Stories by Amy Maxmen

Delays in CDC analyses of infectious disease threats and agency silence will harm Americans, doctors and public health experts warn

With hospitalizations and at least nine confirmed cases, health officials race to contain a growing outbreak in a community with low vaccination

The U.S. government lost control of the bird flu because of a sluggish response and deference to industry.

As the bird flu virus moved into cows and people, sluggish federal action, deference to industry and neglect for worker safety put the country at risk

Dairy workers in Texas show signs of prior, undetected bird flu infections in a new study

Flaws in the CDC's H5N1 test highlight the risks of relying on a single test supplier, some experts say

Finland has decided to vaccinate farmworkers against bird flu—and experts say the U.S. should do the same

The FDA has authorized just one type of avian flu test, and it is only available to livestock workers

Detecting bird flu signs in dairy cows sooner could have helped staunch the virus's spread

Critics push back on proposed CDC guidelines that they say leave health care facilities free to cut corners on N95 masks and other measures that protect workers against airborne diseases such as COVID

In South Africa, a network of researchers are studying whether new lineages BA.4 and BA.5 escape immunity from COVID-19 vaccines and prior infections

The reports’ authors say that the novel coronavirus, or SARS-CoV-2, jumped from animals sold at the market to people twice in late 2019—but some scientists want more definitive evidence

Celebrated sociologist Alondra Nelson and genome leader Francis Collins will temporarily split Lander’s duties

Studies suggest that a reversal of the landmark Roe v. Wade decision would be detrimental for many

The WHO-approved RTS,S vaccine has a modest efficacy and requires a complex regimen of doses, so ample funding and clear communication are crucial to success

An examination of the arguments that SARS-CoV-2 escaped from a lab in China and the science behind them

Allegations that COVID escaped from a Chinese lab make it harder for nations to collaborate on ending the pandemic—and fuel online bullying—some scientists say

In California’s San Joaquin Valley, some researchers are turning political to address the social determinants of health

The development from the Biden administration draws cheers from public health researchers and ire from drugmakers

Scientists say the conclusions make sense but note that supporters of the lab-leak theory are unlikely to be satisfied

Biden health official Rachel Levine has a strong track record of fighting for social justice in health care, researchers say

Open repository will give free access to more than 160 million data points with details about individual infections

The coronavirus pandemic, climate change and space exploration are among the issues that Biden will influence if he wins the upcoming U.S. election

Political meddling, disorganization and years of neglect of public-health data management mean the country is flying blind