National News

Wastewater Is The Infrastructure Crisis ‘People Don’t Want To Talk About’

By PBS Newshour
Environmental justice activist and 2020 MacArthur Fellow Catherine Coleman Flowers speaks at a "Fire Drill Fridays" event, part of a movement that seeks to draw attention to the global "climate emergency." Courtesy of Catherine Coleman Flowers
Some infrastructure concerns go far less discussed than others including, notably, the issue of wastewater and sanitation. According to the American Society of Civil Engineers, the country’s wastewater treatment plants are functioning at an average of “81 percent of their design capacities,” and 15 percent have “reached or exceeded” that capacity. Drinking water service Read More

Vaccine Refusal May Put Herd Immunity At Risk, Researchers Warn

By NPR News
A recent NPR/Marist poll found that one in four Americans said they would refuse a coronavirus vaccine outright if offered. Another 5% are "undecided" about whether they would get the shot. Although the numbers were highest for Republican men and residents of rural areas, there were still a significant number of people across all ages and demographic groups who claim they Read More

FDA Authorizes 2 Rapid, At-Home Coronavirus Tests

By NPR News
The FDA said Wednesday that Abbott's BinaxNow test and Quidel's QuickVue can now be sold without a prescription for consumers to test themselves at home. CREDIT: Ted S. Warren/AP
Experts believe that the availability of at-home coronavirus tests could help slow the continued spread of the virus, which is contagious even when people are asymptomatic. Abbott's test will be available on grocery and drugstore shelves in the "coming weeks," according to a press release from the company. Quidel did not include a timeline in its release.Read More
Load More