health care

Why Is It So Hard To Get Tested For The Coronavirus Months Into The Pandemic?

5:11pm August 18, 2020

by Rob Stein

Many localities require a negative coronavirus test for various activities, such as traveling or visiting an older relative. But finding a test with a quick enough turnaround can be challenging.

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Air conditioners on a building. Scientists say there has been too little research into the role of heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems in the spread of the coronavirus.

Can Air Conditioners Spread COVID-19?

5:00am August 15, 2020

by Jessica Craig

People are worried that the virus could be spread by air conditioning systems. Here's what researchers do — and don't yet — know.

A fan wears a neck gaiter as he watches the Los Angeles Dodgers play at home against the San Francisco Giants last week.

How Should I Cover My Face? A Deeper Look Into Neck Gaiters And Face Shields

4:41pm August 14, 2020

by Pranav Baskar

Experts look into a new study that claims wearing a neck gaiter may be worse than no mask at all. And they discuss other face coverings such as goggles and plastic face shields.

Siblings Jasmine and Josh Obra both tested positive for the coronavirus on the same day. Only one of them survived.

Health & Safety

Lives Cut Short: Remembering Health Care Workers In Their 20s Killed By COVID-19

12:31pm August 13, 2020

by Alastair Gee

While most people who die from COVID-19 are over 65, health care workers who die are often younger. Here are stories of some who died in their 20s, leaving shattered dreams and devastated families.

Clark County Commission Vice Chairman Lawrence Weekly swabs his nose while giving a coronavirus test to himself during a tour of setup at a temporary coronavirus testing site in Las Vegas on Aug. 3.

National

Las Vegas Casinos Are Open At 50% Capacity. What About Las Vegas Hospitals?

3:52pm August 11, 2020

by Will Stone

Las Vegas is on shaky footing as it reopens with one of the nation's highest infection rates. An NPR analysis shows the city could run into trouble with hospital capacity if cases keep climbing.

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Harris County Public Health contact tracers are seen at work as they try to help stop the spread of the coronavirus outbreak in Houston, Texas, on July 22.

California And Texas Health Officials: Mistrust A Major Hurdle For Contact Tracers

9:31am August 11, 2020

In Harris County, Texas, about 25% of people are "absolutely unwilling to share anything," says a local health department epidemiologist. Misinformation is one reason for the mistrust, officials say.

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Las Vegas Casinos Are Open At 50% Capacity. What About Las Vegas Hospitals?

7:18pm August 10, 2020

by Will Stone

Las Vegas is on shaky footing as it reopens with one of the nation's highest infection rates. An NPR analysis shows the city could run into trouble with hospital capacity if cases keep climbing.

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California Coronavirus Testing Problem Prompts Resignation Of Public Health Official

4:00pm August 10, 2020

by Scott Shafer (KQED)

California's public health director has resigned after revelations of an extensive backlog of untested coronavirus test kits. More than a quarter-million tests there are still awaiting processing.

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With the coronavirus spreading, farms try to keep workers like these in Greenfield, Calif. safe through physical distancing and other measures but advocates for laborers say protections are often not adequate.

Without Federal Protections, Farm Workers Risk Coronavirus Infection To Harvest Crops

7:00am August 08, 2020

by Victoria Knight

Labor advocates say the lack of enforceable federal standards to ward off the coronavirus allows farmers to prioritize the harvest over worker safety.

Governors To Work With Rockefeller Foundation To Improve Virus Testing In U.S.

4:46pm August 07, 2020

NPR's Ari Shapiro talks with Dr. Rajiv Shah, president of the Rockefeller Foundation, about the foundation's efforts to implement a national coronavirus testing and tracing plan.

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