Health & Safety

Health & Safety

U.S. Sees COVID-19 Numbers Rising In Areas Where Vaccination Rates Are Low

6:52am July 16, 2021

NPR speaks with Dr. Jennifer Dillaha, an Arkansas Department of Health epidemiologist, about her state's rising number of COVID-19 cases how misinformation can hamper vaccination rates.

Pop star Olivia Rodrigo makes a brief statement to reporters Wednesday in the Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House.

Gen Z Is Feeling 'Meh' About The Vaccine. The White House Is Calling In The Pop Stars

5:06pm July 15, 2021

by Sam Gringlas

Only about 42% of 18- to 24-year-olds are fully vaccinated. Eager to reach them, the White House is calling in pop stars and trying to spread the word on TikTok.

Johnson & Johnson Dealt Another Blow As Vaccine Is Linked To Rare Nerve Syndrome

4:21pm July 15, 2021

by Pien Huang

The Johnson & Johnson vaccine was dealt another blow this week with news that the vaccine is tied to a rare autoimmune disorder. But the vaccine's place in the U.S. program was already languishing.

Tennessee's Former Vaccine Leader Says She Was Fired Because Politics Trumped Science

4:21pm July 15, 2021

by Paige Pfleger

One day after being fired, Tennessee's former top vaccination official said she lost her job because of false rumors about vaccination efforts, specifically for teenagers.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission has sued Amazon to pressure the retail giant to recall hundreds of thousands of potentially hazardous products.

U.S. Consumer Agency Sues Amazon To Force A Recall Of Potentially Hazardous Products

3:08pm July 15, 2021

by Joe Hernandez

The Consumer Product Safety Commission said the giant online retailer had to accept responsibility for the potentially unsafe products listed on its platform and recall them.

The Pandemic Changed The World Of 'Voluntourism.' Some Folks Like The New Way Better

3:07pm July 15, 2021

by Malaka Gharib

Critics say volunteering abroad does not always benefit local communities. The coronavirus travel bans have led to a different approach for volunteers who want to donate their services.

U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy, who has helped the U.S. through other crises like the Zika outbreak, is now taking on health misinformation around COVID-19, which he says continues to jeopardize the country's efforts to beat back the virus.

Health & Safety

The U.S. Surgeon General Is Calling COVID-19 Misinformation An 'Urgent Threat'

11:33am July 15, 2021

by Geoff Brumfiel

The nation's top doctor, Vivek Murthy, says misinformation will keep sowing mistrust and endangering lives unless all Americans do their part to fight it.

UCSF neurosurgeon Edward Chang says a system that lets a man express his thoughts at 15 words a minute is just the beginning for computer-mediated communication.

Health & Safety

Experimental Brain Implant Lets Man With Paralysis Turn His Thoughts Into Words

10:36am July 15, 2021

by Jon Hamilton

A stroke left a man paralyzed and speechless. Now a device that decodes brain signals is letting him generate words and sentences.

A health worker administers a polio vaccine to a child in Karachi, Pakistan, on June 9.

The Pandemic Has Worsened Childhood Vaccination Rates Around The World

10:22am July 15, 2021

by Jaclyn Diaz

The pandemic has hurt even routine health services such as vaccines and checkups, as well as immunization outreach, for children around the world, the World Health Organization and UNICEF report.

Johnson & Johnson recalled five aerosol sunscreen products after finding traces of benzene. In this photo, Collin Morikawa sprays himself with sunscreen during the Workday Championship golf tournament in February.

Johnson & Johnson Recalls 5 Aerosol Sunscreens After Finding Carcinogen Traces

7:54am July 15, 2021

by Jaclyn Diaz

Johnson & Johnson says internal testing showed some sunscreen samples contained low levels of benzene, which causes cancer with long-term exposure.