Health & Safety

Health & Safety

A Louisiana Hospital CEO Recounts How The COVID-19 Surge Is Affecting Her State

8:01am August 07, 2021

Michele Kidd Sutton, president and CEO of the North Oaks Health System in Hammond, Louisiana, addresses the impact of the delta variant on her hospital as COVID-19 cases surge in the state and county.

A Virginia Pastor Has A Mission To Encourage Vaccination Among Congregants

8:01am August 07, 2021

As part of Weekend Edition's Outbreak Voices series, Pastor Allen Jessee of Abingdon, Virginia shares how he's been trying to get help get his congregation and his community vaccinated.

A Judge Has Blocked An Attempt In Arkansas To Ban Mask Mandates In Schools

8:01am August 07, 2021

by Sarah Kellogg

This week in Arkansas a debate took place in the legislature over a law that bans mask mandates in schools. The law remains, but a judge has temporarily blocked the state from enforcing it.

As School Starts Again, Here's How To Keep Kids Safe From COVID

8:01am August 07, 2021

by Pien Huang

Millions of American kids are headed back to school, this time as a fourth wave of the pandemic builds. We hear what parents should know about keeping them healthy.

Elizabeth (in purple), who lives in South Sudan, is undecided about getting a COVID vaccine. She's heard rumors that make her think it's not a good idea. Her daughter, Nancy, (left) is newly vaccinated. Her son, Dr. Edward Kenyi, is lobbying his "mum" to

Health & Safety

Opinion: Dear Mum, Your Son The Doctor Thinks You Should Get A COVID Vaccine

7:06am August 07, 2021

by Edward Kenyi

Dr. Edward Kenyi, born in South Sudan and now in the U.S., debunks myths about vaccines in his community. Yet he can't convince his mother back home to go for it. Maybe this letter will do the trick.

Health & Safety

Coronavirus FAQ: Is It Ethical To Lie To Get A Booster Or A Shot For An Under-12 Kid?

8:34pm August 06, 2021

by Sheila Mulrooney Eldred

People are doing it. They're telling lies to get shots that have not been authorized. What are the medical, practical and ethical implications?

A data scientist working in tech, Michael Donnelly became an amateur COVID-19 watcher early in the pandemic. When his vaccinated friends started getting sick following July Fourth festivities in Provincetown, Mass., he documented more than 50 breakthrough

How A Gay Community Helped The CDC Spot A COVID Outbreak — And Learn More About Delta

7:41pm August 06, 2021

by Selena Simmons-Duffin

When his friends started to get sick after a week of parties, Michael Donnelly started keeping track. His work — and his community's willingness to help — led the CDC to a major pandemic discovery.

Students return to school at Seminole Heights Elementary in Tampa on Aug. 31, 2020, after the Florida Department of Education mandated in-class learning.

Some Florida School Districts Will Require Masks. The Governor May Cut Their Funding

5:03pm August 06, 2021

by Joe Hernandez

Several districts are keeping their mask mandates in place despite an executive order by Gov. Ron DeSantis that leaves it up to parents to decide whether their children wear face coverings in school.

Some Employers Want Proof, Others Say Workers Can Just 'Attest' To Being Vaccinated

4:27pm August 06, 2021

by Yuki Noguchi

Divisions over vaccination are making it harder for employers to ensure their workplaces are safe. Some are asking their employees to "attest" to being vaccinated — but do such honor systems work?

News Brief: Fla. Schools Debate Masks, Jobless Data, Belarusian Athlete's Story

3:48pm August 06, 2021

Florida's school districts consider whether to require masks. The latest data on a recovering job market is released Friday. A sprinter from Belarus, who fled the Olympics, is now in Poland.