pandemic

When COVID-19 first broke out in Wuhan, scientists tracked a large number of the cases to the Huanan Seafood Market in Wuhan. Above: The Wuhan Hygiene Emergency Response Team departs the market on Jan. 11, 2020, after it had been shut down to prevent the

Surprising Nuggets From The WHO Report: Our Science Correspondent Digs In

6:21pm April 02, 2021

by Michaeleen Doucleff

There is a lot of information packed into the 300-page report on the origins of the pandemic released this week. Here are three key points that haven't received a great deal of media attention.

Some of our readers sent in their vaccine selfie pics. We asked the experts: What should they do with their vaccine cards?

Health & Safety

Coronavirus FAQs: What Should I Do With My Vaccine Card? Is Choir Practice OK Now?

6:04pm April 02, 2021

We ponder your pandemic questions. This week's topics: vaccine cards (including whether to laminate or not), group singing sessions and CBD products.

Dan Henry, D.C. resident, out for a ride on his mountain bike. His bike was stolen from his home a few weeks ago.

National

Bike Thieves Are On A Roll During The Pandemic. Here's How To Protect Your Ride

9:03am April 02, 2021

by Hadia Bakkar

The "bike boom" of the COVID-19 pandemic, which resulted in a shortage of bikes nationwide, has also led to a significant rise in bike theft in multiple cities across the country

Video stills from Vick Krishna's viral video.

The Viral TikTok That Explains Vaccine Science — And Makes You Laugh

8:31pm April 01, 2021

by Joe Palca

A viral TikTok makes vaccine science understandable and pretty funny (it's a horror film parody). NPR caught up with creator and star Vick Krishna — tech expert by day, videographer by night.

Regina LaBelle is the acting director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy. During a Thursday morning briefing, LaBelle said drug overdose deaths are up about 27% compared to the previous year.

National

White House Says Drug Overdose Deaths Spiked To 88,000 During The Pandemic

2:18pm April 01, 2021

by Brian Mann

The Biden administration points to fentanyl as the major culprit for the increase in deaths. Officials unveiled a new one-year strategy to reduce the number of fatalities from drug overdoses.

World Health Organization investigative team member Peter Daszak (shown here during a trip to China in February) tells NPR that the group's report calls for additional research on farms that breed exotic animals in southern China.

WHO Report: Wildlife Farms, Not Market, Likely Source Of Coronavirus Pandemic

8:35pm March 29, 2021

NPR has obtained an early copy of the report, which states that the coronavirus most likely did not originate at the wet market in Wuhan and that a lab leak was "an extremely unlikely pathway."

A nurse administers a shot at a COVID-19 mass vaccination site at Martinsville speedway in Ridgeway, Va., on March 12. Ashish Jha, a public health policy researcher, noted Sunday that "despite phenomenal vaccination rates, variants pulled ahead this week.

U.S. Is In A Race Between Vaccines And Variants, Says Public Health Expert

7:34pm March 28, 2021

by Pien Huang

Despite the progress in vaccinating Americans, there's concern about the threat posed by COVID-19 variants. The White House is urging not to "let down our guard."

Why Pandemics Give Birth To Hate: From Bubonic Plague To COVID-19

3:04pm March 26, 2021

by Joanne Lu

The Atlanta shooting has led to heated discussion about the blame — and violence — aimed at Asians during the pandemic. It's the latest example in a long history of hatred fueled by disease.

Maverick, a bar in Mexico, sits empty amid the pandemic. Missing its patrons, it launched a website recreating different sounds from the bar experience. The idea ended up touching many around the world.

This Bar Missed Its Patrons. Its Idea To Reach Them Touched Others Around The World

2:12pm March 26, 2021

by Kat Lonsdorf

One bar in Mexico decided to start a website recreating some of those sounds at your favorite bar for those confined at home. It was an idea that took off around the world.

Queue Listen Now

The relatively empty flights of past months are filling up as more people get vaccinated — and make summer plans. Are there still risks to weigh?

Health & Safety

Coronavirus FAQ: To Travel Or Not To Travel? Plus, Tattoos And Vaccines Can Mix

12:18pm March 26, 2021

by Sheila Mulrooney Eldred

Airports are getting busier, but the CDC hasn't issued new guidelines for vaccinated folks. What's a wannabe traveler to do? And is it OK to get a vaccine if you just got tattooed? Or have no spleen?