6 tips to help you pick the right health insurance plan The open enrollment period to buy health insurance on HealthCare.gov starts now and runs through Jan. 15, 2022. Look for more options and expanded subsidies this year — and more help signing up. Selena Simmons-Duffin
Your public school kid's lunch might be served on a pizza slice box. Here's why Labor issues are making staples of school dining hard to find, triggering the worst supply chain headaches these institutions have faced in years. "It's like a ginormous hurricane," one official says. Frank Morris
The COVID-19 pandemic has now killed 5 million people around the world The U.S. leads the world in the number of confirmed deaths from the virus — 745,800 people — followed by Brazil and India, according to Johns Hopkins University's coronavirus tracker. Jaclyn Diaz
The FDA is probing whether the Moderna vaccine can cause a rare side effect in teens Moderna says the FDA is looking into reports of a rare side effect — myocarditis, or the inflammation of the heart muscle — in those who've gotten the shot. Joe Hernandez
Life Kit: Picking the right health insurance for you Choosing between health insurance plans can be a headache. How do you pick the right one? Selena Simmons-Duffin
Montana private hospitals could lose funding due to state ban on vaccine mandates Dr. Scott Ellner, CEO of Billings Clinic, speaks with Asma Khalid about a potential clash between state and federal mandates regarding hospital employees' vaccination status in Montana.
People with substance use disorder are more vulnerable to COVID-19 New research shows people with substance use disorders are significantly more vulnerable to a breakthrough infection of COVID-19. Will Stone
Football fans are packing into stadiums without masks, but it hasn't been an issue How risky is attending a professional or college football game during this phase of the pandemic? Millions are doing so, mostly unmasked. Wade Goodwyn
Parents should be patient about getting COVID vaccines for kids, White House says There are fresh logistical challenges, warns the White House's COVID czar in an exclusive interview with NPR. For example, young children will be getting a smaller dose delivered via smaller needles. Tamara Keith
FDA authorizes use of Pfizer's COVID vaccine for 5- to 11-year-olds The agency acted after an independent panel of scientists strongly supported the move. Kids could start getting vaccinated within the week. Joe Neel
