Global Health

A patient lies on a stretcher in the hallway of the overloaded emergency room at Providence St. Mary Medical Center amid a surge in COVID-19 patients in Southern California in late December. Average new daily infections are now going down in California an

Health & Safety

Current, Deadly U.S. Coronavirus Surge Has Peaked, Researchers Say

2:15pm January 21, 2021

by Rob Stein

Daily numbers of new cases are finally starting to wane, and hospitalizations are down slightly. But health care systems are still overburdened and another resurgence remains a threat.

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Workers check oxygen tanks at a hospital in Manaus, Brazil. Severe oxygen shortages as a second coronavirus wave is surging have prompted local authorities to airlift patients to other parts of Brazil.

Reinfections More Likely With New Coronavirus Variants, Evidence Suggests

12:46pm January 21, 2021

by Michaeleen Doucleff

The variant in Brazil is causing a surge in Manaus, a city where the virus previously infected huge numbers in the spring of 2020. Researchers are trying to determine why.

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President Biden signs executive actions hours after his inauguration on Wednesday. He is expected to reverse several Trump-era policies.

Biden Administration Prepares To Overturn Trump Abortion Rule

11:48am January 21, 2021

by Sarah McCammon

In a move requested by abortion rights advocates, Biden is preparing to overturn the Mexico City Policy, which prohibits U.S. aid to groups that provide or refer for abortion in other countries.

U.S. infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci informed the WHO on Thursday that the U.S. will not be leaving the organization. Fauci is seen here last month, receiving the Moderna coronavirus vaccine in Washington.

U.S. Will Remain In WHO, Fauci Announces, As Biden Reverses Trump Move

10:13am January 21, 2021

by Bill Chappell

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus responded, "Thank you my brother Tony" and thanks also to the U.S. for renewing its support.

Putin Uses Russia's COVID-19 Vaccine To Increase Its Global Influence

8:06am January 20, 2021

by Lucian Kim

Putin oversaw efforts to develop a vaccine, and now he's rushing to get it to his fellow citizens. It's also being used to increase Russia's influence in eastern Europe, the Balkans and elsewhere.

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An official has a blood pressure test before receiving the Sinovac coronavirus vaccine, developed in China, at a hospital in Banda Aceh, Indonesia, on January 15.

China's Sinovac Vaccine Is Rolling Out Around The World. Will It Work?

10:08pm January 19, 2021

by Maria Godoy

Research suggests the vaccine prevents disease only 50% of the time. But it could still have a big impact. And many countries are betting on it.

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Health & Safety

Scientists Worry About Coronavirus Variant Spreading In Brazil

4:08pm January 19, 2021

by Michaeleen Doucleff

More transmissible forms of the coronavirus have emerged on three continents, and at least one is circulating across the U.S. But scientists are especially worried about a variant spreading in Brazil.

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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?

Paola Osman, a second year resident at the Hospital San Martin in La Plata, Argentina, just got vaccinated with the Sputnik V vaccine from Russia.

Argentina Takes A Shot With Russia's Sputnik Vaccine

10:26pm January 15, 2021

by Jason Beaubien

The nation has been hard hit by the pandemic. The president vowed to start a vaccination campaign by the end of 2020. That did happen — but not exactly as they'd hoped.

Flyers can protect themselves at airports by staying away from crowds until it's time to board. A good idea is to find an empty gate area to wait in till a boarding call.

Health & Safety

Coronavirus FAQ: Do Airplane Passengers Not Know There's A Pandemic Going On?

6:46pm January 15, 2021

Our correspondent took a flight Sunday and saw a number of concerning things in airports and on planes. So many questions were raised. We went in search of answers.