Health & Safety

Last year, a record number of people got flu shots. But medical experts say kids keeping their social distance during the coronavirus pandemic has made the biggest difference for a mild flu season.

Health & Safety

Where Did The Flu Go? Homebound Kids Shape A Mild Season

8:01am February 14, 2021

There have been just 165 flu-related hospitalizations since October. Infectious disease specialist Dr. William Schaffner says virtual schooling has kept kids from spreading the flu so readily.

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Health & Safety

Art Of The Buzzkill: Health Officials Struggle To Boost Vaccination, Stall Parties

8:01am February 14, 2021

NPR's Lulu Garcia-Navarro speaks to sociologist Zeynep Tufekci about why there has been a failure of public health messaging about life after getting a coronavirus vaccine.

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Health & Safety

As California Expands Vaccination, Some Worry Farm Workers Will Lose Out

8:01am February 14, 2021

by Lulu Garcia-Navarro

Walter Newman, has been giving flu vaccines to California farm workers for decades. He talks to NPR's Lulu Garcia-Navarro about ensuring they get COVID-19 shots, even as the state runs low on doses.

An employee places bouquets on shelves in Bogotá on Feb. 1, as Colombia prepares to export flowers for Valentine's Day amid the new coronavirus pandemic.

There's A Good Chance Your Valentine's Flowers Come From Colombia

8:01am February 14, 2021

by John Otis

The country is the top flower exporter to the U.S. When the pandemic hit, farmers feared they'd have to destroy flower beds and lay off thousands of workers. Here's why that didn't happen.

Peter Ben Embarek, of the World Health Organization team (right) shakes hands with Liang Wannian, his Chinese counterpart, after a news conference on Tuesday in Wuhan, China. The White House says it has "deep concerns" over how initial findings were commu

White House: China Must Release Data From The 'Earliest Days Of The Outbreak'

3:02pm February 13, 2021

by Jason Slotkin

The White House has "deep concerns" over how initial findings on the coronavirus were communicated and demands China make data available to investigators, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan says.

Lots of manufacturers offer a rainbow of ink colors. People can even go online and order a bottle. The Food and Drug Administration has not regulated the pigments in tattoo inks so far, but agency officials will investigate and recall tattoo inks if they

As Scientists Study Tattoo Ink Safety, Europe Bans Two Widely Used Pigments

9:50am February 13, 2021

by Nell Greenfieldboyce

Tattoo artists are unhappy about a new ban on blue and green pigments in Europe, while scientists say the basic science of tattoo ink is still fairly mysterious.

Owner Donald Minerva outside Scottadito Osteria Toscana restaurant in Brooklyn, N.Y., which has been closed for indoor dining for two months. The restaurant is reopening at reduced capacity on Valentine's weekend.

New York Restaurants Hope To Avoid Heartbreak On Valentine's Weekend

9:20am February 13, 2021

by Sally Herships

Now that they can reopen for limited indoor seating, restaurants in New York City are hoping customers show up for what's normally a busy holiday.

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This week NPR Moscow correspondent Lucian Kim got vaccinated with Sputnik V, the COVID-19 vaccine that Russian President Vladimir Putin is promoting as the best in the world. Above: Kim smiles (behind his mask) after his shot.

Putin Hasn't Been Vaccinated With Sputnik V Yet But Our Correspondent Got The Shot

9:15am February 13, 2021

by Lucian Kim

The president hasn't yet signed up but 2.2 million Russians have been vaccinated, countries are signing up for doses — and our Moscow reporter rolled up his sleeve.

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CDC's New School Guidelines May Change Little, Superintendent Says

8:32am February 13, 2021

by Scott Simon

Marian Kim-Phelps, superintendent of the Poway Unified School District in San Diego, tells NPR's Scott Simon the recommendations don't help schools with what they need to reopen: staffing and space.

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Health & Safety

As U.S. Races Ahead With Vaccination, Many Other Countries Are Stuck

8:03am February 13, 2021

by Jason Beaubien

UNICEF says nearly 130 nations — home to more than a third for the world's population — have yet to administer a single dose of a coronavirus vaccine.