Short Wave Folgen

The coronavirus is still circulating and mutating — case in point, the World Health Organization has designated a new variant of concern, called omicron. The variant appears to have some characteristics that may make it more transmissible than others, but much about it is still unknown. NPR health correspondent Allison Aubrey talks with Emily Kwong about how researchers and public health experts are racing to learn all they can about it — including how transmissible it actually is and how it responds to current vaccines. They also talk travel bans, a weak tool in preventing viral spread that may even penalize information sharing.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Puerto Rico was still recovering from Hurricane Maria and a string of earthquakes when the pandemic started. The island was initially hit hard by COVID-19, but is now is a leader in vaccination rates across the United States. Ciencia Puerto Rico's Mónica Feliú-Mójer explains the cultural factors that may have contributed to the success of Puerto Rico's COVID-19 vaccination efforts.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Health insurance can be tremendously confusing, with its complexity, jargon and acronyms. But putting in a bit of time to learn what these health insurance terms mean can empower you to better understand what signing on to a plan might mean for your budget and your health.Whether you're picking a plan for the first time, thinking of changing a plan, or want to see your options, NPR health correspondent, Selena Simmons-Duffin offers tips for browsing and choosing a health insurance plan. This episode is brought to Short Wave in conjunction with our colleagues at Life Kit.What other tips and tricks would you like from Short Wave? E-mail us at shortwave@npr.org.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy