Your Health

Suicide prevention experts and survivors of suicide attempts say the best way to help someone at risk is to start a conversation about suicide and help the person find the right kind of help.

Health & Safety

How To Help Someone At Risk Of Suicide

5:30pm December 15, 2020

by Rhitu Chatterjee

What can you do when you fear someone you know may be considering suicide? It can feel daunting, but suicide prevention experts say we all can help someone at risk by reaching out and showing we care.

A new at-home test for the coronavirus has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The test will cost about $30 and will be available over-the-counter, according to the company who makes it, Ellume.

Health & Safety

FDA Authorizes 1st Home Coronavirus Test That Doesn't Require A Prescription

4:35pm December 15, 2020

by Rob Stein

The new tests produce results completely at home within 15 minutes. Experts say they could be a 'game-changer' in helping people find out quickly if they need to isolate.

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Dr. Chizoba Barbara Wonodi is director of Johns Hopkins University's International Vaccine Access Center for Nigeria.

Is Mass Vaccination The Best Strategy For All Countries? A Doctor's Surprising View

2:59pm December 14, 2020

by Michaeleen Doucleff

Dr. Chizoba Barbara Wonodi of Johns Hopkins University explains why a strategy to vaccinate everyone may not be the best approach to fighting the virus in lower-income countries such as Nigeria.

Pfizer-BioNTech's COVID-19 vaccine has been tested for safety and efficacy in more than 44,000 people. Still, stopping viral spread will take more than immunizations, says the CDC. The agency is calling for those who are vaccinated to continue wearing mas

What You Need To Know As The First COVID-19 Vaccine Heads Your Way

5:29pm December 12, 2020

by Joanne Silberner

Within hours, U.S. states are expected have in hand their first shipments of Pfizer's newly FDA-authorized COVID-19 vaccine. It marks a new phase in the pandemic, but what's that mean for you?

Lisa Taylor got a COVID-19 vaccination in August as part of a vaccine study at Research Centers of America in Hollywood, Fla.

Health & Safety

When Might You Expect Your 1st COVID-19 Shot?

6:54pm December 10, 2020

by Pien Huang

In the U.S., front-line health care workers are likely first in line to get immunized with a COVID-19 vaccine, once the FDA says yes. But what about the rest of us? Here's what we know so far.

Many Americans Are Expected To Travel For Holidays. Is There Any Way To Make It Safe?

4:44pm December 10, 2020

Millions of Americans are expected to travel for the end-of-year holidays despite the pandemic. NPR's Ari Shapiro talks with public health expert Keri Althoff about whether any travel can be safe.

Dr. Kristen Kendrick walks us through what to do if and when we test positive for COVID-19 or develop mild symptoms. How long must we isolate at home? What about our housemates? How do keep the food coming? When can we go outside again?

Health & Safety

What To Do If You Test Positive For The Coronavirus This Winter

2:17pm December 04, 2020

by Kristen Kendrick

Here's how to self-isolate, what the new quarantine guidance means for your household, and which symptoms signal you need immediate emergency care.

A bar chart showing total confirmed and potential vaccine dose purchases per country, as of Nov. 30.

How Rich Countries Are 'Hoarding' The World's Vaccines, In Charts

6:52pm December 03, 2020

by Michaeleen Doucleff

Experts say low-risk people in the U.S. will likely be immunized before many high-risk people in poor countries.

A Portland, Ore., resident wears a respirator to protect himself from wildfire smoke as he jogs in downtown in September 2020.

'We Don't Have To Live This Way': Doctors Call For Climate Action

6:31pm December 02, 2020

by Rebecca Hersher

Heat waves, air pollution and extreme weather are making people sick and, increasingly, killing people. A key report by global physicians says fossil fuels are to blame.

The Museum of Modern Art reminds visitors to practice safe distancing, in August in N.Y.C. Efforts to fight COVID-19 "decreased dramatically" over the summer, researchers say.

Social Distancing Plummeted In Lead-Up To Fall Surge, Survey Finds

2:32pm December 02, 2020

by Rob Stein

Social distancing fell dramatically between spring and fall and the gap between Democrats and Republicans widened. But both ends of the political spectrum agree on some measures to fight COVID-19.

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