Omicron is subsiding in South Africa
NPR's Eyder Peralta speaks with Dr. Glenda Gray, president of the South African Medical Research Council, about how omicron cases are going down in South Africa, and the lessons for the U.S.
Global Health
Child grooms are often overlooked in the fight to stop child marriage
The U.N. issued its first report on the plight of child grooms. And the pandemic has only made things worse. Here's a report from Nepal, where 1 in 10 boys marry young.
Flood survivors, former sex slaves, fantastic masks: Top global photo stories of 2021
The power of photos can be seen in our most popular picture essays of the year, with compelling images from South Sudan, the Philippines, Mexico (check out those artistic face coverings) and more.
ICU teams report fatigue and frustration as they brace for omicron surge
A resurgence in COVID-19 cases is testing the endurance of health care workers who care for the sickest patients, most of whom are unvaccinated.
As omicron heats up in the U.S., South Africa says its wave is on the way out
The variant caused fewer deaths and less severe infections than past versions of the virus in South Africa, but that could be different in other countries.
Omicron is spreading at lightning speed. Scientists are trying to figure out why
The burning questions: What makes this newly identified variant so transmissible?. And what does it mean for preventing spread?
New virus infections driven by omicron soar to record high in Australia
New coronavirus infections soared again in Australia on Friday to a record of more than 32,000 driven by the highly contagious omicron variant and a recent relaxation of restrictions in many areas.
A look at how other parts of the world are dealing with omicron
The World Health Organization predicts "a tsunami of cases" as the omicron variant fuels a surge of COVID infections. More than a million cases a being reported globally every day around the world.
Coronavirus FAQ: Remind me, what's the difference between isolation and quarantine?
The Centers for Disease Control changed its guidelines for isolation and quarantine during this pandemic. Not everyone is sure how to define those terms. Also, not everyone is 100% behind the changes.
You won't want to miss the 10 most popular 'Fresh Air' stories of 2021
From Dr. Anthony Fauci to Sacha Baron Cohen, the year's most popular Fresh Air web pages reflect the show's strength as a place where artists, authors and journalists speak to the moment.