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coronavirus faqs

Friday August 25, 2023

A booster vaccine is administered on the Indonesian resort island of Bali. Sonny Tumbelaka/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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Sonny Tumbelaka/AFP via Getty Images

Coronavirus FAQs: How worrisome is the new variant? How long do boosters last?

August 25, 2023 • Readers are curious about the new variant, currently known a BA.2.86. Also: Lots of questions about boosters. Can you get it at the same time as a flu shot? And how long does protection last?

Friday August 11, 2023

Coronavirus FAQ: Is it wiser to get a booster now or wait for the new fall booster?

A COVID booster is administered in Jakarta, Indonesia. Eko Siswono Toyudho/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images hide caption

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Eko Siswono Toyudho/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

Coronavirus FAQ: Is it wiser to get a booster now or wait for the new fall booster?

August 11, 2023 • Maybe it's not a full-blown summer surge but COVID numbers are ticking up. For those with concerns due to personal risk factors or the start of the school year, the booster question is top of mind.

Friday May 12, 2023

Coronavirus FAQ: 'Emergency' over! Do we unmask and grin? Or adjust our worries?

A poster in Kolkata, India, from peak pandemic days sends a message to mask up. Now that the official COVID-19 global emergency is no longer in effect, some folks are thrilled to stop masking — but others wonder if it's a good idea to keep up certain precautions. NurPhoto via Getty Images hide caption

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NurPhoto via Getty Images

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Coronavirus FAQ: 'Emergency' over! Do we unmask and grin? Or adjust our worries?

May 12, 2023 • Now that official COVID emergency declarations have ended, how should people evaluate their risk of SARS-CoV-2? That's the subject of our frequently asked questions offering.

Monday January 9, 2023

Coronavirus FAQ: How do I avoid catching COVID while flying in 2023?

It's COVID testing time at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, South Korea. Arrivals from China must now submit to a PCR test. Kim Jae-Hwan/SOPA Images/Sipa USA hide caption

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Kim Jae-Hwan/SOPA Images/Sipa USA

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Coronavirus FAQ: How do I avoid catching COVID while flying in 2023?

January 9, 2023 • You'll see testing in some airports these days — it's just like we're going back in time! And speaking of looking back, the things that protected fliers from COVID then are still a good idea.

Friday December 16, 2022

Coronavirus FAQ: Is Paxlovid the best treatment? Is it underused in the U.S.?

Pfizer's Paxlovid pills are considered the most effective treatment to prevent severe COVID. They're about to be sold in China. But they are reportedly underused in the U.S. Joe Raedle/Getty Images hide caption

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Joe Raedle/Getty Images

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Coronavirus FAQ: Is Paxlovid the best treatment? Is it underused in the U.S.?

December 16, 2022 • The drug is the most effective way to cut the risk of severe disease. It's heading to China now. Yet the drug is underused in some places. Why? And are there options if you're not a good candidate?

Friday July 22, 2022

Coronavirus FAQ: I got it on a family vacay! Can my relatives stay (relatively) safe?

Malaka Gharib/ NPR

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Coronavirus FAQ: I got it on a family vacay! Can my relatives stay (relatively) safe?

July 22, 2022 • It's a common dilemma in this summer of surging travel and surging COVID. If one member of a vacation party comes down with the virus, what steps can be taken to reduce the risk to others?

Friday July 15, 2022

We asked, you answered: NPR readers share how they handled COVID on vacation

Malaka Gharib/NPR

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We asked, you answered: NPR readers share how they handled COVID on vacation

July 15, 2022 • Nearly 5,000 NPR readers told us how they dealt with COVID on a trip. Did they respect the CDC guidance to wait 10 days before flying? Or did they travel anyway? What lessons do they have to share?

Friday July 8, 2022

Coronavirus FAQ: I took a trip and caught COVID. What should I do? When can I go home?

Malaka Gharib/NPR

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Coronavirus FAQ: I took a trip and caught COVID. What should I do? When can I go home?

July 8, 2022 • As summer travel surges, so does COVID. Experts share advice on how to prepare ahead of time in case you are infected on a vacation or visit — and what to do if you get that dreaded positive test.

Friday June 17, 2022

Coronavirus FAQ: Should I still take a COVID test before flying into the U.S.?

Frank Augstein/AP

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Coronavirus FAQ: Should I still take a COVID test before flying into the U.S.?

June 17, 2022 • This week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ended the COVID-19 testing rule for air passengers traveling to the U.S. from abroad. Should you still take a COVID test anyway?

Friday May 20, 2022

Coronavirus FAQ: Biden had a Paxlovid rebound. Is that common? What's it all about?

Justin Paget/Getty Images

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Coronavirus FAQ: Biden had a Paxlovid rebound. Is that common? What's it all about?

May 20, 2022 • The antiviral drug is prescribed to those at risk of severe disease. It's been credited with reducing hospitalizations. But then there's the "Paxlovid rebound."

Friday April 1, 2022

Coronavirus FAQ: Our mini-zine has advice on when & how to dial down COVID precautions

Print and fold a zine version of this comic here. Here are directions on how to fold it. Malaka Gharib/ NPR hide caption

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Malaka Gharib/ NPR

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Coronavirus FAQ: Our mini-zine has advice on when & how to dial down COVID precautions

April 1, 2022 • Cases are surging in some regions but dropping in many places. If you're in the latter situation, is it OK to go back to living as you did pre-pandemic? Print our handy zine with advice from experts.

Friday February 11, 2022

Coronavirus FAQ: What's the best way to protect school-age kids from COVID?

A child wears a KN95 mask for kids in Hastings-on-Hudson, New York. Tiffany Hagler-Geard/Bloomberg via Getty Images hide caption

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Tiffany Hagler-Geard/Bloomberg via Getty Images

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Coronavirus FAQ: What's the best way to protect school-age kids from COVID?

February 11, 2022 • Plus: Do kids really need masks if they've been vaccinated and had COVID? And what kind of masks should kids wear?

Monday February 7, 2022

The future of the pandemic is looking clearer as we learn more about infection

SARS-CoV-2 is shown in this colorized transmission electron micrograph. This specimen was isolated from a patient in the U.S. Particles of the virus are shown emerging from the surface of cells cultured in the lab. Science Source hide caption

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Science Source

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The future of the pandemic is looking clearer as we learn more about infection

February 7, 2022 • Scientists are beginning to come up with answers to the question of how long antibodies from an infection can protect you — and what they'll protect you from.

The future of the pandemic is looking clearer as we learn more about infection

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Friday January 28, 2022

Coronavirus FAQs: Are pets a threat? My immunocompromised pal had COVID. Can I visit?

A Hong Kong hamster that evaded the cull. Bertha Wang/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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Bertha Wang/AFP via Getty Images

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Coronavirus FAQs: Are pets a threat? My immunocompromised pal had COVID. Can I visit?

January 28, 2022 • Hong Kong's hamster cull has people wondering if they can catch SARS-CoV-2 from a pet. And here's a human dilemma: Is it risky to visit an immunocompromised individual who recently had COVID?

Friday January 21, 2022

Coronavirus FAQ: What's the risk of catching omicron outdoors?

This German snowman wears a protective mask over its banana nose and mouth, but experts say the risk of catching COVID outdoors is slim. Peter Kneffel hide caption

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Peter Kneffel

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Coronavirus FAQ: What's the risk of catching omicron outdoors?

January 21, 2022 • Previous versions of the coronavirus didn't transmit as easily outdoors thanks to airflow that dispersed viral particles. But what about the highly transmissible omicron variant?