Health & Safety

Farmworkers in Yakima, Washington's fruit packing industry walked off production lines in May and went on strike, demanding more protections against the coronavirus pandemic. Above, Emmanuel Anguiano-Mendoza (left) and Agustin López hold posters featurin

During Pandemic, Farmworkers Kept Their Jobs And Raised Risk Of Infection

7:00am June 13, 2020

by Enrique Pérez de la Rosa

Rural Yakima County, east of Seattle, has the most COVID-19 cases per capita among West Coast states. The largely Latino agricultural workforce helped secure the backbone of the local economy.

Health & Safety

Coronavirus 2nd Wave? Nope, The U.S. Is Still Stuck In The 1st One

9:08pm June 12, 2020

by Nurith Aizenman

The nation still sees more than 20,000 new cases on average a day, a number that's barely budged for weeks. Forecasters say we're looking at tens of thousands more deaths this summer.

Roger Severino, who directs the Office for Civil Rights in the Department of Health and Human Services, has long argued that "sex discrimination" protections in the Affordable Care Act aren't meant to encompass protections for transgender people.

Transgender Health Protections Reversed By Trump Administration

8:35pm June 12, 2020

by Selena Simmons-Duffin

Trump has reversed Obama-era protections that prohibit discrimination in health care based on gender identity. Critics warn the rule could harm a vulnerable group — LGBTQ people — during a pandemic.

Texas Cities Experience Disparities In Access To The Coronavirus Testing

7:48pm June 12, 2020

by Bret Jaspers (KERA)

Dallas is one of the major Texas cities facing disparities in access to COVID-19 testing, resulting in less testing in black neighborhoods. A visit to the city's north and south reveals the divide.

New Government Rule Removes Non-Discrimination Protections For LGBTQ In Health Care

6:01pm June 12, 2020

by Selena Simmons-Duffin

The Trump administration has finalized a rule on Friday that would remove non-discrimination protections for LGBTQ people when it comes to health care and health insurance.

Queue Listen Now

The pandemic is prompting a lot of questions about everyday life.

Health & Safety

Coronavirus FAQs: Convertibles, Dishwashing, Dog's Paws, Bowling, Travel With Kids

5:54pm June 12, 2020

This week we tackle frequently asked questions — and some infrequently asked ones as well. And we also have advice on how to decide about possible testing if you attended a protest.

A woman in labor in the maternity ward at the Princess Christian Maternity Hospital in Freetown, Sierra Leone. With lockdowns have come fears of even greater numbers of home births.

Health & Safety

Risks Of Home Birth Loom For Women In Rural Africa Amid Lockdowns

4:30pm June 12, 2020

by Patrick Adams

An inexpensive drug called misoprostol can prevent fatal hemorrhage. But experts say fears of its use for abortion have kept it out of the hands of the women who need it.

Why Oregon Governor Has Put County Reopenings On Hold

4:09pm June 12, 2020

by Greg Allen

NPR's Ari Shapiro speaks with Patrick Allen, a director of the Oregon Health Authority, about the spike in coronavirus cases and how it might affect relaxing restrictions.

Researchers Discover People Are Not So Good At Detecting Sick People By Their Coughs

4:09pm June 12, 2020

Researchers at the University of Michigan have conducted an experiment to discover how well people could detect people with illnesses from healthy people by the sound of coughs and sneezes.

Health & Safety

Intensive Care Nurse Shares Her Experience Of Working With Newborns During Pandemic

4:09pm June 12, 2020

Claire Panke, a neonatal intensive care nurse, talks about the changes COVID-19 has brought to her unit. For example, parents must visit babies one at a time and wear masks.