Health Aug 26 Are U.S. medical experts being influenced by the Trump administration? Questions are again being raised about whether the Trump administration is injecting politics into science -- and the national pandemic response. Recent moves by the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention appear to conflict…
Health Jul 22 How the pandemic is complicating America’s addiction crisis According to preliminary data, drug overdoses killed nearly 72,000 Americans in 2019, a record high. Now, it appears that 2020 is on track to be even worse, as the U.S. has witnessed a startling rise in overdoses during the pandemic.
Economy Jul 07 Why more renters are being evicted in the middle of the pandemic During this coronavirus pandemic, we hear repeatedly from public health officials to stay at home. But many Americans don’t have stable housing -- and now, a growing number of people are being forced out of where they live because they…
Health Jul 06 A muted Fourth of July as virus shatters infection records Fourth of July celebrations in many parts of the United States were muted this year, overshadowed by a virus spreading with alarming speed. The national death toll from COVID-19 has surpassed 130,000, and hospitals in the South and West particularly…
Health Jun 30 In states where coronavirus is surging, reopening plans put on hold The U.S. is now averaging roughly 40,000 new confirmed infections of COVID-19 each day. The caseload has more than doubled this month in at least 10 states, mostly in the South and the West. As some states put their reopening…
Nation Jun 15 Atlanta erupts in protest after another black man dies at the hands of police Atlanta has become the new epicenter of a growing campaign for racial justice. Thousands of protesters marched there after the fatal police shooting of Rayshard Brooks on Friday night. Meanwhile, pressure continues to build in Minneapolis for the city to…
Health Jun 11 How Americans’ drinking habits have changed during the pandemic Stay-at-home orders posed a special challenge to Americans who struggle with addiction and rely on the support of in-person recovery meetings. Many others found their alcohol consumption patterns changed significantly during the pandemic. William Brangham reports on the impact COVID-19…
Politics Jun 09 The truth about vote-by-mail and fraud The question of how to conduct elections safely during a pandemic remains timely as voters go to the polls in five states on Tuesday. With COVID-19 still present across the country, officials are trying to prepare for this fall’s election,…
Nation May 22 Americans prepare for a Memorial Day transformed by COVID-19 On Friday, President Trump declared houses of worship “essential," calling on governors to reopen them. Some beaches and lakes are also allowing visitors as Americans mark the Memorial Day holiday. But as the pandemic rages on, flags across the country…
Health May 13 During the pandemic, reports of child abuse have decreased. Here’s why that’s concerning Since the coronavirus pandemic closed schools nationwide, children are spending much more time at home. But reports of abuse and neglect have declined dramatically, prompting concerns among child welfare advocates that mistreatment isn’t being exposed. William Brangham reports on the…