Novel CoronavirusWBUR's ongoing coverage of the new coronavirus.Masks are no longer mandated, but I hope you'll still wear one to protect people like meA federal judge this week voided the mask mandate for public transportation. Laurie Edwards says the ruling — and reaction to it — underscore just how indifferent most people are...Apr 22, 2022Once again, nursing home residents are paying the priceEarly in the pandemic, nursing home residents were condemned to extreme isolation, writes Asif Merchant. But new rules aren't protecting them enough from visitors.Apr 4, 2022Advertisement I'm dancing with my mother on ZoomAt the beginning of the pandemic, Diana Renn and her mother signed up for an online dance class to keep in touch. Then life got busy again.Jan 28, 2022Riding the (latest) COVID rollercoasterIt's a COVID fire hose and tough to handle, writes Holly Robinson, but all we can do is hold on, forgive ourselves for mistakes, and keep trying to protect each...Jan 10, 2022It's been a long, arduous week for Mass. teachers. Why won't our state leaders apologize?As a teacher, I'm clinging to the hope that adults will model the same behaviors we seek to cultivate in our young people, writes Neema Avashia. It’s an optimism that’s...Jan 7, 2022Vaccine equity isn’t just an ideal — it’s how we end the pandemicAs long as infection rates rage on in unvaccinated parts of the world, mutations will keep a cruel cycle of illness, death and economic suffering on repeat, writes Abby Maxman.Play04:18Dec 10, 2021The COVID winter surge is here. This is what Charlie Baker should doA series of actions -- from enhanced masking to opt-out testing -- would go a long way in helping Massachusetts get through this most recent spike in COVID cases.Dec 9, 2021When I got a breakthrough case of COVIDAfter a recent bout with a breakthrough case of COVID, Rich Barlow is thinking about what he's grateful for this holiday season. Dec 6, 2021Searching for light in this season of ‘meh’Anita Diamant was recently slipping into a winter funk. Then, miraculously, came Hanukkah.Dec 1, 2021The child care crisis is a wage crisisThe funding model for child care doesn't work, write Rep. Ayanna Pressley and Sarah Muncey. The Build Back Better Act would help.Nov 24, 2021Why rapid COVID tests should be freeAmericans still need to think about how they can protect each other from the coronavirus, writes Miles Howard, and they shouldn’t have to foot the bill for it.Nov 23, 2021A cure for the Covid winter blues? Joan DidionDidion's work goes zing -- straight to the heart -- no throat-clearing, no platitudes. We need more of that to help make sense of this nonsensical time, writes Cloe Axelson....Play05:55Nov 19, 2021This pandemic will end. But the next one could be worseCOVID was only the lit match dropped into the tinderbox of inequality, writes Sandro Galea. We must address these underlying issues before the next pandemic.Nov 18, 2021Let’s use what worked during COVID-19 to meet addiction, housing and other challengesMassachusetts was a national leader in its response to COVID. Let's use the lessons learned to address other looming challenges.Nov 15, 2021What's missing in our debate over vaccinating kidsWhy should you vaccinate your child? About a million reasons, writes Ellen H. O'Donnell, starting with this. Oct 29, 2021How we can help anxious kids help themselvesVirtually every study examining children’s mental health in 2020 and 2021 has found increased anxiety and/or depression, write Elizabeth England and Katharine Covino.Oct 27, 2021When my patients are unvaccinatedI don't feel any anger towards my unvaccinated patients, writes Dorothy Novick, only concern and a desire to build trust.Play05:57Oct 20, 2021Here's one positive of the pandemic: Teachers are more technology literateWhile Facebook’s belly-flops have been dominating the news cycle, technology is quietly remaking schooling for the better, writes Rich Barlow. Oct 13, 2021Health care workers aren’t heroes. We’re human, and we need your helpEighteen months into the pandemic, nearly half of health care workers report burnout. Our fatigue is consuming us, write Chase T.M. Anderson and Jack Turban.Oct 5, 2021As doctors, we like to 'know.' COVID took that awayAs COVID set in, I had all of the empathy but nothing that felt like wisdom, writes Dorothy Novick. It turns out that even without so much knowing, there’s plenty...Oct 1, 2021Next Page
Masks are no longer mandated, but I hope you'll still wear one to protect people like meA federal judge this week voided the mask mandate for public transportation. Laurie Edwards says the ruling — and reaction to it — underscore just how indifferent most people are...Apr 22, 2022
Once again, nursing home residents are paying the priceEarly in the pandemic, nursing home residents were condemned to extreme isolation, writes Asif Merchant. But new rules aren't protecting them enough from visitors.Apr 4, 2022
I'm dancing with my mother on ZoomAt the beginning of the pandemic, Diana Renn and her mother signed up for an online dance class to keep in touch. Then life got busy again.Jan 28, 2022
Riding the (latest) COVID rollercoasterIt's a COVID fire hose and tough to handle, writes Holly Robinson, but all we can do is hold on, forgive ourselves for mistakes, and keep trying to protect each...Jan 10, 2022
It's been a long, arduous week for Mass. teachers. Why won't our state leaders apologize?As a teacher, I'm clinging to the hope that adults will model the same behaviors we seek to cultivate in our young people, writes Neema Avashia. It’s an optimism that’s...Jan 7, 2022
Vaccine equity isn’t just an ideal — it’s how we end the pandemicAs long as infection rates rage on in unvaccinated parts of the world, mutations will keep a cruel cycle of illness, death and economic suffering on repeat, writes Abby Maxman.Play04:18Dec 10, 2021
The COVID winter surge is here. This is what Charlie Baker should doA series of actions -- from enhanced masking to opt-out testing -- would go a long way in helping Massachusetts get through this most recent spike in COVID cases.Dec 9, 2021
When I got a breakthrough case of COVIDAfter a recent bout with a breakthrough case of COVID, Rich Barlow is thinking about what he's grateful for this holiday season. Dec 6, 2021
Searching for light in this season of ‘meh’Anita Diamant was recently slipping into a winter funk. Then, miraculously, came Hanukkah.Dec 1, 2021
The child care crisis is a wage crisisThe funding model for child care doesn't work, write Rep. Ayanna Pressley and Sarah Muncey. The Build Back Better Act would help.Nov 24, 2021
Why rapid COVID tests should be freeAmericans still need to think about how they can protect each other from the coronavirus, writes Miles Howard, and they shouldn’t have to foot the bill for it.Nov 23, 2021
A cure for the Covid winter blues? Joan DidionDidion's work goes zing -- straight to the heart -- no throat-clearing, no platitudes. We need more of that to help make sense of this nonsensical time, writes Cloe Axelson....Play05:55Nov 19, 2021
This pandemic will end. But the next one could be worseCOVID was only the lit match dropped into the tinderbox of inequality, writes Sandro Galea. We must address these underlying issues before the next pandemic.Nov 18, 2021
Let’s use what worked during COVID-19 to meet addiction, housing and other challengesMassachusetts was a national leader in its response to COVID. Let's use the lessons learned to address other looming challenges.Nov 15, 2021
What's missing in our debate over vaccinating kidsWhy should you vaccinate your child? About a million reasons, writes Ellen H. O'Donnell, starting with this. Oct 29, 2021
How we can help anxious kids help themselvesVirtually every study examining children’s mental health in 2020 and 2021 has found increased anxiety and/or depression, write Elizabeth England and Katharine Covino.Oct 27, 2021
When my patients are unvaccinatedI don't feel any anger towards my unvaccinated patients, writes Dorothy Novick, only concern and a desire to build trust.Play05:57Oct 20, 2021
Here's one positive of the pandemic: Teachers are more technology literateWhile Facebook’s belly-flops have been dominating the news cycle, technology is quietly remaking schooling for the better, writes Rich Barlow. Oct 13, 2021
Health care workers aren’t heroes. We’re human, and we need your helpEighteen months into the pandemic, nearly half of health care workers report burnout. Our fatigue is consuming us, write Chase T.M. Anderson and Jack Turban.Oct 5, 2021
As doctors, we like to 'know.' COVID took that awayAs COVID set in, I had all of the empathy but nothing that felt like wisdom, writes Dorothy Novick. It turns out that even without so much knowing, there’s plenty...Oct 1, 2021