COVID

Specific mutations hide the COVID-causing variant from the immune system and give it a new route into more cells

Hamsters are only the second species known to have spread SARS-CoV-2 to humans

Hamsters eating Cocoa Krispies reveal inflammation pathways from the olfactory system to the brain

My colleagues and I use a protocol to inoculate safely, and the CDC needs to revise its recommendations

The huge number of Omicron infections could add a lot more people with disabling long-term symptoms. Vaccinations could blunt the impact

The new normal this winter is longer drives for kids’ tests, multiday waits for results, drug-store restock alerts and social media tips

Vaccine makers worry yet another variant will start dominating in the months it takes to roll out shots against this one

FaceBit tracks a face covering’s fit and wear time, as well as its wearer’s vital signs

It’s too soon to know if the variant causes milder COVID, but its transmissibility and ability to evade vaccines are still cause for concern

A rapidly spreading variant could dangerously strain health-care systems, even if the severe disease risk is relatively low for an individual

The new coronavirus variant may be better than other versions at avoiding human immune defenses—but that ability may change in different countries

After my son got sick, I dived into the data, and it turns out vaccinated people can and do spread COVID