Selena Simmons-Duffin

With the nation's blood supply in shortage due to the coronavirus, the FDA recently eased restrictions on gay men donating blood. The letter argues those new rules are still too restrictive.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Robert Redfield outlined the agency's "contact tracing" strategy in an interview with NPR, as states scramble to prepare for reopening.

After promising on April 7 that data on how COVID-19 is affecting people of different races would be available in a few days, the Trump administration now says it won't happen until early May.

Political leaders want to reopen the economy soon, but public health experts say we first need to set up systems to prevent new flare-ups of the coronavirus. Here's what needs to get done.

It's a technique widely used in other countries to slow the spread of infection. Here's how contact tracing works — and how it can help the U.S. start to get back to normal.

We're in shutdown mode for now, but what comes next? Robert Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is working on a plan to safely reopen the country.

An office of the Department of Health and Human Services surveyed 323 U.S. hospitals and found shortages of "intravenous therapy poles, medical gas, linens and food." Many are still scrambling.

A new report from the Department of Health and Human Services' Office of the Inspector General presents an overview of how America's hospitals are responding to the coronavirus crisis.

The coronavirus pandemic poses both a public health and an economic crisis. Squarely in the middle of those concerns are fears about medical bills and loss of employer-provided health insurance.

Buried inside the $2.2 trillion CARES law passed by Congress last week is a provision for using pre-tax health accounts for things such as Band-Aids, over-the-counter drugs, and tampons.

What's behind the "14 days of self-quarantine" guidance after exposure to someone with COVID-19 or after travel from a place with a high number of cases? Think of yourself as a potential incubator.

Aetna, Cigna and Humana now say they will waive most treatment costs associated with COVID-19 that would normally be picked up by patients enrolled in their health plans. Will other firms follow suit?

There is $100 billion for hospitals and health care providers, money for vaccine research and the national stockpile, but patients could still face high costs if they get sick.

To stop COVID-19, retired doctors are signing up to take clinical shifts. Specialists, including dentists, could move to front line care. And med students are fielding calls in overwhelmed clinics.

NPR health reporter Selena Simmons-Duffin reflects on her family's decision to travel to Canada to be closer to extended family during the coronavirus pandemic.

Here's what it will take for medical facilities across the nation to handle the coming surge of COVID-19 patients.

Public health experts are trying to figure out if U.S. hospitals are ready for a possible surge of COVID-19 cases. When there are more serious cases than a hospital can handle, more patients die.

Whether your mild or moderate symptoms mean you have a cold, the flu, or COVID-19 doesn't change the medical advice right now. Stay home, rest, and call or email your doctor if symptoms worsen.

President Trump and Congress Friday authorized a package of emergency funding to help and treat and slow the spread of COVID-19. About $950 million is designated for state and local response.

The coronavirus funding bill just signed into law by the president puts over $8 billion dollars into the epidemic response. We break down what that money is actually for, and what might be missing.