Will Stone

An empty syringe on a table at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center after a care worker received the COVID-19 vaccine on Dec. 16, 2020.

'This Is An Exciting Thing.' For Frontline Workers, Vaccine Comes As A Massive Relief

Will Stone

Despite some early bumps, the arrival of the first shipments of a COVID-19 vaccine was celebrated this past week by those who've been caring for patients since the early days of the pandemic.

White flags planted by volunteers visualize lives lost in the U.S. to COVID-19 as part of an installation by artist Suzanne Firstenberg in Washington, D.C. The death toll has now reached 300,000.

How Do We Grieve 300,000 Lives Lost?

Will Stone

Eleven months into the COVID-19 crisis, an unimaginable death toll has been reached. NPR spoke to doctors, nurses and the bereaved about how they face loss every day.

Health care workers in Houston, Texas, perform a procedure on a patient in the COVID-19 intensive care unit on Thanksgiving. This past week has seen continued steep growth in cases, hospitalizations and deaths from COVID-19.

'Extraordinary Acceleration': Takeaways From The Pandemic Last Week

Will Stone

Deaths from COVID-19 have jumped nearly 40% this week, and hospitals around the country are straining under their patient load. Here's what happened in the first week after Thanksgiving.

An ambulance pulls up as nurses outside a triage tent for the Emergency Department at the Harborview Medical Center in Seattle put on gowns and other protective gear at the start of their shift, on April 2, 2020. A resurgence of the coronavirus has health care workers and government leaders worried about dwindling resources and an exhausted workforce.

'We're All Tired Of This': Health Care Workers In Seattle Prepare For Another Surge

Will Stone

Harborview Medical Center faced the country's initial swell of coronavirus cases. Now, health care workers there are offering advice to people facing the latest surge in COVID-19 patients.

Medical staff prepare for an intubation procedure on a patient suffering COVID-19 in an ICU in Houston, Texas. In some parts of the country, as hospitals get crowded, hospital leaders are worried they may need to implement crisis standards of care.

Near Crisis, Some Hospitals Face Tough Decisions In Caring For Floods Of Patients

Will Stone

Hospitals are getting so crowded with COVID-19 patients that they're having to resort to workarounds to treat them all. Experts warn this may hamper doctors' ability to save lives.

Some states have imposed lockdowns to slow the spread of coronavirus, while others are issuing more limited restrictions. California is among states that are trying curfews to curb transmission.

How Do We Stop This Surge? Here's What Experts Say Could Help

Will Stone

The U.S. added more than 1 million cases in the past week. More than 85,000 people are hospitalized. Some states may have no choice but to lock down again. Others are trying a targeted approach.

States Announce New Mandates As COVID-19 Cases Rise Sharply In The U.S.

Will Stone

A rapid, frightening spread of the coronavirus across the U.S. leads to a fresh round of stay-at-home guidance and mask mandates. Health officials are urging families not to gather for the holidays.

Medical staff members check on a patient at the COVID-19 ICU in United Memorial Medical Center in Houston, Texas. Cases and hospitalizations rose dramatically in the U.S. this week.

The Pandemic Is Entering A Dangerous New Chapter. Here Are The Week's Big Takeaways

Will Stone

With record cases and hospitalizations and newly rising deaths, experts wonder, will this surge ever slow down? Find out where the virus is hitting hardest and what is being done to stop it.

Surging hospitalizations are straining health care systems around the country.

COVID-19 Hospitalizations Hit Record Highs. Where Are Hospitals Reaching Capacity?

Will Stone

The pandemic is once again putting tens of thousands of people in the hospital in the U.S. Is it more than the health care system can handle? Find out which states are getting close to their limit.

Clots, Strokes And Rashes. Is COVID-19 A Disease Of The Blood Vessels?

Will Stone

COVID-19 can cause symptoms that go well beyond the lungs, from strokes to organ failure. To explain these widespread injuries, researchers are studying how the virus affects the vascular system.