Diseases (Page 13)

Groundbreaking research on COVID-19, cancer, diabetes, and other health concerns.

Latest in Diseases

woman wearing mask in subway station

The US finally has a national mask mandate

The new COVID-19 team has a lot of work to do. Here’s how they should start.

By Erin Fennessy

a healthcare worker wearing a surgical mask

What you can do right now to protect yourself from the new COVID-19 variants

By Claire Maldarelli

vials of COVID-19 vaccines

COVID-19 vaccines could end the pandemic by eliminating severe cases

By Kate Baggaley

covid-19 vaccine vials

There’s a new COVID-19 vaccine in the running—but variants could pose a problem

By Sara Chodosh

Gloved hands testing a COVID-19 sample in a lab

The US is way behind on tracking COVID-19 variants

By Tyler Santora

people wearing masks walking their dogs

The places where Americans aren’t wearing masks

bar graph of covid-19 mortality rates in LA county by ethnicity and poverty level

5 graphs that show how bad COVID-19 is in LA County

By Sara Chodosh

Three people in prison jumpsuits behind orange bars and the SARS-CoV-2 virus illustrations superimposed in four spots

On surviving—and leaving—prison during a pandemic

By Sarah Scoles

a person putting a vaccine into a syringe.

To get vaccines to more people, the priority system needs to loosen up

Blood vials at a bank or testing lab

We may have grossly underestimated COVID-19 infection rates

By Nathaniel Scharping/Undark

vaccine syringe held out by a gloved hand

How does an mRNA vaccine work?

By Maddie Bender

president joe biden looking solemn

What you need to know about Biden’s 5-point COVID-19 relief plan

By Sara Chodosh

Close up of influenza vaccine shot being prepared.

Flu cases have been shockingly low during the pandemic. Here why.

By Sara Kiley Watson

a kid sick in bed having his temperature taken

What COVID-19 will look like once the pandemic ends

By Claire Maldarelli

woman with a mask on gets a vaccine

More evidence points to long-lasting COVID-19 immunity

By Sara Chodosh

Hawaiian National Guard member gets a COVID-19 vaccine from a health care worker in scrubs

Hawaii managed COVID-19 better than any other state, but its residents are still at risk

By Tyler Santora

United States capitol building at night.

The attack on the Capitol had all the ingredients of a COVID-19 superspreader event

By Sara Kiley Watson

Is one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine enough?

A person in glasses and a buttoned shirt tossing a handful of colorful confetti in the air

A psychologist explains how hope can make a difference in impossible times

By Jacqueline S. Mattis/The Conversation

a medical syringe

COVID vaccines are getting thrown out thanks to strict distribution rules

By Claire Maldarelli

When it comes to COVID-19 risk, what counts as ‘outdoor’ dining?

By Sara Kiley Watson

A US sailor at the Naval Medical Center in San Diego, California, prepares Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines for rollout

Vaccines conquered smallpox and polio, but COVID-19 looks like a tougher battle

By Tyler Santora

aid workers in Africa go door-to-door to deliver accurate information about Covid-19

COVID-19 could make malaria surge, but African aid workers are fighting back

By Ashley Stumvoll/Undark

People wearing masks looking out the window of a diner during the COVID-19 pandemic

Is indoor dining safe? Five health experts weigh in.

By Laurie Archbald-Pannone Et Al./The Conversation

In 2021, a new wave of evictions could also fuel a rise in COVID cases

a healthcare worker with PPE on

The world may be at risk of a new COVID-19 surge

By Claire Maldarelli

people getting rapid covid testing outside

The new, more-contagious UK COVID-19 strain is officially in the US

By Sara Chodosh

a syringe with a needle attached

Ending the pandemic means vaccinating the whole world—but the US is focusing on itself

Mask and thermometer

The ‘darkest days’ of COVID-19 are still to come

By Sara Kiley Watson

two women wearing masks outside

Can you spread COVID-19 after vaccination? Here’s what we know.

By Kate Baggaley

Why two doses of the new COVID-19 vaccines are better than one

By Tyler Santora

woman sitting on a suitcase in an airport wearing a face mask

With two COVID-19 vaccines available, the CDC updates its guidance on who gets them first

By Sara Chodosh

person getting vaccinated

Rural America may miss out on early COVID-19 vaccines

By Tyler Santora

person preparing a vaccine

What you should know about allergic reactions to the COVID-19 vaccine

By Kate Baggaley

novel coronavirus

There’s a new coronavirus strain in the UK, but don’t panic

three vaccine bottles with "RX" on their labels, filled with small frozen beads of ice cream

What the Dippin’ Dots ‘cold chain’ can teach us about COVID-19 vaccines

By Maddie Bender

What to know about Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine before it reaches you

By Claire Maldarelli

Chemotherapy-drug bottles in black and white

The case for rethinking how we use cancer drugs

By Gunjan Sinha/Undark

Someone receiving a vaccine

Pfizer is shipping millions of COVID-19 vaccine doses this week

By Jessica Boddy

The FDA just green-lit America’s first COVID vaccine

By Sara Chodosh

A person sticking out a purple-stained tongue

Can’t smell or taste the bacon? It’s probably a sign of COVID-19.

By Tyler Santora

A man in medical PPE holds a syringe full of yellow liquid

Pfizer’s COVID vaccine just hit a major milestone on its way to FDA authorization

By Rachel Feltman

Two kids running on a lawn with masks on

Shaming the public into smarter COVID-19 decisions won’t work. This will.

By Maia Szalavitz/Undark

A pharmacist picking a medication off a shelf

See how COVID-19 vaccines will get to your neighborhood

By Bahar Aliakbarian/The Conversation

100 days of wearing masks could make an enormous difference in the pandemic

By Kate Baggaley

A cutting board with baked venison

Hunters are helping keep food banks stocked through COVID-19

By Alex Robinson & Natalie Krebs/ Outdoor Life

person handling blood samples in a lab

COVID-19 may have been circulating in the U.S. as early as last year

Person looking at mirror

Mask up without breaking out. Here’s how to prevent pandemic acne.

By Sandra Gutierrez G.

cancer evolution chart

This chart shows how far we’ve come in fighting cancer

By Eleanor Cummins

young girl receiving polio vaccine

COVID-19 is helping another terrible disease make a comeback in Afghanistan

By Ruchi Kumar/Undark

Woman in mask with dog.

Dog owners may catch COVID-19 more often, but the reason will surprise you

By Sara Kiley Watson

We’re just beginning to understand how our genes and COVID-19 mix

Borneo’s Gunung Palung National Park

The fight to stop the next pandemic starts in the jungles of Borneo

a woman throws fall leaves into the air while smiling

2020 isn’t all bad. Here are 13 science stories to be thankful for.

By Rachel Feltman

A surgeon in scrubs pulling a mask off their face

Vaccines could be out by the end of 2020, but reaching everyone will take time

By Tyler Santora

The starry Arctic sky over an iceberg in Greenland

Four science conversations worth having this holiday

By Purbita Saha

Volunteers gathering food off of a truck.

The best and safest ways to donate food and time this holiday season

By Sara Kiley Watson

Why AstraZeneca’s COVID vaccine is an important addition to the fleet of offerings

person alone traveling

COVID-19 testing can’t guarantee a safe Thanksgiving. Here’s why.

By Kate Baggaley

A kid with a cartoon-themed mask standing in a field

When states mandate masks, fewer people catch COVID-19

By Tyler Santora

a person in the park wearing a mask

That new study saying masks might not be effective? It has a few caveats.

By Kate Baggaley

How well a mask works depends on how well it fits

A kid gets a traditional nasal-swab test from a doctor in PPE

The FDA just okayed a rapid at-home COVID test—but it won’t work for everyone

By Tyler Santora