Health

New York City To Close Schools For In-Person Learning

3:54pm November 18, 2020

by Anya Kamenetz

New York City is once again closing schools for in-person learning, beginning Thursday. The announcement comes as coronavirus case numbers in the city — and around the country — continue to rise.

Pfizer plans to file within days with the Food and Drug Administration to allow emergency use of its COVID-19 vaccine.

Health & Safety

Pfizer To Seek FDA OK For COVID-19 Vaccine 'Within Days'

9:47am November 18, 2020

by Joe Palca

The vaccine was found to be 95% effective in an updated study analysis. Safety data required by the Food and Drug Administration showed no serious concerns, the company said.

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The federal government has approved the first at-home coronavirus test. Pictured is a more-typical testing site in Salt Lake City on Tuesday. The at-home tests could provide faster results.

Health & Safety

FDA Approves First At-Home Coronavirus Test

10:55pm November 17, 2020

by Vanessa Romo

The Lucira COVID-19 All-In-One Test Kit is expected to provide results in 30 minutes or less. Its approval could help alleviate the strain on the nation's precarious coronavirus testing system.

Oxycodone pain pills are displayed in 2016.

Federal Judge Approves Landmark $8.3 Billion Purdue Pharma Opioid Settlement

9:27pm November 17, 2020

by Brian Mann

The controversial deal hashed out between the Department of Justice and the maker of Oxycontin provides hundreds of millions of dollars of relief for communities hit hard by the opioid epidemic.

More People Can Access Surgery. That's Great For Them, Awful For The Planet

8:31pm November 17, 2020

by Joanne Lu

With surgical care on the rise globally, researchers worry the energy-consuming procedures will have a negative impact on the climate. But they say there are ways to make them more energy efficient.

Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley speaks last month during a TV interview in the Russell Senate Office Building. He says he'll be working from home after testing positive for the virus.

GOP Sen. Chuck Grassley, 87, Tests Positive For The Coronavirus

8:07pm November 17, 2020

by Alana Wise

The senator from Iowa said he had been isolating since announcing his exposure to the virus on Tuesday. He is third in line for the presidency.

Lack Of Communication Between States And Native Tribes Hinders Contact Tracing

7:59pm November 17, 2020

by Emily Chen-Newton

Many Native Americans don't live on reservations but frequently visit families there. When Native people test positive for the coronavirus, that information is rarely communicated back to the tribes.

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In an aerial view from a drone, cars line up at Dodger Stadium for COVID-19 testing in Los Angeles, California.

A Rush On Coronavirus Testing Strains Laboratories, Drives Supply Shortages

5:46pm November 17, 2020

by Rob Stein

More than half of labs are reporting they're running short on test kits, pipettes and crucial chemicals.

Oregon Gov. Kate Brown (shown here on Nov. 10) has ordered new statewide restrictions to head off a resurgence in coronavirus cases.

Oregon Governor: Mitch McConnell Should 'Get Off His Duff' And Deliver Relief Funds

5:38pm November 17, 2020

Kate Brown, Oregon's Democratic governor, discusses why she's ordering new coronavirus restrictions and how she hopes the state can deal with the pandemic without more federal funding assistance.

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Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at NIH, is pictured on Capitol Hill on Sept. 23. Fauci tells NPR it's "OK to celebrate" the vaccine news.

Fauci: Vaccine Results Are 'Important Advance,' But Virus Precautions Are Still Vital

5:35pm November 17, 2020

by James Doubek

Dr. Anthony Fauci tells NPR that strong testing results for both Moderna and Pfizer vaccines are "a very, very important advance" in trying to stop the coronavirus outbreak.

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