Vincent Acovino

NPR's Ari Shapiro talks with the long-time head of the National Institutes of Health, Dr. Francis Collins, who has announced that he will be stepping down.

In Massachusetts, a group of resident physicians are using their downtime to call their unvaccinated primary care patients to talk about the COVID-19 shot.

NPR's Ailsa Chang speaks with Megan Reilly, interim superintendent for the Los Angeles Unified School District, about the decision to require all students 12 and older to be vaccinated against COVID.

NPR's Audie Cornish talks with Houston Fire Chief Samuel Peña about how medical professionals and EMTs are struggling to keep up with a surge of seriously-ill COVID patients.

NPR's Ari Shapiro talks with Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, a Democrat, about the rising COVID-19 cases in his state - and what can be done about it.

NPR's Ari Shapiro talks with Katy Milkman, professor at The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, about which vaccine incentives work best and why.

NPR's Mary Louise Kelly speaks with Dr. Anthony Fauci, the chief medical adviser to President Biden, about new CDC mask guidance and other ongoing questions around the COVID-19 pandemic.

COVID-19 cases in Papua New Guinea have been surging. As hundreds become sick each day, the healthcare system is struggling to keep up. NPR's Mary Louise Kelly speaks with journalist Rebecca Kuku.

Spurred by the concerns of members in China, Columbia University's alumni associations raised more than $1 million to buy desperately needed masks and other gear.