Coronavirus fear prompts some smokers to quit

Early studies suggest that smokers who develop COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, are 14 times more likely to need intensive treatment compared with nonsmokers. Doctors in California are seizing this moment to highlight the connection between COVID-19 and smoking as another reason people should quit.

Putting a price on COVID drug remdesivir

Now that the Food and Drug Administration has authorized remdesivir for emergency use in seriously ill COVID-19 patients, the experimental drug is another step closer to full approval. That’s when most drugs get price tags.

Don’t skip your child’s well check

Pediatricians across the U.S. are seeing a steep drop in the number of children coming in for appointments right now — only about 20% to 30% of the volume they would normally see this time of year, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. Though telemedicine can make up part of the difference, doctors say the…

Here’s how to shop safely during pandemic

Many of us are still venturing out to stock up on food and toiletries. But what’s the safest way to shop during this pandemic? And what should you do once you’ve brought your haul home? We asked infectious disease, virology and food safety experts to share their tips about safe grocery shopping — and what you…

Coronavirus reset: How to get health insurance now

Millions of people have lost jobs — and often the health coverage that came with those jobs. More still have had their work hours reduced or have received drastic pay cuts, so monthly premiums that may have been manageable before are now out of reach. Here are some of the scenarios Americans are facing, and tips…

The coronavirus fallout: It’s OK to grieve

The coronavirus pandemic sweeping the globe has not only left many anxious about life and death issues, it’s also left people struggling with a host of less obvious, existential losses as they heed stay-home warnings and wonder how bad all of this is going to get. To weather these uncertain times, it’s important to acknowledge and…

Pandemic panic? Tips to help you stay calm

Anxiety thrives on uncertainty. And, as the coronavirus spreads, our unanswered questions can make us feel vulnerable or fearful. “Will it come to my community” or “Am I at risk?’ And here’s a catch-22: The more you stress, the more vulnerable you can become to viruses, because stress can dampen your immune response. But there are steps…

Good medical care can suffer late in the day

A study last summer in the journal JAMA Network Open, for example, found that people who saw their doctor for acute pain later in the workday were more likely than those with morning appointments to get a prescription for opioid painkillers — a class of medications with potentially life-threatening side effects. Another recent study suggests that patients seen later in the…

Is U.S. health system ready for coronavirus surge?

But if something changes and large numbers of people get infected in the U.S., is the country’s health system prepared to cope with a surge of patients with this virus, or any future pathogen?

Mail, packages from China won’t spread coronavirus

In an era of online shopping and global shipping, some NPR listeners have written to us with this question: Am I at risk of catching the new coronavirus from a package I receive from China? Almost certainly no, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.