public health
18 Face Masks We Actually Like to Wear
Our tips and picks to up your mask game—whether you’re heading back to the office or just want to stay safe and stylish.
How to Order Your Free At-Home Covid-19 Tests
The US government is finally sending 4 at-home tests to every household. Here's how to get yours, and how to troubleshoot common problems.
A Project to Count Climate Crisis Deaths Has Surprising Results
Climate change is already killing people, but countries don’t have an easy way to count those deaths. A new project might change that.
Pregnant People Are Still Not Getting Vaccinated Against Covid
Misinformation and muddled public health messaging have failed expectant parents. Now Omicron's surge is putting both carriers and babies at risk.
Covid Will Become Endemic. The World Must Decide What That Means
The task of 2022 will be figuring out how much action we’re willing to take and how much disease and death we’ll tolerate.
2021 Revealed the Depths of Global Vaccine Inequity
Previous pandemics saw rich countries grabbing up vaccine supplies, leaving poor countries behind. Has the world learned nothing since?
How Science Will Solve the Omicron Variant’s Mysteries
So far, panic about the mysterious new Covid variant has outpaced actual information. Here’s what scientists around the world are trying to uncover.
Austria’s Covid Surge Is a Warning to the World
As the nation locks down and plans a vaccine mandate, a bleak second pandemic winter risks overwhelming Europe and beyond.
New Covid Drugs Are Here—and They Could Change the Pandemic
Two antivirals could help beat Covid-19 in countries that don’t have vaccines yet. They just need to work as promised.
E-Cigarettes Could Be the New Nicotine Patch
England will allow doctors to prescribe vaping devices to people who want to quit smoking—if manufacturers can develop a product that works.
A Vaccine Against Valley Fever Finally Works—for Dogs
People and canines suffer horribly from the disease, caused by a fungus spreading through the increasingly dry US Southwest.
Merck’s Antiviral Could Be Just What Covid Was Waiting For
The pharmaceutical giant is making its oral antiviral drug widely available for all the world. But could Covid outsmart it?
The Race Is On to Develop a Vaccine Against Every Coronavirus
A “universal” shot would protect against every branch of Covid’s viral family tree—even future ones. But getting there won’t be easy.
A Deadly Microbe Mystery Leads to a Spray Sold at Walmart
A series of puzzling infections has been traced to the presence of a dangerous bacterium in an aromatherapy spray.
New Booster Approvals, Data on Kids' Shots, and More News
Catch up on the most important updates from this week.
FDA Backs Boosters, Travel Restrictions Lift, and More News
Catch up on the most important updates from this week.
The Malaria Vaccine Is a Big Deal, but Not a Silver Bullet
RTS,S proves that shots can work against parasites. But to eradicate this disease, scientists say we need more than just one tool.
Shots for Kids Get Closer, US Strategy Evolves, and More News
Catch up on the most important updates from this week.
What Can Convince People to Just Get Vaccinated Already?
Researchers are struggling to figure out why people don’t get their Covid shots, and what language might persuade them. Saying “You gotta” seems to work.
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Alcohol Is the Breast Cancer Risk No One Wants to Talk About
As companies roll out the pink beer in October to raise awareness of the disease, one group is urging young women to think twice.
20 Years After the Anthrax Attacks, We’re Still Unprepared
The first fatal bioterror attack in the US killed five people and caused a national panic—and we’re still short of funding and tech to handle health emergencies.
Vaccinating Kids, Advances in Treatments, and More News
Catch up on the most important updates from this week.
The Llama, the Hamster, and a New Path for Covid Treatment
A set of papers shows that llama-derived antibodies protect the rodent against the virus—which bodes well for making a version for people.
The ‘Forever Virus’ Won't Go Away Until Kids Get Vaccinated
Epidemiologist Larry Brilliant on the Delta surge, chaos at the CDC, and why the under-12s are key to ending the pandemic.