Carmel Wroth

Six people wearing winter clothes walk along a sidewalk. Five of them who are walking toward the camera are masked. The fifth person is walking away from the camera.

Health

CDC says Americans can now go unmasked in many parts of the country — just not Kansas City

Pien Huang

The Centers For Disease Control and Prevention announced that masks are no longer recommended indoors in places with low or medium community risk for COVID-19. However, all counties in the Kansas City metro are still rated as high risk, with the exception of Johnson County, Kansas.

Pfizer-BioNTech's COVID vaccine for young children is a lower dose formulation of the companies' adult vaccine. It was found to be safe and 90.7% effective at preventing COVID-19.

Health

CDC recommends Pfizer's COVID vaccine for children ages 5 through 11

Joe Neel

Kids ages 5 to 11 will soon be able to get Pfizer's low-dose COVID vaccine. CDC director Rochelle Walensky agreed with a unanimous decision of a team of advisers that the benefits outweigh the risks.

Even without symptoms, you might have the virus and be able to spread it when out in public, say researchers who now are reconsidering the use of surgical masks.

Should We All Be Wearing Masks In Public? Health Experts Revisit The Question

Huo Jingnan

There are rumblings that U.S. health officials may start encouraging Americans to wear face masks to cut down on asymptomatic spread. But with continued shortages, it's not clear how we'd do that.

Vaping illness is a growing concern, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The agency's principal deputy director, Dr. Anne Schuchat, announced new numbers Thursday.

CDC Intensifies Warnings About Vaping Illness As Cases Top 1,000

Allison Aubrey

Federal agencies are working furiously to find out what is causing people to sicken and are warning consumers not to vape.

A prototype of SpaceX's Starship stands at the company's Texas launch facility on Saturday. The Starship spacecraft is a massive vehicle designed to eventually be able to take people to the moon, Mars and beyond.

Elon Musk Unveils SpaceX's New Starship, Designed To Fly To The Moon, Mars And Beyond

Carmel Wroth

Calling it "the most inspiring thing" he's ever seen, SpaceX's CEO talked up his company's big innovation and plans to fast-track production of the spacecraft. He hopes to fly passengers by next year.

President Trump speaks to the press with first lady Melania Trump and Acting Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Norman Sharpless (left) and Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar in the Oval Office at the White House on Wednesday.

FDA To Banish Flavored E-Cigarettes To Combat Youth Vaping

Carmel Wroth

With hundreds of unexplained cases of vaping-related illness, and the sharp rise in youth vaping, the Trump administration is acting to crack down on kid-friendly vape flavors.

President Trump signed an executive order Wednesday proposing to change how kidney disease is treated in the United States. It encourages in-home dialysis and more kidney donations.

Trump Administration Announces Plans To Shake Up The Kidney Care Industry

Selena Simmons-Duffin

President Trump has signed an executive order pushing for sweeping changes in the way kidney disease is treated.

Chronic stress at work can lead to burnout, a syndrome defined by the World Health Organization as including depleted energy, exhaustion, negativity, cynicism and reduced productivity.

WHO Redefines Burnout As A 'Syndrome' Linked To Chronic Stress At Work

Rhitu Chatterjee

The World Health Organization has updated its handbook of diseases to include an expanded definition of burnout. It closely links it to workplace stress and says it can lead to reduced productivity.

Roger Severino, director of the Office for Civil Rights, announced Friday a new proposed rule rolling back anti-discrimination protections for transgender patients. Those protections had been written in 2016 but enjoined in court.

Trump Administration Proposes Rule To Reverse Protections For Transgender Patients

Alison Kodjak

A federal agency issued a proposed rule Friday that rolls back Obama-era protections for transgender patients. Advocates for transgender people say the rule leaves them vulnerable to discrimination.

Palliative care is a growing specialty that provides comfort care and that teaches patients and doctors how to talk about patients' goals for life with serious disease â and how to prepare for a good ending.

A Good Life And A Good Death: What Is Palliative Care?

Carmel Wroth

In That Good Night, palliative care doctor Sunita Puri shares insights from her years caring for patients with serious illness. She sees her role as an advocate and ally — every step of the way.