NPR: health officials https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=823973680 health officials en Copyright 2024 NPR - For Personal Use Only Story API Shim 1.2.24 Tue, 06 May 2025 22:51:15 -0400 https://media.npr.org/images/podcasts/primary/npr_generic_image_300.jpg?s=200 NPR: health officials https://www.npr.org/tags/823973680/health-officials The CDC says COVID is endemic. That doesn't mean the danger is past U.S. health officials now say COVID-19 is an endemic disease. That means it's here to stay – circulating fairly regularly like the flu. Even though that changes how public health officials think about managing the virus, they say it doesn't mean being less cautious or vigilant during surges, like the <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/cfa-modeling-and-forecasting/rt-estimates/index.html?CDC_AA_refVal=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Fforecast-outbreak-analytics%2Fabout%2Frt-estimates.html">current </a>one this summer. COVID still poses significant risks for older individuals and those with underlying conditions — and anyone who gets COVID is at risk of developing long COVID. <br><br>NPR science correspondent <a href="https://www.npr.org/people/146944972/rob-stein">Rob Stein</a> reported this story. <strong>Read </strong><a href="https://www.npr.org/people/146944972/rob-stein"><strong>Rob</strong></a><strong>'s full story </strong><a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2024/08/09/nx-s1-5060398/covid-endemic-cdc-summer-surge"><strong>here</strong></a><strong>.</strong><br><br><em>Interested in hearing more COVID or health news? Email us at </em><a href="mailto:shortwave@npr.org"><em>shortwave@npr.org</em></a><em>. </em> Wed, 21 Aug 2024 03:00:59 -0400 https://www.npr.org/2024/08/21/1198910596/covid-vaccine-mask-endemic https://www.npr.org/2024/08/21/1198910596/covid-vaccine-mask-endemic

U.S. health officials now say COVID-19 is an endemic disease. That means it's here to stay – circulating fairly regularly like the flu. Even though that changes how public health officials think about managing the virus, they say it doesn't mean being less cautious or vigilant during surges, like the current one this summer. COVID still poses significant risks for older individuals and those with underlying conditions — and anyone who gets COVID is at risk of developing long COVID.

NPR science correspondent Rob Stein reported this story. Read Rob's full story here.

Interested in hearing more COVID or health news? Email us at shortwave@npr.org.

]]> Regina G. Barber Poliovirus detected in more wastewater near New York City New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said the state is stepping up polio-fighting efforts as the virus was detected in the wastewater of another county in the New York City area. Sat, 10 Sep 2022 05:17:37 -0400 https://www.npr.org/2022/09/10/1122196513/poliovirus-detected-in-more-wastewater-near-new-york-city https://www.npr.org/2022/09/10/1122196513/poliovirus-detected-in-more-wastewater-near-new-york-city New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said the state is stepping up polio-fighting efforts as the virus was detected in the wastewater of another county in the New York City area.

]]> The Associated Press Under fire, U.S. officials say monkeypox can still be stopped The country's monkeypox outbreak can still be stopped, U.S. health officials said Thursday, despite rising case numbers and so far limited vaccine supplies. Fri, 29 Jul 2022 05:19:00 -0400 https://www.npr.org/2022/07/29/1114419900/under-fire-us-officials-say-monkeypox-can-still-be-stopped https://www.npr.org/2022/07/29/1114419900/under-fire-us-officials-say-monkeypox-can-still-be-stopped The country's monkeypox outbreak can still be stopped, U.S. health officials said Thursday, despite rising case numbers and so far limited vaccine supplies.

]]> The Associated Press How the U.S. case might tie into the global upswing in polio Countries in Africa, the Middle East and parts of Asia are counting more cases of vaccine-derived polio. Now there's a likely U.S. case. Researchers are looking for ways to stop it. Tue, 26 Apr 2022 18:15:38 -0400 https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2022/04/26/1092867458/vaccine-derived-polio-is-on-the-rise-a-new-vaccine-aims-to-stop-the-spread https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2022/04/26/1092867458/vaccine-derived-polio-is-on-the-rise-a-new-vaccine-aims-to-stop-the-spread

Countries in Africa, the Middle East and parts of Asia are counting more cases of vaccine-derived polio. Now there's a likely U.S. case. Researchers are looking for ways to stop it.

(Image credit: Nicholas Kajoba)

]]> Ari Daniel Ready, Set ... Think! Hackathon Aims To Kill Off Fake Health Rumors How do you fight misinformation around neglected tropical diseases? In this competition, teams of college students across the globe had 24 hours to cook up a cool plan. Thu, 10 Jun 2021 08:54:25 -0400 https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2021/06/10/1004317823/ready-set-think-hackathon-aims-to-kill-off-fake-health-rumors https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2021/06/10/1004317823/ready-set-think-hackathon-aims-to-kill-off-fake-health-rumors

How do you fight misinformation around neglected tropical diseases? In this competition, teams of college students across the globe had 24 hours to cook up a cool plan.

]]> Nadia Whitehead Public Health Workers In Kansas Walk Away Over Pressure From Pandemic Politics Across the country, they are quitting and the exodus is particularly pronounced in rural Kansas where opposition to mask mandates and other public health edicts remains strong. Fri, 04 Dec 2020 16:32:00 -0500 https://www.npr.org/2020/12/04/943195352/public-health-workers-in-kansas-walk-away-over-pressure-from-pandemic-politics https://www.npr.org/2020/12/04/943195352/public-health-workers-in-kansas-walk-away-over-pressure-from-pandemic-politics

Across the country, they are quitting and the exodus is particularly pronounced in rural Kansas where opposition to mask mandates and other public health edicts remains strong.

(Image credit: Jim McLean)

]]> James McLean Some States To Out-Of-Towners: If You Come Visit, Plan To Quarantine For 2 Weeks The 14-day quarantine rule — which in some areas carries fines of up to $10,000 — is meant to help contain the spread of COVID-19, but enforcement varies from state to state. Thu, 02 Jul 2020 14:39:00 -0400 https://www.npr.org/2020/07/02/886596560/some-states-to-out-of-towners-if-you-come-visit-plan-to-quarantine-for-two-weeks https://www.npr.org/2020/07/02/886596560/some-states-to-out-of-towners-if-you-come-visit-plan-to-quarantine-for-two-weeks

The 14-day quarantine rule — which in some areas carries fines of up to $10,000 — is meant to help contain the spread of COVID-19, but enforcement varies from state to state.

(Image credit: Seth Wenig)

]]> Brian Mann Former Top Health Officials: Do More Testing And Contact Tracing Or Expect Outbreaks Former federal health officials Andy Slavitt and Scott Gottlieb tell <em>Morning Edition</em> that more coronavirus testing and contact tracing are needed for U.S. businesses to reopen safely. Mon, 11 May 2020 16:40:16 -0400 https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/05/11/853886156/former-top-health-officials-do-more-testing-and-contact-tracing-or-expect-outbre https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/05/11/853886156/former-top-health-officials-do-more-testing-and-contact-tracing-or-expect-outbre

Former federal health officials Andy Slavitt and Scott Gottlieb tell Morning Edition that more coronavirus testing and contact tracing are needed for U.S. businesses to reopen safely.

(Image credit: Angela Weiss)

]]> James Doubek An Unfinished Lesson: What The 1918 Flu Tells Us About Human Nature A virus is more than a biological organism. It's a social organism. Historian Nancy Bristow shares the lessons about human behavior that we can take away from a century-old pandemic. Mon, 23 Mar 2020 19:05:00 -0400 https://www.npr.org/2020/03/23/820066211/an-unfinished-lesson-what-the-1918-flu-tells-us-about-human-nature https://www.npr.org/2020/03/23/820066211/an-unfinished-lesson-what-the-1918-flu-tells-us-about-human-nature A virus is more than a biological organism. It's a social organism. Historian Nancy Bristow shares the lessons about human behavior that we can take away from a century-old pandemic.

]]> Shankar Vedantam