Novel Coronavirus
Free COVID tests by mail program revived by Biden administration
People can again order four covid tests per household. The move comes ahead of an expected winter coronavirus wave.
COVID spikes will likely continue in 6-month seasonal and regional waves, experts say
Unlike the flu, large case spikes are not restrained to the colder months, and two peak seasons have emerged for the virus.
New coronavirus vaccines are now approved. Here’s what to know.
The mRNA coronavirus vaccines from Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna tailored for the KP.2 variant could be available within a week.
COVID summer wave spreads across the U.S.
Coronavirus activity in wastewater reached levels considered “high” or “very high” in 26 states including Alaska, according to the most recent CDC data.
A COVID summer uptick is underway as FLiRT and LB.1 variants ascend
Infections are growing in nearly all states — with the sharpest increases in the West, according to CDC data.
What happened after a man got 217 COVID shots
The German man came to the attention of researchers after a fraud investigation.
CDC officially drops 5-day COVID isolation guidelines
The agency has loosened its isolation recommendations for the first time since 2021 to reflect the changing landscape of COVID-19.
CDC recommends older adults get 2nd updated coronavirus shot
People over 65 should get a second dose of a coronavirus vaccine because they are at higher risk for severe disease from the virus, CDC says.
Wastewater testing for viruses increased during the COVID pandemic. Alaska health officials are working to expand those efforts.
Because most Alaskans are now using home tests to check for COVID-19, wastewater monitoring has become a key way to measure the spread of the virus.
CDC plans to ease COVID isolation guidelines
People with COVID will be able to return to school, work and society if they have been fever-free for 24 hours and their symptoms are mild and improving.
‘Emergency’ or not, COVID is still killing people. Here’s what doctors advise to stay safe.
While a new coronavirus variant, JN.1, has spread around the world, the current vaccines and COVID tests remain effective.
Nearly 10,000 died worldwide from COVID-19 last month, fueled by holiday gatherings and new variant
The head of the U.N. health agency says hospital admissions in December jumped 42% in nearly 50 countries — mostly in Europe and the Americas.
With COVID on the rise, your at-home test may be taking longer to show a positive result
Positive results might not show up until the fourth day after symptoms start, authorities say.
Another covid wave hits U.S. as JN.1 becomes dominant variant
The JN.1 variant, covid hospitalizations and wastewater levels are rising heading into 2024. But hospitalizations and deaths are lower than in previous winters.
Four years on, long covid still confounds us. Here’s what we now know.
As many as 7 percent of Americans report having suffered from a slew of lingering symptoms after enduring covid.
Americans can again order free COVID tests as Biden administration revives program
The administration announced that it is providing $600 million in funding to produce new at-home COVID-19 tests and is restarting a website allowing Americans to again order up to four free tests per household.
COVID is here to stay. How will we know when it stops being special?
For some people, covid will always be high risk. Others wonder when - or if - we can stop treating the coronavirus differently from other common viruses.
US approves updated COVID vaccines to rev up protection this fall
The Food and Drug Administration’s decision Monday is part of a shift to treat fall COVID-19 vaccine updates much like getting a yearly flu shot.
COVID isn’t seasonal. So why are COVID booster shots?
As COVID changes, our approach to fighting it — including vaccine schedules — may have to shift, too.
Latest COVID variant could be the best yet at evading immunity
BA.2.86 is the most mutated version of coronavirus since omicron, raising fears about reinfection. But it’s unclear whether it’s transmissible enough to surge.
Many long-COVID symptoms linger even after two years, new study shows
The report finds a heightened risk for lung problems, fatigue, diabetes and other health woes.
What to know about new COVID booster, RSV vaccines, flu shots this fall
New vaccines can stop a “tripledemic” of COVID, RSV and influenza. Here’s what to know about who should get them and how.
COVID-19 hospitalizations are rising, fueled by heat and waning protection
Hospitalizations are creeping up in the United States for the first time this year as extreme heat keeps people indoors and protection against infection fades.
COVID or a summer cold? Without free tests, many won’t know.
The U.S. is experiencing an uptick in COVID hospitalizations for the first time since the public health emergency ended in May. But free testing is hard to find.
Risk of loss of smell from COVID has plummeted since 2020
The findings mean that losing your sense of smell and taste is no longer a reliable sign that you have an infection.
Brain fog and other long COVID symptoms are the focus of new small treatment studies
The National Institutes of Health is beginning a handful of studies to test possible treatments for long COVID, an anxiously awaited step in U.S. efforts against the mysterious condition that afflicts millions.
Summer brings COVID-19 uptick amid renewed travel and socializing
Experts say it is still too early to tell whether the upswing represents a significant public health concern.
Gene variant may be why some test positive for covid virus with no symptoms
Scientists found a common version of an immunity gene that seems to help some people clear the virus faster.
Covid isn’t over, but even the most cautious Americans are moving on
Americans who have tried to be rule-following pandemic citizens are at last abandoning precautions as the coronavirus fades into a background threat.