public health

Pedro Rivera waits with other volunteers in District Heights, Md. to hand out food. He's wearing a mask that reads, "This too shall pass."

Opinion: Always The Bridesmaid, Public Health Rarely Spotlighted Until It's Too Late

5:01am May 01, 2020

by Julie Rovner

Because the public health system mostly operates in the background, it rarely gets the attention or funding it deserves ― until there's a crisis.

Lab scientists work to validate rapid IgM/IgG antibody tests of samples from recovered COVID-19 patients on April 10 in Brooklyn, N.Y.

National

Public Health Labs Suffered Budget Cuts Prior To The Coronavirus Pandemic

10:09am April 28, 2020

An APM Reports analysis finds that public labs — the first line of defense in an outbreak — in at least 10 states endured budget troubles or staffing shortages in the past decade.

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Employees and family members protest outside a Smithfield Foods processing plant in Sioux Falls, S.D., on April 9. Smithfield is being sued over its handling of the coronavirus pandemic.

National

Workers Sue Smithfield Foods, Allege Conditions Put Them At Risk For COVID-19

4:29pm April 24, 2020

Smithfield's South Dakota plant, which handles 5% of U.S. pork production, has become a coronavirus hot spot, with 783 workers testing positive for the virus so far and two of them dying.

A man wearing a face mask walks in Moscow in mid-April during a strict lockdown to stop the spread of the coronavirus.

Health & Safety

Researchers Look To Behavior To Explore Why The Coronavirus May Hit Men Harder

11:52am April 23, 2020

by Heidi Glenn

Men appear to be dying of the coronavirus at higher rates than women. Sarah Hawkes, a professor of public health at University College London, says gendered behavior may help explain why.

Public health experts say smartphone apps could augment the time-consuming work of tracking down people who have been exposed to the coronavirus.

Health & Safety

Getting Back To Normal: Big Tech's Solution Depends On Public Trust

1:33pm April 15, 2020

by Shannon Bond

Apple and Google are developing a tool that relies on Bluetooth signals, sent by smartphones, to let people know if they may have been exposed to the coronavirus.

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Admiral Brett Giroir, M.D., assistant secretary for health in the U.S. Public Health Service, speaks during one of the daily briefings on COVID-19 last week.

National

Public Health Service Poised To Create A Ready Reserve To Fight The Coronavirus

5:00am April 15, 2020

by Quil Lawrence

The U.S. Public Health Service has won congressional authorization for a ready reserve of doctors and nurses to deploy across the country.

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Health & Safety

Why Misinformation And Distrust Is Making COVID-19 More Dangerous For Black America

5:24pm April 10, 2020

by Jason Breslow

The coronavirus is hitting African Americans especially hard. Jahmil Lacey, a researcher on health disparities, says distrust of the medical establishment is a big reason why.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks during a news conference at a drive-through coronavirus testing site in front of Hard Rock Stadium on Monday.

FACT CHECK: Trump Praises Florida Governor Despite Criticism Of Coronavirus Response

9:44pm March 31, 2020

by Bobby Allyn

President Trump claimed ally and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has taken "decisive steps" against the virus, but public health experts and a pending lawsuit say his leadership has been inadequate.

Dr. Robert Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, speaks at a House Committee on Oversight and Reform hearing about the coronavirus on March 11.

CDC Director On Models For The Months To Come: 'This Virus Is Going To Be With Us'

3:20pm March 31, 2020

by Sam Whitehead

After weeks of keeping a low profile, the CDC's Dr. Robert Redfield tells NPR that data will determine future recommendations for wearing masks or easing back on social distancing.

In San Francisco, dispensaries were first left off city's list of "essential businesses." The city's Department of Health now says "cannabis is an essential medicine for many San Francisco residents."

Health & Safety

Amid Coronavirus, San Francisco, New York, Deem Marijuana Businesses 'Essential'

4:40pm March 18, 2020

by Brakkton Booker

Officials in San Francisco reversed course and are allowing dispensaries to stay open during the "shelter in place" order. New York made a similar declaration for its medical marijuana businesses.