PBS NewsHour - Health

Schools around the country are now back at in-person classes. But there has been a jump in the number of students quarantined, and some places are allowing distance learning again. All too often, parents are facing difficult choices. Stephanie Sy has the story of an economist who is trying to help parents navigate such challenges. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

The Biden administration has said COVID-19 vaccine boosters may be available to eligible groups a week from now. But that timing is uncertain and scientific advisory committees still need to meet in the next several days. Lisa Desjardins spoke with CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky about the status of boosters and the spread of the virus as part of a special forum hosted by Research America. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

As the U.S. continues inoculating adults and adolescents, questions remain about vaccinating the 48 million kids under the age of 12. With the delta variant raging, almost five times as many children are being hospitalized for COVID-19. The American Academy of Pediatrics has called on the FDA to pick up the pace. William Brangham discusses with Dr. Lee Beers, president of the academy. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

On the day the two planes crashed into the World Trade Center in Manhattan, Lila Nordstrom, then a senior at Stuyvesant High School, was ordered to evacuate. Now a public health advocate and executive director of StuyHealth, which focuses on young adult survivors of 9/11, she is also the co-author of "Some Kids Left Behind: A Survivor's Fight for Health Care in The Wake of 9/11." PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

President Joe Biden's plan to get the country vaccinated would essentially require two-thirds of American workers to get vaccinated or face weekly testing. The Department of Labor will draft new rules requiring the same for all businesses with 100 workers or more. Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, joins Judy Woodruff to discuss that and more. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

For our endeavor to mark the 20th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, John Yang spoke to first responders and medical workers who have lived and worked through both the attacks and have also more recently seen the mass trauma from COVID-19 in the city that was the epicenter of both: New York. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

COVID-19 cases in Idaho are up more than 40% in the last two weeks, and hospitalizations up 25%. Some hospitals in the state's northern part are having to ration the care they give. Idaho has one of the nation's lowest vaccination rates. Only 40% are fully vaccinated. William Brangham discusses the state's rationing of care with Brian Whitlock, the CEO of the Idaho Hospital Association. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

When the summer of 2021 began, COVID-19 seemed to be on the retreat in most of the U.S. President Joe Biden talked about celebrating America's "independence" from the virus on July 4. But the delta variant has changed the game. On memorial day, the U.S. was averaging about 21,000 new cases a day. Now, it's at about 160,000 daily. Hospitalizations and deaths are rising too. Stephanie Sy reports. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

In Texas, abortions have all but ended after a late-night decision from the U.S. Supreme Court that kept in effect a new state law banning the procedure once a fetal heartbeat is detected, about 6 weeks into a pregnancy. While abortion rights advocates try to figure out their next legal step, anti-abortion activists are preparing for their role as enforcers of the new law. John Yang reports. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

New technology is changing the way we think about the human brain. Miles o'Brien gives us a personal look at how rewiring the mind with the aid of machines is transforming the lives of those with amputated limbs. It is the second part of this story in our "Breakthroughs" series on innovation and invention. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Millions of Americans spend weeks recovering from heart surgery and other operations to repair brain and bone injuries every year. As special correspondent Fred de Sam Lazaro reports from Chicago, researchers are working on a novel approach to aid in that recovery. The story is part of our "Breakthrough" series. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

he medical community often faces a challenge of reaching Black men for care. Oftentimes it's due to lack of equal access, poverty, and medical mistrust. Marisa Wojcik of PBS Wisconsin looks at an innovative approach to improve Black mens' health using a Madison barbershop. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

When Newark, New Jersey made headlines in 2019 for a lead water crisis that impacted one in five of its citizens, people saw an echo of Flint, Michigan's colossal public health crisis. But two years later, Newark has replaced the vast majority of its lead pipes with copper ones--a feat so impressive, an environmental group quickly settled its lawsuit over the crisis with the city. Newark Mayor Ras Baraka joins to discuss mistakes and takeaways from the cleanup effort. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

The Biden Administration announced last week that COVID-19 booster shots will be available by mid-September for those eight months into being fully-vaccinated. But with many Americans still unvaccinated and vaccine access worldwide varying wildly, are booster shots premature? Stat reporter Helen Branswell joins to explain the ins and outs of the decision. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Haitians are still reeling from last week's devastating 7.2 magnitude earthquake that killed over 2,000 people. Survivors are filling hospitals and crowding aid sites awaiting desperately-needed food and supplies. For more on the situation, NewsHour weekend's Ivette Feliciano spoke with Dr. Jean Pape, Director of Les Centres Gheskio, who has been working on the front lines of public health in Haiti for decades. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

In May, the CDC made a decision to reduce tracking and collecting data on breakthrough infections to only those involving hospitalizations and deaths -- leaving a big gap in understanding the impact of variants as COVID-19 cases surge across the nation once again. Jessica Malaty Rivera, an infectious disease epidemiologist and research fellow at Boston Children's Hospital, and former science communication lead at the COVID Tracking Project joins. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Syringe exchange and harm reduction programs don't just hand out clean needles, they can provide a safe place for drug users to find care and a path to treatment, says Jamie Favaro of Next Harm Reduction. From handing out needles on the streets to founding a harm reduction nonprofit, Favaro has worked to change the way people see and treat drug users. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Across the U.S., school mask mandates are dividing communities. In Mississippi, a state hard hit by a coronavirus surge, the Oxford School District had ruled masks were optional for students and staff. But the school superintendent, Bradley Roberson, overruled them, mandating face coverings. The move has drawn criticism from many parents and the board. Roberson joins William Brangham to discuss. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Laurie Theeke is a nurse practitioner who studies loneliness as a unique bio-psychosocial stressor that impacts human health. After years of clinical experience, she developed a five-session program called "LISTEN," which seeks to guide participants on a journey to find meaning and belonging. She gives her Brief But Spectacular take on combating loneliness. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Nearly 25% of Americans who were infected with the coronavirus are enduring symptoms of "long COVID," which can last for months. New Republic freelance reporter Karina Piser reported on how the healthcare system is failing to recognize the symptoms and why underserved communities will be the hardest hit. She joins Hari Sreenivasan for more. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

While new COVID-19 cases surge, debate over lockdowns, masks and vaccine mandates continue. Yesterday, United Airlines announced that it will require all of its U.S. employees to be vaccinated as a condition of employment. Juliette Kayyem, professor at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government and former Homeland Security Assistant Secretary, says vaccine requirements should apply to airline passengers as well. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Surges in Delta cases across the nation have changed and undone some of the progress made against the COVID-19 pandemic: the CDC has advised fully vaccinated people to remain cautious and even wear masks indoors. Jessica Malaty Rivera, an infectious disease epidemiologist and research fellow at Boston Children's Hospital joins to discuss the potential risks posed by the Delta variant. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

The COVID-19 delta variant has been surging worldwide and in certain areas of the U.S. What will this mean for school openings, and for children not yet eligible for vaccines? And how are vaccine efforts going in America? ProPublica reporter Caroline Chen joins Hari Sreenivasan with the latest on COVID-19 in the U.S. and around the world. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Pfizer's recent push to add a booster shot to its COVID-19 vaccination protocol seems to be at odds with what many people understood about the drug's effectiveness. And, as William Brangham reports, it has also prompted real concern among healthcare professionals. Dr. Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo, a professor of epidemiology and biostatistics at the University of California joins us to discuss. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

More than 4 million people have officially died from COVID-19 globally, but the actual number is almost certainly much higher. As wealthy nations with high vaccination rates like the U.S. begin emerging from the pandemic, the disease is accelerating in parts of the world. Nick Schifrin begins the report, and Jennifer Nuzzo, an epidemiologist watching the delta variant closely joins Judy Woodruff. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Health officials are sounding the alarm this holiday weekend about the highly transmissible delta variant of the coronavirus that is causing an increase in COVID-19 cases in the United States. Its greatest threat is to those who are unvaccinated. Judy Woodruff discusses the variant and vaccination progress with the U.S. Surgeon General, Dr. Vivek Murthy. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

An annual report released Thursday by the International Monetary Fund projects that the U.S. economy will grow roughly 7% this year as federal stimulus programs fuel consumer spending -- but that growth raises the risk of inflation. The report also urges the U.S. to help other countries cope with the pandemic. Kristalina Georgieva, managing director of the IMF, joins Judy Woodruff to discuss. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Summer is here, but the disruptions caused by the pandemic are affecting summer plans of some students and teachers. Educators around the country are scrambling to help students catch up. Many are utilizing billions in federal stimulus funds to beef up their summer school programs. Stephanie Sy reports from Atlanta. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

As the pandemic filled American hospitals and brought life to a near standstill in 2020, the longstanding opioids epidemic was only intensifying, essentially out of sight. As Amna Nawaz reports, the death toll from that epidemic, once centered on rural, largely white parts of the country, appears to have shifted more heavily to urban, African-American communities. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

The U.S. is in a far better place this summer than many other countries witnessing new COVID cases. But the Delta variant of the virus -- now expected to become the dominant strain in the U.S. -- is posing serious dangers in areas with low vaccination rates. Its spread in many countries worldwide is triggering shutdowns and fears of more deaths. William Brangham reports. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

To understand more about the threat to Americans from the Delta variant of the novel coronavirus, including the need for vaccinated individuals to wear masks or require booster vaccines, Judy Woodruff turns to Dr. Anthony Fauci. Fauci is the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the National Institutes of Health, and the president's chief medical advisor. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

The confirmed death toll from a tragic condo building collapse in Surfside, Florida rose to 11 people Monday. More than 150 others are still missing. While rescue teams have been searching the rubble for the better part of five days, hope is fading for many of the families gathered by the site of the collapse. Amna Nawaz is joined by Mayor Gabriel Groisman of Bal Harbour, Fla., with the latest. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

For many families of kids with diabetes, returning to normal life as states reopen is not an option. A recent study from the University of South Alabama found diabetic kids' average blood sugar levels increased during quarantine -- likely due to a change in routine, lack of exercise and increased stress. The worst outcomes were among Black and economically disadvantaged children. John Yang reports. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

A new study found that between 2018 and 2020, U.S. life expectancy decreased by the biggest margin since World War II. The pandemic took an outsized toll in America compared to other countries, with life expectancy as a whole dropping by nearly two years. But for Black and brown Americans, the toll was even worse. William Brangham discusses the study's findings with lead author Dr. Steven Woolf. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

COVID-19 has taken a disproportionate physical toll on people of color -- especially Black Americans, who are nearly three times as likely to be hospitalized and twice as likely to die from it than whites. Experts are now also warning of the longer-term mental health toll this last year has taken on those same communities and historical disparities it highlights. Stephanie Sy reports. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Each week, PBS NewsHour pauses to remember five Americans lost to the COVID-19 pandemic, and shares memories and highlights from their lives. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

The Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, survived a third major legal challenge at the U.S. Supreme Court Thursday. In a 7-2 vote, the justices rejected a lawsuit brought by 18 Republican-led states that questioned the ACA's legality over an individual mandate penalty. Judy Woodruff speaks with Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra about the Supreme Court's rejection. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

While COVID-19 vaccination rates in some parts of the country are approaching nearly 70%, other areas are seeing rates flatten or even decline. As William Brangham reports, vaccinations in the southern U.S. have been especially slow, with no southern state having yet topped 40%. Dr. Joseph Kanter, an emergency physician in Louisiana, and the state's top medical official, joins us to explore why. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

As Americans mourn 600,000 lives lost to COVID-19, two states once hit hard by the pandemic -- California and New York -- ended nearly all health restrictions on gatherings Tuesday in a sign of the return to normalcy. But states where vaccinations are lagging are not out of the woods yet, especially with the Delta variant. University of California's Dr. Robert Wachter joins Judy Woodruff to discuss. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

President Joe Biden made his first foreign trip as president to the U.K. for the G-7 summit where he was welcomed by world leaders amid talk of "shared values." In a bid to move past the Trump-era, President Biden reaffirmed America's position and role in the world, pledging to lead the effort on vaccines by donating 500 million doses to nations that need it the most. NewsHour's Yamiche Alcindor joins for more. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Four decades ago this past week, the first ever cases of the HIV/AIDS epidemic were publicly noted, and hardly noticed. But soon after, cases exploded around the world. It's estimated that roughly 35 million people have died from AIDS in the years since. William Brangham reports and speaks with two people deeply immersed in the issue for a look back at the epidemic and the best way forward. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

The FDA on Monday approved the first new drug to treat Alzheimer's disease in nearly two decades. Federal health officials said it may help slow the brain-destroying disease's progression, but the approval goes against the agency's independent advisers who said the treatment wasn't effective in clinical trials. Pam Belluck, health reporter for The New York Times, joins Amna Nawaz to discuss. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Carey Candrian is a Colorado-based social scientist who has spent much of her career investigating how healthcare can be compromised if an open discussion with patients is avoided. Candrian offers her Brief But Spectacular view on reimagining the language we use in healthcare, especially around elderly LBGTQ members. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

President Joe Biden recognized the 40th anniversary of the first documented cases of HIV/AIDS on Saturday, acknowledging the more than 32 millions lives lost to the virus and the more than 39 million people across the globe living with it today. Dr. Chris Beyrer, professor at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, who has been on the frontlines of COVID-19 and HIV/AIDS joins to discuss the similarities and lessons from the two health crises. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

For Black women in America, a breast cancer diagnosis brings with it a disturbing statistic. Black women are less likely to develop breast cancer but 40 percent more likely to die from it than white women, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Yamiche Alcindor reports on the complicated story behind the statistics. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

According to one large hospital system in Colorado, the pandemic's emotional toll on kids has become a "state of emergency," with adolescents experiencing high rates of anxiety, depression and self-harm. Suicide is now the leading cause of death for children over the age of 10 in the state. William Brangham talks with Dr. David Brumbaugh, the chief medical officer for Children's Hospital Colorado. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

The national calls to action over racial justice have brought new awareness of past injustices in many parts of our society, including the fields of science and medicine. Yamiche Alcindor speaks to Dr. Aletha Maybank, the American Medical Association's chief health equity officer, about the organization's racist history, how it plans to reckon with it, and the intersection of race and medicine. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

The United States and Canada have one of the largest economic partnerships in the world, and share the world's largest international border. When COVID-19 hit in early 2020, that border was closed to all nonessential traffic. As more people on both sides of the border get vaccinated, some are calling for it to re-open. Special Correspondent Benedict Moran reports. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders