Vaccines

Vivek Murthy testifies at his Senate confirmation hearing to be surgeon general on Feb. 25. Murthy tells NPR there's more work to do in convincing people, especially in rural communities, to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

Local 'Trusted Messengers' Key To Boosting COVID Vaccinations, Surgeon General Says

10:39am May 05, 2021

by Noel King

Surgeon General Vivek Murthy says that while confidence in COVID-19 vaccines has risen, there's more work to do in convincing people, especially in rural communities, to get the shots.

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People wait for their turn to receive the COVID-19 vaccine at a government hospital in Chennai, India, on Friday.

What Can Wealthy Nations Do To Address Global Vaccine Inequity?

10:15am April 17, 2021

In the U.S., more than 1 out of 5 residents is fully vaccinated against COVID-19. But elsewhere in the world, vaccination rates are much lower. Some poor nations have yet to receive a single dose.

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Dr. Scott Gottlieb, then commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, testifies during a House hearing on in October 2017. In an NPR interview, Gottlieb says he doesn't expect enough demand for the COVID-19 vaccine much beyond 160 million Americans.

Health & Safety

Ex-FDA Chief Sees 'Struggle' To Vaccinate More Than Half U.S. Population

4:03pm April 14, 2021

by Steve Inskeep

Dr. Scott Gottlieb doesn't expect enough demand for the vaccine much beyond 160 million Americans. But he says there may eventually be enough immunity to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

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Health & Safety

COVID Hospitalizations Trending Younger In North Carolina

5:10pm April 13, 2021

by Paul Garber

There's been a change in the demographics of people hospitalized with COVID-19 with hospitals now seeing more younger patients.

The usual side effects of the COVID-19 vaccine can range from a sore arm to flu-like symptoms. Or, if you're lucky, you won't get any side effects at all.

Health & Safety

Coronavirus Vaccine FAQs: What's Up With Side Effects? Should You Still Double Mask?

8:04pm April 09, 2021

by Pranav Baskar

So, you've successfully scored a vaccine — or at least an appointment. Congrats! That's amazing news, seriously! Now what about those side effects? And do you have to keep up that double masking?

A scientist works on COVID-19 samples to find variations of the virus at the Croix-Rousse Hospital laboratory in Lyon, France, in January.

Can Vaccines Stop Variants? Here's What We Know So Far

5:20pm April 09, 2021

by Nurith Aizenman

One of the hottest areas of research right now: studies to determine how well current vaccines work against emerging coronavirus "variants of concern."

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A health worker prepares a dose of the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine at a COVID-19 vaccination site at the University of Nevada in Las Vegas on March 15.

How Do You Reach Trump Voters Who Say They Don't Want The Vaccine? Try Doctors

5:00am March 19, 2021

by Tamara Keith

A focus group of 19 Trump voters became less skeptical of the COVID-19 vaccines over two hours. But they said they wanted to hear from doctors, not the former president.

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A woman receives the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine at the Bates Memorial Baptist Church in Louisville, Ky., on Feb. 12. Yet in many states, there are racial disparities in who has received the shot.

Health & Safety

Addressing Racial Divides In Health Care Seen As Key To Boosting Black Vaccination

12:40pm March 18, 2021

In many states, there are racial disparities in who has received a COVID-19 vaccine. A public health advocate says lack of health care access is a bigger impediment than a hesitancy to get vaccinated.

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Tourists arrive at Palma de Mallorca, Spain, last summer. The EU's executive arm has proposed a certificate to ease travel across its member states.

EU Officials Propose Digital Travel Certificates — Vaccination Not Required

1:50pm March 17, 2021

by Laurel Wamsley

Certificates with QR codes would serve as proof that a person has either been vaccinated against COVID-19, received a negative test result or recovered from the disease.

Nurse manager Lucy Golding draws up doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine March 14 in Stamford, Conn. Moderna has begun enrolling infants and young children into a vaccine trial.

Health & Safety

Vaccinating Children Seen As A Key Step Toward COVID-19 Herd Immunity

1:21pm March 17, 2021

by A Martinez

Moderna has begun testing its vaccine on children as young as 6 months old. A principal investigator in the trial says getting children vaccinated would be "a step getting back to our normal life."

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