Health & Safety

Health & Safety

CEO Of Ventilator-Making Company Says He Can Ramp Production Fivefold

6:41pm March 18, 2020

Ventec Life Systems CEO Chris Kiple claims his company could ramp up ventilator production fivefold if needed for coronavirus. NPR's Mary Louise Kelly asks him how — and if hospital staff are ready.

Queue Listen Now

Health & Safety

Free Medical Clinic Feels The Impact Of COVID-19

6:29pm March 18, 2020

by David Ford

As the coronavirus threat continues, more and more people are staying at home venturing, out only for necessities or medical care.

Queue Listen Now

How Long Can Coronavirus Survive On Hard Surfaces?

6:25pm March 18, 2020

by Allison Aubrey

The new coronavirus can survive on hard surfaces such as plastic and stainless steel for up to 72 hours and on cardboard for up to 24 hours. To prevent transmission, keep surfaces clean.

Queue Listen Now

Iran Releases 85,000 Prisoners But Not Siamak Namazi

5:22pm March 18, 2020

Iran has released tens of thousands of prisoners because of the coronavirus outbreak. NPR's Steve Inskeep talks to Babak Namazi, whose brother is still detained.

Queue Listen Now

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.

Health & Safety

A Potential COVID-19 Vaccine Begins Clinical Trial

4:39pm March 18, 2020

NPR's Mary Louise Kelly speaks with Moderna Therepeutics' Chief Medical Officer Dr. Tal Zaks about the COVID-19 vaccine clinical trial, which started on Monday in Seattle.

Queue Listen Now

Former State Department Official Comments On U.S. Role In Global Response To Pandemic

4:39pm March 18, 2020

NPR's Mary Louise Kelly talks with Richard Haass, former Department of State policy planning director, about how the U.S. needs to lead world cooperation against pandemics.

Queue Listen Now

Drive-through screening stations are opening up in several parts of the country as testing capacity starts to expand nationally. At one station in Meridian, Idaho, nurse Ashley Layton communicates with a patient before taking a swab sample.

U.S. Coronavirus Testing Starts To Ramp Up But Still Lags

4:27pm March 18, 2020

by Rob Stein

Thousands of tests are now being conducted weekly, but tests remain scarce in many places. And experts question recent steps aimed at boosting testing capacity in states.

The Latest Developments In The Federal And Scientific Response To Coronavirus

4:26pm March 18, 2020

NPR correspondents relay the latest on federal government efforts to aid the economy and stop the spread of coronavirus, as well as new scientific information about how COVID-19 is affecting people.

Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly addresses a news conference Tuesday in Topeka, Kan., after announcing the closure of schools K-12 throughout the state for the rest of the school year.

Kansas Becomes The First State To End In-Person Classes For The Year

4:00pm March 18, 2020

by Colin Dwyer

Governors in California and Ohio have suggested they might follow Kansas' lead, as officials across the U.S. step up efforts to slow the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.