pandemic

What's a spillover? A spillback? Here are definitions for the vocab of a pandemic

7:01am February 04, 2023

by Max Barnhart

Since the pandemic was declared in 2020, many perhaps unfamiliar terms have become part of daily conversation. Here's a glossary, from antibodies to zoonosis.

Yeshnee Naidoo prepares a "flow cell" for analysis by one of the center's many genetic sequencing machines.

Who's most likely to save us from the next pandemic? The answer may surprise you

1:07pm February 02, 2023

by Nurith Aizenman

The South African-based scientist who co-discovered the omicron variant of COVID-19 makes an intriguing argument.

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Illustration of a person and a virus at a bar. The person says, "I've kept up with the pandemic, so I'm pretty much a virus expert now!" The virus responds, "Wanna bet?"

QUIZ: Test your knowledge of spillover viruses, starting with ... what are they?

11:26am January 30, 2023

by Michaeleen Doucleff

As we launch a series about spillover viruses — like SARS-CoV-2, which triggered a global pandemic, you may have a lot of questions. So do we — 7, to be exact, in the quiz below.

On Jan. 23, 2020, as the coronavirus spread in China, residents of Wuhan, where it was first identified, donned masks to go shopping. The U.S. didn't officially endorse masks as a preventive measure for the public for a number of weeks.

COVID flashback: Here's how NPR reported on the coronavirus at a turning point

4:00pm January 29, 2023

by Carmen Drahl

On Jan. 30, 2020, the World Health Organization declared the "novel coronavirus" sweeping through China to be a global health emergency. Here's how NPR covered the story at that point in time.

It's COVID testing time at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, South Korea. Arrivals from China must now submit to a PCR test.

Coronavirus FAQ: How do I avoid catching COVID while flying in 2023?

6:33pm January 09, 2023

by Fran Kritz

You'll see testing in some airports these days — it's just like we're going back in time! And speaking of looking back, the things that protected fliers from COVID then are still a good idea.

An older adult receives a COVID-19 vaccine at a temporary vaccination site on Dec. 7 in Chongqing, China. Concerns about effectiveness and safety have led to uncertainty about the COVID vaccine, notably among older citizens, whose vaccination rate is relatively low.

China's COVID vaccines: Do the jabs do the job?

7:43pm December 31, 2022

by Michaeleen Doucleff

As case counts surge in China, rumors circulate about the effectiveness and safety of the made-in-China vaccines in use there. Here's what we know about CoronaVac and Sinopharm.

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Bivalent COVID-19 vaccines are readied for use at a clinic in Richmond, Va., Nov. 2022. Just 15% of eligible Americans have gotten the most recent booster shot, according to the CDC.

It's not too late to get a COVID booster — especially for older adults

5:01am December 28, 2022

by Selena Simmons-Duffin

Public health officials want more Americans to get the latest COVID vaccine booster. Only 35% of people over 65 have gotten the shot, though 75% of COVID deaths are among people in this age group.

Print a poster version of this comic to hang up on your fridge or give away to friends. Download the poster here.

Popular COVID FAQs in 2022: Outdoor risks, boosters, 1-way masking, faint test lines

11:08pm December 20, 2022

by Marc Silver

Let's revisit some of 2022's still relevant queries. Like: Does one-way masking help? What's the risk of outdoor transmission? What's up with faint lines on tests?

Pfizer's Paxlovid pills are considered the most effective treatment to prevent severe COVID. They're about to be sold in China. But they are reportedly underused in the U.S.

Health & Safety

Coronavirus FAQ: Is Paxlovid the best treatment? Is it underused in the U.S.?

12:27pm December 16, 2022

by Fran Kritz

The drug is the most effective way to cut the risk of severe disease. It's heading to China now. Yet the drug is underused in some places. Why? And are there options if you're not a good candidate?

Travelers at Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station in Shanghai, China on Dec. 12. China's public health officials say up to 800 million people could be infected with the coronavirus over the next few months.

Health & Safety

COVID spreading faster than ever in China. 800 million could be infected this winter

12:10pm December 15, 2022

Scientists predict China will see the largest COVID surge of the pandemic this winter, with hundreds of millions of people infected. But some experts say that it could have been even worse.

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