Coming Abortion Fight Could Threaten Birth Control, Too

In discussions of the impact Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett could have on abortion rights, many overlook related issues, including the right to birth control that the court recognized in 1965. During her confirmation hearings, Barrett refused to say whether she felt that case was correctly decided.

Lions and Tigers and Anteaters? US Scientists Scan the Menagerie for COVID

Thousands of animals in the U.S. have been tested for the coronavirus, as researchers work to understand its transmission and which other species might be at risk. So far, dozens have tested positive, mostly cats and dogs exposed to sick owners.

Seniors Form COVID Pods to Ward Off Isolation This Winter

Older adults are deliberating what to do as days and nights turn chilly and coronavirus cases rise across the country. Some are forming “bubbles” with small groups of friends who agree on pandemic precautions and will see one another in person. Others are planning to go it alone.

The Best COVID Warning System? Poop and Pooled Spit, Says One Colorado School

About 6% of large universities with in-person classes are routinely testing all students. For many institutions, that strategy is out of reach. To get ahead of the virus, Colorado State University is experimenting with a combination of sewage monitoring and a lesser-known approach to pool testing.

They Work in Several Nursing Homes to Eke Out a Living, Possibly Spreading the Virus

An analysis of location data from 30 million smartphones found that facilities across the country that share the most workers also had the most COVID-19 infections. The “Kevin Bacon of nursing homes” in each state — the one with the most staffers working at other nursing homes — was likely to have the worst outbreaks of coronavirus contagion.

If They Sweep on Election Day, Dems Still Face a Challenge Meeting Health Promises

Democrats are favored to win both chambers of Congress after years of campaign-trail promises about health care. But their margin in the Senate could be slim, making it difficult to pass major health care legislation. And they still must heal some rifts within the caucus about how far they can push overhaul efforts.

Why State Mask Stockpiling Orders Are Hurting Nursing Homes, Small Providers

More than eight months into the pandemic, stockpiling of masks and other protective equipment by wealthy hospital systems is straining nursing homes and smaller providers who also need precious protective gear to keep front-line workers safe from COVID-19.

Despite COVID Concerns, Teams Venture Into Nursing Homes to Get Out the Vote

In North Carolina, staffs at nursing homes and assisted living facilities are prohibited by law from helping residents vote. So community members fill the gap, venturing into some of the places hit hardest by the coronavirus.

For Each Critically Ill COVID Patient, a Family Is Suffering, Too

Because loved ones are often kept apart from critically ill COVID-19 patients, the families may be especially vulnerable to symptoms including anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder that can be debilitating.