PPE

Elaine Thompson / AP

7:01am Dec 12, 2020

National National Health & Safety

Rural Health Systems Challenged By COVID-19 Surge

by Anna King

Medical services in small Northwest towns are stretched to the limit with shortages of qualified workers and PPE, CARES Act funds running out and hospitals at or near capacity.
Ted S. Warren / AP

8:30am Dec 03, 2020

National National

'We're All Tired Of This': Health Care Workers In Seattle Prepare For Another Surge

by Will Stone

Harborview Medical Center faced the country's initial swell of coronavirus cases. Now, health care workers there are offering advice to people facing the latest surge in COVID-19 patients.

Listen
5:16pm Nov 12, 2020

Education Education

Guilford Schools App Provides Reporting System For PPE Concerns

by Keri Brown

Guilford County Schools is encouraging the use of a tool to help address personal protective equipment concerns as more students are heading back to classrooms this month.
David Paul Morris / Bloomberg via Getty Images

8:25am Sep 17, 2020

National National Health & Safety

Why Can't America Make Enough N95 Masks? 6 Months Into Pandemic, Shortages Persist

by Joel Rose

There's just not enough PPE to satisfy demand. Medics are re-using masks and small practices can't even find supplies they can afford. Some domestic manufacturers could help, but it's a risky move.

Listen
Brent Stirton / Getty Images

10:38am Sep 15, 2020

National National Health & Safety

Wildfires Make Dangerous Air For Farmworkers: 'It's Like You Can't Breathe'

by James Doubek

As fires ravage California, farmworkers are dealing with dangerous air in incredible heat. Hernan Hernandez of the California Farmworker Foundation says there's "nowhere near" enough protective gear.

Listen
Stefani Reynolds / Bloomberg via Getty Images

6:07pm Sep 01, 2020

National National Politics & Government Health & Safety

FEMA Says It Will Stop Paying For Cloth Face Masks For Schools

by Laurel Wamsley

The federal agency has reimbursed states for protective equipment and disinfection throughout the pandemic. Now state officials are wondering where they will find funding to reopen schools safely.
David J. Phillip / AP

4:13pm Aug 19, 2020

National National Health & Safety

Yep, Masks And Protective Gear Are Still Hard To Get — Especially For Small Buyers

by Joel Rose

Just like in March, when coronavirus cases spiked for the first time, some workers and employers across the country face PPE shortages. Masks, gloves, gowns and other equipment are scarce.
10:38am Jul 30, 2020

Business Business

HanesBrands Posts Double-Digit Second Quarter Growth

by Neal Charnoff

As many companies are seeing financial losses during the coronavirus pandemic, HanesBrands has experienced double-digit growth in the second quarter.
Aleksandr Zubkov / Getty Images

4:14pm Jul 16, 2020

Health & Safety Health & Safety

'Meaningless' FDA Certificates Are Used To Tout Dubious Face Masks

by Sydney Lupkin

Companies that made hats, socks and teddy bears have started producing surgical masks to protect people from COVID-19. Some sellers exaggerate their standing with the Food and Drug Administration.
Josh Souza/Special to The Public's Radio

5:01am Jul 16, 2020

National National

This City's Coronavirus Safety Measures Could Become Best Practices

by Nadine Sebai

The fishing port of New Bedford, Mass., is protecting essential workers during the pandemic with a set of enforceable guidelines that experts say could be a model for other cities.
Cornelia Li for NPR

7:00am May 16, 2020

Health & Safety Health & Safety

My Bedside Manner Got Worse During The Pandemic. Here's How I Improved

by Shahdabul Faraz

A young medical resident learns new ways to reach and comfort his ill hospital patients — despite protective barriers that keep them far apart. He starts by turning down the noise.
Xinzheng / Getty Images

4:04pm May 13, 2020

World News World News Politics & Government Health & Safety

The U.S. Is Giving Vast Sums Of Money To Fight COVID-19 Abroad. But There's A Catch

by Malaka Gharib

Aid groups are frustrated by a new restriction on using U.S. funds to buy personal protective equipment like masks and gloves. The U.S. says it's a way to ensure there's enough PPE for domestic use.