health Archives | Northwest Public Broadcasting

Spokane Is The Largest Washington City To Not Fluoridate Its Water. That Could Change

By Doug Nadvornick August 28, 2020

The Spokane City Council is considering in August 2020 whether to add fluoride to the city's drinking water.

Water fluoridation has been proposed – and rejected – before by Spokane residents. Supporters such as Dr. Elisabeth Warder believe it’s time to consider it again. The city council is considering a request by dentists to fluoridate the city’s water supply. Read More

Coronavirus FAQ: So Do Lots Of People Get COVID-19 From Flying?

By NPR News August 24, 2020

A flight attendant adjusts protective glasses. There has been little documentation about COVID-19 transmission on planes. CREDIT: Valentyn Ogirenko/Reuters

A study released this week points to two passengers infected on a four-hour-plus flight. But there hasn't been a lot of documentation of transmission on planes. So how risky is flying? Continue Reading Coronavirus FAQ: So Do Lots Of People Get Read More

Johnson & Johnson Stops Selling Talc-Based Baby Powder In U.S. And Canada

By NPR News May 19, 2020

The company said demand has declined "fueled by misinformation around the safety of the product and a constant barrage of litigation advertising." Lawsuits allege the powder causes cancer. Continue Reading Johnson & Johnson Stops Read More

For Most States, At Least A Third Of COVID-19 Deaths Are In Long-Term Care Facilities

By NPR News May 10, 2020

"It was certainly expected that nursing homes would be hit but it was not inevitable that they'd be hit this hard," Richard Mollot, executive director of New York-based Long Term Care Community Coalition, told NPR. CREDIT: John Minchillo/AP

The report comes as the government announced all states must now meet federal reporting guidelines. The type of information gathered by states up to now has been inconsistent. Continue Reading For Most States, At Least A Read More

How The Approval Of The Birth Control Pill 60 Years Ago Helped Change Lives

By NPR News May 9, 2020

Birth control pills in 1976 in New York. The birth control pill was approved by the FDA 60 years ago this week. CREDIT: Bettmann/Getty Images

Before the pill was approved by the FDA on May 9, 1960, there were few contraceptive options available to young women. It revolutionized family planning and the sex lives of millions of Americans. Continue Reading How The Approval Of Read More

Seen ‘Plandemic’? A Close Look At The Viral Conspiracy Video’s Claims From A Discredited Scientist

By NPR News May 8, 2020

In 2011, Judy Mikovits was fired from the Whittemore Peterson Institute for Neuro-Immune Disease, in Reno, Nev. She was then accused of stealing notebooks and a computer. David Calvert/AP

The video has been viewed millions of times on YouTube via links that are replaced as quickly as the video-sharing service can remove them for violating its policy against "COVID-19 misinformation." Continue Read More

Gardening During The Pandemic: It’s A Win-Win-Win

By Hannah Whisenant May 7, 2020

Summer's bounty starts with spring planting. CREDIT: S. Billings

The COVID-19 pandemic has everyone looking for ways to entertain and calm themselves at home and find joy in the stay-home-stay-safe pattern of life. Gardening provides entertainment, relaxation, and satisfaction every day. It’s prime gardening time right now, so use this article as your motivation to get gardening - it’s not too late to start! Read More

From Loss Of Smell To ‘COVID Toes’: What Experts Are Learning About Symptoms

By NPR News May 6, 2020

Chilblains (pictured) are itchy, red, pink or purple inflammations of the skin's small blood vessels that can develop in body parts such as toes and fingers from exposure to colder temperatures or wet conditions. A similar-looking inflammation of the toes is an emerging symptom of COVID-19 and is being referred to as "COVID toes."

It's not just a fever and dry cough. For milder cases of COVID-19, the array of symptoms can include headaches, fatigue, loss of smell and even lesions on the feet known as "COVID toes." Continue Reading From Loss Of Smell To Read More

How Reliable Are COVID-19 Tests? Depends Which One You Mean

By NPR News May 1, 2020

What types of tests are available for the coronavirus, and how accurate are they? Here's a handy guide to the field. Continue Reading How Reliable Are COVID-19 Tests? Depends Which One You MeanRead More

Return To Elective Procedures Means Return To More Stable Finances For Rural Washington Hospitals

By NWPB News May 1, 2020

Smaller Washington hospitals like Mid-Valley Hospital in Omak faced tight budget considerations with a pause on elective surgeries. Courtesy of Mid-Valley Hospital

Hospitals in Washington are starting to act on the permission given them by Gov. Jay Inslee to resume non-essential medical procedures. Some may begin work by or before next week. Continue Reading Return To Read More

‘A Complete Public Health Nightmare’: 150+ Tyson Workers Near Pasco Test Positive For COVID-19

By Anna King April 30, 2020

File photo of a Tyson Foods meat processing plant. A Tyson facility in Wallula, Washington, is dealing with an expanding coronavirus outbreak. Courtesy of Tyson Foods

Health officials have tested more than 1,000 Tyson Fresh Meats plant workers for COVID-19 in Wallula, Washington, near Pasco. As of Friday afternoon, 111 have tested positive in the plant that slaughters and processes beef products. Read More

When Is It Safe To Ease Social Distancing? Here’s What One Model Says For Each State

By NPR News April 26, 2020

South Carolina has permitted retail stores to reopen to customers. It's one of a handful of states easing up on some social distancing restrictions. Dustin Chambers/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Some states are moving forward, but many would be wise to wait, according to experts at the University of Washington. Here's their estimate for each state's safe date to reopen. Continue Reading When Is It Safe To Ease Social Read More

As States Reopen, Health Experts Seek To Understand Coronavirus’s Early Silent Spread

By NPR News April 25, 2020

Beachgoers return to Port Hueneme Beach, Calif., on Thursday. Ventura County beaches and parks have been scheduled to reopen this week with some restrictions. CREDIT: Mark J. Terrill/AP

Medical examiners are now screening for possible coronavirus connections in late January. Emerging evidence suggests it spread far earlier and more widely than initially believed. Continue Reading As States Reopen, Health Read More

‘Pretty Humbling And Enlightening’ Says King County Firefighter Recovering From COVID-19

By Tom Banse April 24, 2020

Fire Captain Shane Smith is recovering from a serious brush with COVID-19. He is mystified about where he contracted the virus. CREDIT: Brad Chaney/South King Fire & Rescue - 2019

More than 500 firefighters and EMTs in the Pacific Northwest have been temporarily quarantined after suspected exposure to the coronavirus over the past two months. The Washington State Council of Fire Fighters and the Oregon Fire Service Coronavirus Response Team have been monitoring the number of first responders taken out of service. Read More

Washington Builds Contact Tracing ‘Fire Brigade’ As State Looks Toward Gradual Reopening

By NPR News April 22, 2020

Washington says it will launch contact tracing teams to map coronavirus exposure. Here, public health nurse Jennifer Morgan, right, checks-in via phone with a patient self-quarantined at home in February. University of Washington epidemiology student Erika Feutz observes in Seattle. CREDIT: Elaine Thompson/AP

Public health experts say finding and isolating coronavirus patients will be key to re-opening public life. That's going to take a lot of work. Continue Reading Washington Builds Contact Tracing ‘Fire Brigade’ Read More

President Trump Says He’ll Suspend Immigration For 60 Days Over Coronavirus Fears

By NPR News April 22, 2020

President Trump said he plans to "temporarily suspend immigration into the United States," in an attempt to protect American workers from the coronavirus' economic toll. Continue Reading President Trump Says He’ll Suspend Read More

Who’s Hit Hardest By COVID-19? Why Obesity, Stress And Race All Matter

By NPR News April 18, 2020

An EMT wearing protective equipment carries a patient into Elmhurst Hospital Center in the Queens borough of New York. Preliminary data suggest COVID-19 is having a disproportionate impact on communities of color. Bloomberg/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Data shows people with certain chronic conditions are more likely to get severe COVID-19 symptoms. Why are they hit harder and what explains the disease's disproportionate affect on African Americans? Continue Reading Who’s Hit Hardest Read More

Mapping COVID-19: Millions Rely On Online Tracker Of Cases Worldwide

By NPR News April 14, 2020

The interactive, web-based dashboard created by Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Md., as seen on Monday at 3:11 p.m. ET. Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) at Johns Hopkins University (JHU)

A small team at Johns Hopkins University early on created what's become one of the most authoritative interactive online dashboards, tracking COVID-19 data around the world. Continue Reading Mapping COVID-19: Millions Rely On Online Tracker Read More

Do I Need To Disinfect My Groceries? Likely Not. But Here’s How To Shop Safely

By NPR News April 12, 2020

Going to the grocery store? Scientists share their advice about what to worry about and what not to. Katrina Wittkamp/Getty Images

Many of us are still venturing out to stock up on food and toiletries. But what's the safest way to shop during this pandemic? And what should you do once you've brought your haul home? We asked infectious disease, virology and food safety experts to share their tips about safe grocery shopping — and what you can stop worrying about. Read More

What You Need To Know About Hydroxychloroquine And Coronavirus

By PBS Newshour April 11, 2020

A bottle of hydroxycloroquine sits on a table outside the entrance to The Resort at Texas City nursing home, where Robin Armstrong, a doctor and the home's medical director, is giving the drug to residents CREDIT: David J. Phillip/AP

While there is anecdotal evidence hydroxychloroquine has helped manage some patients’ symptoms, there is no data that proves it is effective in treating or preventing COVID-19. But absent that kind of data, there has been confusion around how exactly to use the drug to treat patients sick with the virus — and whether it is effective. Read More

Are We Flattening The Curve? States Keep Watch On Coronavirus ‘Doubling Times’

By NPR News April 10, 2020

Within the first week of passing 10 deaths, Washington deaths doubled every five days. Over the past week, growth rate has slowed, and deaths in the state doubled every nine days. This chart uses a logarithmic scale, where each increment on the y-axis represents a tenfold increase in the number of deaths. Dotted lines show the slope of deaths doubling every one, three, five or seven days.

It is starting to take more time for cases, hospitalizations and deaths to double in several states, indicating social distancing is working. Here's how to make sense of those numbers. Continue Reading Are We Flattening The Curve? Read More

CDC Announces New Guidance For How Critical Employees Can Return To Work

By NPR News April 8, 2020

Dr. Robert Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, announced new guidelines on Wednesday for critical infrastructure workers who may have been exposed to the coronavirus to return to work. CREDIT: Alex Brandon/AP

The new rules apply only to workers in critical infrastructure jobs, a broadly defined group that includes employees in fields from health care to financial services. Continue Reading CDC Announces New Guidance For How Critical Read More

A High Statewide Rate, With Big Fluctuations: Reading Idaho’s Coronavirus Numbers

By NWPB News April 6, 2020

Idaho Gov. Brad Little, left, announces stricter guidelines for social interactions to slow the spread of the new coronavirus, and also livestreaming the discussion, at his office in Boise on March 18, 2020. CREDIT: Keith Ridler/AP

Idaho has one of the highest coronavirus rates in the nation, according to a state epidemiologist. But infection rates can vary widely from county to county. And Idaho’s daily case reports fluctuate too. Continue Reading A High Read More

Think You’ve Got COVID-19? Here’s What Doctors Say About When To Seek Help

By NPR News April 3, 2020

A medical worker administers a COVID-19 test at a facility in Camden, N.J., on Wednesday. Matt Rourke/AP

Many people can ride the disease out at home, but doctors are getting a better idea of who should seek medical attention and when. Continue Reading Think You’ve Got COVID-19? Here’s What Doctors Say About When To Seek Read More

When The Pandemic Came To The Inland Northwest — 102 Years Ago

By Nicholas Deshais April 3, 2020

Volunteers wearing gauze masks at a street kitchen in Cincinnati serve food to children of families afflicted by the flu pandemic in the winter of 1918-1919.

The year was 1918 – the last time a pandemic reached Spokane. A century has passed, and the Inland Northwest and the world are once again contending with quarantine and the powerful role public health officials can play in times of outbreak. Continue Read More

Gov. Jay Inslee Extends Washington ‘Stay Home, Stay Healthy’ Order Until At Least May 5

By NWPB News April 2, 2020

On Monday, March 23, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee addressed the state and issued a 'stay-at-home' order in a further attempt to slow the spread of the coronavirus outbreak. CREDIT: Governor's Office

Gov. Jay Inslee announced Thursday that the original 'stay-at-home' order would be extended until at least May 5. There were no additional restrictions or other measure put in place beyond what's already been implemented. Continue Read More

Should We All Be Wearing Masks In Public? Health Experts Revisit The Question

By NPR News April 2, 2020

Even without symptoms, you might have the virus and be able to spread it when out in public, say researchers who now are reconsidering the use of surgical masks. CREDIT: Elijah Nouvelage/Bloomberg via Getty Images

As cases of the coronavirus have skyrocketed, there's new thinking about the benefits that masks could offer in slowing the spread. The CDC says it is now reviewing its policy and may be considering a recommendation to encourage broader use. Read More

The Science Behind A 14-Day Quarantine After Possible COVID-19 Exposure

By NPR News April 1, 2020

Canadian border agents are handing people entering Canada a sheet from the Public Health Agency of Canada that instructs them to self-quarantine for 14 days and monitor themselves for any symptoms that might signal COVID-19. Selena Simmons-Duffin/NPR

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. Continue Reading The Science Behind A Read More

Washington Steps-Up Messaging On ‘Stay-At-Home’ Order: Risk Ticket Or Losing Business Licence

By NWPB News March 30, 2020

A highway sign in Carmel, Ind., urges resident to stay home as the state ordered residents to remain at home except for essential activities. Similar signs are up in many states, including Washington, after governors have issued their own orders limiting business and travel. CREDIT: Michael Conroy/AP

The governor outlined a three-tier law enforcement response system for violations of the order, which could amount to a gross misdemeanor. A first offense would result in a warning. But consequences thereafter would become more serious. Read More

Why COVID-19 ‘Death Rates’ From Coronavirus Can Be Deceiving

By NPR News March 29, 2020

Tim Killian, a spokesman for Life Care Center in Kirkland, Wash., prepares to give a daily briefing to reporters on Wednesday. CREDIT: Ted S. Warren/AP

"Case fatality rates have been very confusing," says Dr. Steven Lawrence, an infectious disease expert. Here's why. Continue Reading Why COVID-19 ‘Death Rates’ From Coronavirus Can Be DeceivingRead More

Why It Takes So Long To Get Most COVID-19 Test Results

By NPR News March 28, 2020

After an initial verbal screening, one driver at a time gets a COVID-19 nasal swab test from a garbed health worker at a drive-up station in Daly City, Calif. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Even for people who are able to get tested (and there's still a big lag in testing ability in hot spots across the U.S.), there can be a frustratingly long wait for results — not just hours, but often days. Continue Reading Why It Takes So Long To Get Read More

‘Essential’ Status Means Jobs For Farmworkers, But Greater Virus Risk

By NPR News March 28, 2020

Farmworkers pick organic strawberries at Stehly Farms Organics in Valley Center, Calif., on March 25. CREDIT: Ariana Drehsler/AFP via Getty Images

Farmworkers are still working during the coronavirus epidemic. They're essential. But they're also at greater risk of infection. Continue Reading ‘Essential’ Status Means Jobs For Farmworkers, But Greater Virus RiskRead More

As Supplies Dwindle, One Washington Doctor Gets Creative To Hustle Masks

By Austin Jenkins March 28, 2020

Dr. Jessica Van Fleet-Green posted this selfie to Instagram after she received a new N95 mask after three weeks of using her old one.

Over the previous weekend, Dr. Jessica Van Fleet-Green rounded-up 200 masks for her team – a mix of the more protective N95s and standard surgical masks. The donations came from a dental office that’s now closed because of the coronavirus pandemic, two construction contractors and even her father who found two at home. Read More

Governor Says Washington ‘Stay-At-Home’ Order May Be Extended Beyond Initial 2 Weeks

By NWPB News March 27, 2020

Gov. Jay Inslee says people should prepare to stay home beyond the initial April 6 order, as officials work to flatten the COVID-19 curve. Continue Reading Governor Says Washington ‘Stay-At-Home’ Order May Be Read More

Under Financial Strain, Washington Community Health Centers Ramp Up For Coronavirus Response

By NPR News March 25, 2020

Dr. Esther Johnston of HealthPoint Community Health Center says her clinic in Auburn, Washington has overhauled how it sees patients, shifting resources away from routine primary care to pandemic response by necessity. CREDIT: Will Stone for NPR

Community health centers in Washington are under increasing financial strain as they ramp up for coronavirus, while also losing some key sources of funding. Continue Reading Under Financial Strain, Washington Read More

U.S. Needs More Ventilators For COVID-19 Patients. What Are They And What Do They Do?

By PBS Newshour March 24, 2020

A nasal ventilator is pictured as a patient suffering from coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is treated in a pulmonology unit at the hospital in Vannes, France

COVID-19 is stretching health care resources in many different ways, but there’s a key piece of equipment getting a lot of attention: ventilators. So, what is a ventilator, and why does it matter? Continue Reading U.S. Needs Read More

Confronting Coronavirus: How Social Distancing Helps Save Lives

By PBS Newshour March 22, 2020

An illustration of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19. Image by CDC / Alissa Eckert, MS; Dan Higgins, MAMS

Public health professionals are urging “social distancing” – basically, staying away from crowds and other peoples’ personal space – to curb the spread of the virus. Though the disease seems to hit the elderly and immunocompromised the hardest, even young and healthy people are strongly encouraged to practice social distancing. Why? Read More

Have Questions About The Coronavirus Pandemic? Share And We’ll Look For Answers

By NPR News March 21, 2020

Stuart Malcolm, a doctor with the Haight Ashbury Free Clinic, walks by a supportive sign on a boarded-up shop in San Francisco on Tuesday. NPR is launching The National Conversation with NPR's All Things Considered where we're going to have experts answer your questions about the coronavirus. CREDIT: Josh Edelson/AFP via Getty Images

NPR is launching The National Conversation with NPR's All Things Considered where we're going to have experts answer the questions you ask. Continue Reading Have Questions About The Coronavirus Pandemic? Share And We’ll Look Read More

It’s Not Just Nursing Homes: Threat Of Coronavirus Spread Looms In Other Communal Settings

By Austin Jenkins March 19, 2020

At Western State Hospital, entrances have been blocked off and locks changed to prevent employees from entering without being screened first for coronavirus symptoms.

The best available science suggests that people should maintain at least six feet of distance from others to avoid contracting COVID-19 – which is believed to be spread through droplets. But practicing safe distancing is often a challenge in congregate living settings. Read More

Northwest Tribal Programs That Prepare For Public Health Crises Are Readying For Coronavirus

By Eilís O'Neil March 19, 2020

Kim Thompson, the health director of the Shoalwater Bay Tribe, says the clinic isn't ready for novel coronavirus cases yet, but they're trying to get there. Eilis O'Neill/KUOW

Across the country, public health workers on Native reservations are scrambling to prepare for COVID-19. In Washington, one of those who died at the hard-struck nursing home in Kirkland was a member of the Cowlitz Indian Tribe. But tribes are expecting much worse to come, and they're trying to get ready. Read More

Coronavirus Threatens Food Supply Chain As Farms Worry About Workers Getting Sick

By NPR News March 18, 2020

Workers pick apples in a Wapato, Wash., orchard last October. U.S. farms employ hundreds of thousands of seasonal workers, mostly from Mexico, who enter the country on H-2A visas. The potential impact of the coronavirus on seasonal workers has the food industry on edge. CREDIT: Elaine Thompson/AP

About 250,000 workers came to the U.S. on H-2A visas last year, the majority of them from Mexico. They've become an increasingly important piece of America's food industry. Continue Reading Coronavirus Threatens Food Supply Read More

Outside Coronavirus Epicenter, Northwest Health System Workers Brace For What’s Coming

By Austin Jenkins March 18, 2020

Jess White, a registered nurse at UW Northwest, demonstrates to another nurse how to properly remove a mask on Thursday, March 12, 2020, at UW Medicine's drive-through testing clinic in Seattle. CREDIT: Megan Farmer/KUOW

While the greater Seattle area has so far borne the brunt of the outbreak in Washington, health care workers outside the epicenter are bracing for what’s to come. Continue Reading Outside Coronavirus Epicenter, Northwest Read More

Rural Hospitals Brace For Coronavirus Impacts. Here’s How Grangeville, Idaho Is Preparing

By NPR News March 16, 2020

Michelle Schaeffer, director of Syringa Clinics in Idaho, says her facility and an adjoining hospital have about a month's supply of masks left. CREDIT: Kirk Siegler/NPR

There is no intensive care unit at Grangeville, Idaho's Syringa Hospital. So when they do get a critically ill patient or trauma victims, it's standard protocol to stabilize and transfer them to a large regional hospital in western Montana or Spokane, Wash. But what if ICUs in those places become overwhelmed with coronavirus patients? Read More

Coronavirus Hit Kirkland Long-Term Care Facility Hard. It Shows How Moving Residents Isn’t Easy

By NPR News March 15, 2020

As more nursing facilities in Washington report cases of coronavirus, the death toll at Life Care serves as an example of the vulnerability of the elderly in the growing pandemic. Continue Reading Coronavirus Hit Read More

Washington Lawmakers Stop Short Of Banning Pesticide Linked To Neurological Problems

By Courtney Flatt March 14, 2020

File photo. A sign at the property of Eric and Mari Perez in Qunicy, Washington, where houses are surrounded by apple orchards. Some people don't want the pesticide chlorpyrifos drifting from orchards to their property. CREDIT: Megan Farmer/KUOW

Washington regulators must soon consider rules to limit the use of a controversial pesticide that can cause neurological and health problems, especially in young children. A bill passed by state lawmakers this session didn’t outright ban the pesticide, as health and farmworker activists had proposed. Read More

Coronavirus: COVID-19 Is Now Officially A Pandemic, WHO Says

By NPR News March 11, 2020

The World Health Organization called the COVID-19 viral disease a pandemic Wednesday. Here, workers in Spain place a medical mask on a figure that was to be part of the Fallas festival in Valencia. The festival has been canceled over the coronavirus outbreak. Alberto Saiz/AP

It's the first time the WHO has called an outbreak a pandemic since the H1N1 "swine flu" in 2009. Continue Reading Coronavirus: COVID-19 Is Now Officially A Pandemic, WHO SaysRead More

Jay Inslee Orders Nursing Homes To Limit Visitors, Signals Social-Distancing Measures Are Next

By Austin Jenkins March 10, 2020

Warning that the number of coronavirus cases in Washington could double weekly, Gov. Jay Inslee on Tuesday indicated that mandatory social-distancing measures could be announced this week and, in the meantime, imposed new restrictions on nursing homes. Read More

Colleges In Washington And Across U.S. Cancel In-Person Classes In Response To Coronavirus

By NPR News March 9, 2020

Many schools paused in-person classes after students or staff members tested positive for the novel coronavirus. Others say the cancellations are a precaution. Continue Reading Colleges In Washington And Across U.S. Read More

Grant County Case First COVID-19 Death In Eastern Washington; Inslee Hints At Crowd Restrictions

By Austin Jenkins March 8, 2020

On CBS' 'Face the Nation' Gov. Jay Inslee hinted that he may soon order mandatory social distancing measures to stem the spread of coronavirus.

"We are contemplating some next steps, particularly to protect our vulnerable populations and our nursing homes and [the] like and we are looking to determine whether mandatory measures are required," Inslee said in an interview Sunday morning with CBS's "Face the Nation." Read More

WATCH: Answering Your Questions About Coronavirus

By PBS Newshour March 7, 2020

PBS NewsHour - Answering your questions about coronavirus

As the number of cases in the U.S. continues to rise, so too do questions about how the virus spreads and how the average person can protect themselves. Health officials are simultaneously trying to understand the virus while improving they way they identify cases and contain those that are known — and encouraging people to just practice good hygiene (and to be cautious, Read More