FDA Loosens Restrictions On Gay Blood Donors Amid 'Urgent Need' Caused By Coronavirus Federal rules had made such donors wait 12 months before donating. That wait is now three months. The coronavirus outbreak has caused donor centers to be closed and blood drives canceled. Bobby Allyn
Panic-buying, empty shelves create hardships for people on food assistance programs Empty store shelves due to panic-buying causes an inconvenience for most people. But it can be an even bigger hassle for families on food assistance. Ruby de Luna
Model suggesting Washington's hospitals could withstand a COVID-19 surge may be too optimistic, experts say A new model suggesting that Washington state's hospitals could weather the worst of the coronavirus crisis has received widespread attention. But experts caution that the model, created by the University of Washington's Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation, only looks at the best-case scenario: what could happen if social distancing measures successfully suppress the transmission of the coronavirus. Eilís O'Neill
Pentagon Says FEMA Wants It To Find 100,000 Body Bags For Pandemic Fatalities The request from FEMA to the Pentagon's Defense Logistics Agency for cadaver pouches follows warnings at the White House of coronavirus death tolls surpassing 100,000. David Welna
Think You've Got COVID-19? Here's What Doctors Say About When To Seek Help Many people can ride the disease out at home, but doctors are getting a better idea of who should seek medical attention and when. Geoff Brumfiel
Putin Extends No-Work Order For Russia Until May Over COVID-19 Pandemic Russia reported a spike of 771 new coronavirus patients on Thursday, sharpening a dreaded upward curve in cases. It has now confirmed more than 3,500 coronavirus cases. Bill Chappell
Guidance Evolves On How To Battle The Coronavirus Outbreak More than 5,000 Americans have died of COVID-19. Dr. Jeffrey Koplan, former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, discusses evolving guidance on masks, and other strategies.
Nanny Tries To Figure Out How To Make Up For Lost Work A nanny in Whitman, Massachusetts, describes how the coronavirus pandemic has put her out of work.
Respiratory Therapists Are On The Frontline Of Coronavirus Battle Tom Barnes of Northeastern University's Master of Science in Respiratory Care Leadership Program tells NPR's Steve Inskeep that operating a ventilator takes skill and a lot of training.
ER doctor says he was fired for calling out unsafe COVID-19 conditions For the last 17 years, Dr. Ming Lin has worked in the emergency room at PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center in Bellingham. He says he was fired from his job last week, after publicly calling on the hospital to better protect patients and staff from COVID-19. Paige Browning