Medical Treatments

Patients Who Recovered From COVID-19 Share Their Experiences Of Ending An Isolation

10:57pm May 04, 2020

NPR's Ari Shapiro talks with patients who have recovered from COVID-19 and Dr. Lucy McBride, a physician in Washington, D.C., about the challenges of ending isolation and returning to work.

Deputy Chief Patricia Cassidy of the Jersey City Police Department has blood drawn to test for coronavirus antibodies in Jersey City, N.J., on Monday.

Health & Safety

FDA Cracks Down On Antibody Tests For Coronavirus

4:31pm May 04, 2020

by Richard Harris

These tests are designed to identify people who have been previously exposed to the virus. The Food and Drug Administration is now telling manufacturers they'll have to meet minimum standards.

The practice of palliative care is changing under the pandemic: Doctors and nurses are learning new ways to help patients and families communicate their treatment goals and make decisions about end-of-life care.

Health & Safety

Patients Dying Fast, And Far From Family, Challenge Practice Of Palliative Care

2:47pm May 04, 2020

by Will Stone

For one family who lost both their mother and their father to the coronavirus, palliative care clinicians helped them face "the awful, awful truth."

As millions of Americans have lost their jobs, Congress is trying to figure out what to do to help those who have also lost their health insurance.

Coronavirus Conundrum: How To Cover Millions Who Lost Their Jobs And Health Insurance

9:24am May 04, 2020

Over 9 million Americans have lost both their job and health coverage. To help them, COBRA is an option, but it could cost buyers more than if subsidies were increased for Affordable Care Act plans.

Gilead Sciences CEO Daniel O'Day speaks at a meeting with President Trump and members of the White House coronavirus task force on March 2.

Gilead Lobbying Rose As Interest In COVID-19 Treatment Climbed

11:51am May 02, 2020

by Sydney Lupkin

On Friday, the Food and Drug Administration authorized emergency use of remdesivir for patients with severe cases of COVID-19. Drugmaker Gilead Sciences' lobbying hit a new high in the first quarter.

Health & Safety

An Emergency Physician Answers Questions About Possible Treatments For COVID-19

9:37pm May 01, 2020

Dr. Jeremy Faust, an emergency physician at Brigham and Women's Hospital and an instructor at Harvard Medical School, answers listener questions about possible treatments for COVID-19.

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Plainfield Correctional Facility, an Indiana state prison southwest of Indianapolis, listed 89 cases of test-confirmed COVID-19 among inmates and four deaths from the illness, as of Thursday.

Health & Safety

Crowded Prisons Are Festering 'Petri Dishes' For Coronavirus, Observers Warn

11:06am May 01, 2020

by Jake Harper

Indiana prisoners say they can't protect themselves from the virus, as the governor resists calls to reduce overcrowding. "Scared for our lives," says an inmate.

An illustration shows spiky antigens studding the virus's outer coat. Tests under development that look for these antigens might be faster than PCR tests for diagnosing COVID-19, proponents say. But the tests might still need PCR-test confirmation.

A Next-Generation Coronavirus Test Raises Hopes And Concerns

2:19pm April 30, 2020

by Rob Stein

An antigen test could be quick, and much simpler and cheaper than the PCR tests now used to spot people infected with the novel coronavirus. But some scientists worry about an antigen test's accuracy.

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Preliminary results of a study of the antiviral drug remdesivir show it is effective in shortening the recovery time for patients with COVID-19.

Health & Safety

Antiviral Drug Remdesivir Shows Promise For Treating Coronavirus In NIH Study

10:00pm April 29, 2020

The preliminary results showed that hospitalized patients who received remdesivir recovered 31% faster. Dr. Anthony Fauci hailed the findings as "quite good news."

A booth was taped off to ensure social distancing at a coffee shop in Woodstock, Ga., on Monday, as Gov. Brian Kemp eased restrictions in the state and allowed dine-in service.

Compared With China, U.S. Stay-At-Home Has Been 'Giant Garden Party,' Journalist Says

5:19pm April 29, 2020

by Dave Davies

New York Times health reporter Donald McNeil points to China as one extreme way to stop a pandemic in its tracks. "We're reluctant to follow China, but they did it," he says. At least for now.

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