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Covid-19

Evidence-based explanations of the Covid-19 pandemic, including how it started, how it might end, and how to protect yourself and others.

Put down that cough medicine
Health

Here’s what might help your cold — and what probably won’t.

By Keren Landman, MD
Put down that cough medicine
Health

Here’s what might help your cold — and what probably won’t.

By Keren Landman, MD
What happens if another pandemic strikes while Trump is president?What happens if another pandemic strikes while Trump is president?
Trump 2.0, explained

Donald Trump undermined public health measures during the Covid-19 pandemic. What would he do in a future health emergency?

By Dylan Scott
An extremely practical guide to this year’s cold, flu, and Covid seasonAn extremely practical guide to this year’s cold, flu, and Covid season
Even Better

How to survive the coming onslaught of viral illnesses.

By Keren Landman, MD
What you need to know about the new Covid-19 vaccineWhat you need to know about the new Covid-19 vaccine
Public Health

Who should actually get the jab, and when?

By Ellen Ioanes

The latest in Covid-19

Why does it feel like everyone is getting Covid?Why does it feel like everyone is getting Covid?
Covid-19

Covid’s summer surge, explained

By Ellen Ioanes
How the White House just made the world a little safer from biorisksHow the White House just made the world a little safer from biorisks
Future Perfect

New regulations are a win for safe synthetic DNA.

By Kelsey Piper
No one wants to think about pandemics. But bird flu doesn’t care.No one wants to think about pandemics. But bird flu doesn’t care.
Future Perfect

A pandemic response that amounts to hoping and praying isn’t nearly enough.

By Kelsey Piper
The CDC has finally loosened Covid isolation guidelines. Here’s why that’s a good thing.The CDC has finally loosened Covid isolation guidelines. Here’s why that’s a good thing.
Public Health

Isolation policies haven’t stopped Covid’s worst outcomes. Other, better policies might.

By Keren Landman, MD
Ultraviolet light can kill almost all the viruses in a room. Why isn’t it everywhere?
Future Perfect

Can special lightbulbs end the next pandemic before it starts?

By Dylan Matthews
Why are so few people getting the latest Covid-19 vaccine?Why are so few people getting the latest Covid-19 vaccine?
Policy

What good is a miraculous vaccine if nobody wants to take it?

By Dylan Scott
The lifesaving, Nobel Prize-winning discovery that almost didn’t happenThe lifesaving, Nobel Prize-winning discovery that almost didn’t happen
Future Perfect

Katalin Karikó co-won a Nobel Prize this week for her groundbreaking work on mRNA vaccines — but she had to fight against professional science to do it.

By Kelsey Piper
More young, healthy people should be getting Paxlovid when they get CovidMore young, healthy people should be getting Paxlovid when they get Covid
Health

US providers are underusing the drug — and not just in high-risk people.

By Keren Landman, MD
Another Covid-19 winter is coming. Here’s how to prepare.Another Covid-19 winter is coming. Here’s how to prepare.
Policy

Free Covid tests are back — and new vaccines are at your local pharmacy too.

By Dylan Scott
How Covid misinformation stayed one step ahead of FacebookHow Covid misinformation stayed one step ahead of Facebook
Technology

A new study shows how anti-vaxxers quickly regroup when Facebook removes vaccine misinformation.

By A.W. Ohlheiser
The dangers of virus huntingThe dangers of virus hunting
Future Perfect

DEEP VZN aimed to discover viruses in wildlife that could threaten humans, but the risks weren’t worth the rewards.

By Kelsey Piper
New Covid vaccines are coming out. The CDC wants you to get one.New Covid vaccines are coming out. The CDC wants you to get one.
Science

Everyone over 6 months should get a new shot, according to the CDC. Should we expect this every year?

By Rachel DuRose
Covid is on the rise again, but it’s different nowCovid is on the rise again, but it’s different now
Health

Covid transmission continues to ebb and flow — but at least the latest Pirola variant isn’t too menacing.

By Keren Landman, MD
The US has new Covid-19 variants on the rise. Meet Eris and Fornax.The US has new Covid-19 variants on the rise. Meet Eris and Fornax.
Health

What “Eris” and “Fornax” tell us about the future of the pandemic.

By Rachel DuRose
You still need to tell your friends if you get Covid
Even Better

The virus is surging again. Here’s how to be your own contact tracer if you get sick.

By Allie Volpe
It’s time to close the gene synthesis loophole that could lead to a human-made pandemicIt’s time to close the gene synthesis loophole that could lead to a human-made pandemic
Future Perfect

Congress is grappling with the security concerns of the DNA synthesis revolution.

By Kelsey Piper
RFK Jr.’s fringe presidential candidacy, explainedRFK Jr.’s fringe presidential candidacy, explained
2024 Elections

Kennedy, an anti-vaxxer of storied Democratic pedigree, isn’t a serious challenger to Biden — but he’s getting some traction.

By Nicole Narea
How AI could spark the next pandemicHow AI could spark the next pandemic
The rise of artificial intelligence, explained

New research highlights how language-generating AI models could make it easier to create dangerous germs.

By Kelsey Piper
A Covid outbreak at a CDC conference is ironic. But is it a big deal?A Covid outbreak at a CDC conference is ironic. But is it a big deal?
Health

3 takeaways about the current state of the pandemic.

By Keren Landman, MD
Why the world should celebrate Smallpox Eradication DayWhy the world should celebrate Smallpox Eradication Day
Future Perfect

Forty-three years ago this week, the world was officially declared free of smallpox — but that should only be the beginning.

By Kelsey Piper
Can a 50-year-old treaty still keep the world safe from the changing threat of bioweapons?
Future Perfect

How geopolitics and technological advances are making this a riskier world for bioweapons.

By Jen Kirby
How Ron DeSantis transformed into an anti-public health crusaderHow Ron DeSantis transformed into an anti-public health crusader
Policy

DeSantis’s surgeon general is accused of manipulating data to justify an anti-vaccine agenda. How did we get here?

By Dylan Scott
Joe Biden’s newest primary challenger is an anti-vaxxer Kennedy scionJoe Biden’s newest primary challenger is an anti-vaxxer Kennedy scion
Politics

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a prominent anti-vaxxer and environmentalist, announced he’s challenging Joe Biden.

By Ben Jacobs
Why we’re scared of AI and not scared enough of bio risksWhy we’re scared of AI and not scared enough of bio risks
Future Perfect

What we choose to panic about has less to do with the facts and more to do with chance.

By Kelsey Piper
The key to Covid’s origin lies in Beijing, not WuhanThe key to Covid’s origin lies in Beijing, not Wuhan
Future Perfect

A new analysis on Covid-19 origins has promise, but only the Chinese government can end the debate.

By Bryan Walsh
The knowns — and known unknowns — of long Covid, explainedThe knowns — and known unknowns — of long Covid, explained
Covid-19

Long Covid isn’t as much of a mystery as it used to be.

By Dylan Scott
The Covid mask wars have left us unprepared for the next pandemicThe Covid mask wars have left us unprepared for the next pandemic
Future Perfect

The fallout from a misinterpreted review on mask science only underscores the need for better protections.

By Kelsey Piper
SNAP boosts kept millions out of poverty during Covid. Now they’re gone.SNAP boosts kept millions out of poverty during Covid. Now they’re gone.
Policy

Supplements to the program ended on March 1. Without an off-ramp, people are scrambling to fill the gap.

By Ellen Ioanes
Why it’s so hard to get answers on long CovidWhy it’s so hard to get answers on long Covid
Science

Even the best-designed studies yield some head-scratching results.

By Keren Landman, MD
The FBI and Energy Department think Covid-19 came from a lab. Now what?The FBI and Energy Department think Covid-19 came from a lab. Now what?
Health

We don’t need to know how this pandemic started to begin to prevent the next one.

By Umair Irfan
Nobody knows what the point of homework is
The Highlight

The homework wars are back.

By Jacob Sweet
The new scientific review on masks and Covid isn’t what you thinkThe new scientific review on masks and Covid isn’t what you think
Future Perfect

A meta-analysis seeks to be the last word on the effectiveness of masks, but finding answers in science isn’t that easy.

By Kelsey Piper
The other long Covid: The damage done to a generation of schoolchildren
The Highlight

The pandemic took young people’s present. What will it do to their future?

By Bryan Walsh
What can the world learn from China’s “zero-Covid” lockdown?What can the world learn from China’s “zero-Covid” lockdown?
Future Perfect

Short-term lockdowns could be key to ending pandemics early.

By Rachel DuRose
Were bivalent boosters worth it?Were bivalent boosters worth it?
Science

The biggest questions about the newest Covid-19 vaccines are still unanswered.

By Keren Landman, MD
Operation Warp Speed was a huge success. So why is the US turning away from it?Operation Warp Speed was a huge success. So why is the US turning away from it?
Future Perfect

A determination to remain slow on Covid and future pandemics.

By Kelsey Piper
Covid-19 vaccines: News and updatesCovid-19 vaccines: News and updates
Science

Drug companies around the world are working to develop a vaccine for Covid-19.

By Vox Staff
How the latest Covid-19 variant is shaping the course of the pandemicHow the latest Covid-19 variant is shaping the course of the pandemic
Science

XBB.1.5, a subvariant of omicron, is gaining ground in the US, but deaths can still be avoided.

By Umair Irfan
Xi Jinping has abandoned zero-Covid. What happens now?Xi Jinping has abandoned zero-Covid. What happens now?
Covid-19

China is opening up rapidly after three years of lockdown. The rest of the world is scrambling to respond.

By Ellen Ioanes
22 predictions we made in 2022, and the 6 we got wrong
Future Perfect

Plus a couple that are halfway in between.

By Bryan Walsh, Dylan Matthews and 2 more