, 2020

After contracting coronavirus, almost 200 kids in the U.S. developed a new inflammatory syndrome. Most recovered, but pediatric researchers have started a study to watch for long-term effects.

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The National Academy of Sciences report includes an updated review of the evidence from around the world and a set of recommendations on mitigation strategies for the coronavirus in school settings.

New Report Says Schools Should Try To Reopen In Person For Elementary Students

2:05pm July 15, 2020

by Anya Kamenetz

The National Academy of Sciences report includes an updated review of the evidence from around the world and a set of recommendations on mitigation strategies for the coronavirus in school settings.

Health & Safety

Parents Must Make Big Decision For Children As School Starts Amid COVID-19 Pandemic

11:52am July 15, 2020

by Mary Rose Madden

Parents are wondering whether or not they should send their kids into classrooms for on-site learning this fall.

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