Did a song by the rapper Logic lead to fewer suicides? When rapper Logic's song "1-800-273-8255" — the digits for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline — came out, the hotline started getting more calls. Patrick Jarenwattananon
A COVID surge fueled by the unvaccinated is overwhelming this New Hampshire hospital Monadnock Community Hospital in New Hampshire is so tight on beds that each day medical personnel call hospitals in five other states in hopes of finding space for one of its COVID patients. Anthony Brooks
Pope Francis celebrates Christmas Eve Mass as Italy sets pandemic record of new cases Pope Francis celebrated Christmas Eve Mass before an estimated 2,000 people in St. Peter's Basilica, going ahead with the service despite the resurgence in COVID-19 cases. The Associated Press
3 nurses give their inside story on how omicron is affecting the country Here's how their hospitals are doing nearly two years into the pandemic, what they are seeing in new omicron patients, and their thoughts on the wave of burnout affecting the industry. Patrick Jarenwattananon
Some Christmas travelers face cancelled flights as the omicron surge hits airlines In a preemptive move, United, Delta and others cancelled dozens of flights scheduled for Friday. They say the omicron spike has left them with staffing shortages. Jennifer Ludden
Coronavirus FAQ: Remind me, how do you define mild, moderate and severe COVID? As researchers try to determine the severity of cases caused by the omicron variant, the question of what exactly constitutes mild, moderate and severe COVID is weighing on people's minds. Fran Kritz
COVID-19 surges are forcing countries around the world to adapt Health experts worldwide are warning that the battle against the Omicron variant is far from over. Three NPR correspondents provide the latest on the pandemic from Europe and South Asia. A Martinez
How can we get together for the holidays and still be safe? Omicron has fueled extra holiday anxiety. NPR's Sarah McCammon asks Dr. Leana Wen of the George Washington University about how to stay safe if we stick to our travel and gathering plans.
Here's something depressing for the holidays: states set new record for total annual deaths in 2021 The year 2021 isn’t even over, yet Oregon and Washington have already smashed their previous records for total annual deaths. Those records were just set last year. The coronavirus pandemic is only one piece of the explanation. Tom Banse
New Year's Eve celebrations will still be on in Times Square, but with smaller crowds Viewing areas that normally accommodate about 58,000 people will be limited to about 15,000 to allow for more distancing, and everyone in attendance must show proof of vaccination and wear a mask. The Associated Press