health care

Amelia Hunt (left), principal of Stevens Early Learning Center in Washington, D.C., and Dr. Craig DeWolfe, a hospitalist at Children's National.

Guards, Generosity, Patience: A Volunteer Effort To Vaccinate Public School Workers

6:05pm February 21, 2021

In Washington, D.C., hospital staff vaccinated 1,750 public school workers in one day. It was a hard-won success amid a fragmented nationwide vaccination campaign fraught with challenges.

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Dr. Daria Osipchuk prepares to intubate a young man in severe respiratory distress from COVID-19.

Health & Safety

'The Essence Of Truth': A Doctor's Photos Document The COVID-19 Crisis In The ER

9:14am February 20, 2021

Dr. Scott Kobner is the chief emergency room resident at the Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center. His black-and-white photos show the suffering, anxiety and chaos unfolding in overrun COVID units.

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'Why Is A Red Stain A Disaster?' Tips On Fighting Period Stigma (Plus A Zine!)

5:25pm February 19, 2021

by Malaka Gharib

That's the question that researcher Inga Winkler of Columbia University asks. She shares advice on how to overcome feelings of shame and embarrassment about menstruation.

Texas Hospital Administrator On How Her Facilities Are Handling Water Supply Issues

4:16pm February 19, 2021

NPR's Audie Cornish speaks with Lynn Falcone, CEO of Cuero Regional Hospital and Cuero Health clinics, about how rural healthcare systems are navigating the water issues plaguing the state of Texas.

An ambulance drives on Oltorf Street in the Travis Heights neighborhood of South Austin on Tuesday.

Hospitals In Austin Are Running Out Of Water, Forcing Some To Transfer Patients

1:02pm February 18, 2021

by Ashley Lopez

Patients and families at a children's hospital are being asked to not take showers, KUT reports. They were also told the toilets can't flush, and staff are changing linens only as needed.

Nurse Modesta Littleman vaccinates patient Peter Sulewski in late January, on the first day of vaccinations at a clinic run by Health Care for the Homeless in Baltimore.

Health & Safety

Vaccinating Homeless Patients Against COVID-19: 'All Bets Are Off'

12:44pm February 17, 2021

by Yuki Noguchi

A community health center is now immunizing the local homeless population. But vaccination logistics, already complex, are compounded by the additional barriers in communication and transportation.

The Challenge Of Keeping Unhoused People Safe And Warm This Winter

4:57pm February 16, 2021

As temperatures drop around the country, unhoused people are especially vulnerable. NPR's Ailsa Chang talks to hotel shelter worker Yusra Murad about the challenge of keeping people safe and warm.

Nurse Keith Grant got his second dose of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine on schedule from registered nurse Valerie Massaro in January at the Hartford Convention Center — 21 days after his first immunization.

COVID-19 Vaccine: Don't Miss 2nd Dose Because Of Scheduling Glitches

3:07pm February 16, 2021

by Allison Aubrey

After getting one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, some people are having trouble getting their second shot. Here's how to maximize the likelihood you'll get both doses, to be fully immunized.

This 2017 photo shows a slogan is on the storefront of Journey, a former substance abuse treatment center, in Lake Worth, Fla. Now closed, it was one of two centers owned by Kenneth Chatman, who is now serving a 27-year federal prison sentence for health

As Addiction Deaths Surge, Profit-Driven Rehab Industry Faces 'Severe Ethical Crisis'

2:56pm February 15, 2021

by Brian Mann

Many drug rehab programs use aggressive sales techniques, price-gouge patients and provide substandard care. The system often pushes people struggling with addiction into debt, but not recovery.

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Health & Safety

As Biden Reopens ACA Enrollment, Are You Eligible To Sign Up Or Switch Health Plans?

1:06pm February 15, 2021

by Michelle Andrews

The federal insurance exchange, HealthCare.gov, has reopened for changes and new sign-ups until May 15. But states with their own exchanges have different rules. Here's what you need to know.