Morning News Brief: Infrastructure Debate, Coronavirus Origins, Pandemic Optimism Democrats are rejecting the GOP's infrastructure counter-proposal. Biden ordered an investigation into the coronavirus origins. And, travel is up for Memorial Day as pandemic restrictions ease.
In Cases Of Vaccine Failure, CDC To Focus On Those Who Get Hospitalized Or Die The CDC has decided that the focus of investigations of cases in which COVID-19 vaccines fail will be on people who get hospitalized or die — but critics say that's short-sighted. Rob Stein
A Vaccine Patch Could Someday Be An Ouchless Option Scientists around the world are working on a way to inject vaccines painlessly. The trick is to make the needles so small. they don't interact with the nerve endings that signal pain. Joe Palca
Every Possible Explanation For COVID-19 Should Be Investigated, Expert Says NPR's Rachel Martin talks to infectious disease expert Dr. Céline Gounder, who served on President Biden's COVID-19 advisory board, about the theories surrounding the origins of the pandemic.
What Prompted Biden To Order A Deeper Look Into COVID-19's Origin? President Biden has asked for a 90-day investigation into how the COVID-19 pandemic started, and whether it's possible that the virus leaked from a lab in China. Tamara Keith
Experts Warn Lag In Global Vaccinations Could Lead To Dangerous Variants Thanks to widespread vaccinations, the U.S. is reopening. Meanwhile, countries without similar access to doses are angry and fearful — amid signs the COVID-19 catastrophe in India could spread. Nurith Aizenman
Biden Asks U.S. Intel To Push For Stronger Conclusions On The Coronavirus' Origins The U.S. intelligence community is investigating the potential origins of the coronavirus, including the possibility that it emerged as a result of a lab accident in Wuhan, China. Alana Wise
The Science Behind Vaccine Incentives NPR's Ari Shapiro talks with Katy Milkman, professor at The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, about which vaccine incentives work best and why. Ari Shapiro
Stick It For A Ticket: Free Baseball Game Entry For Those Who Get Vaccine At Stadium Wednesday and Thursday, the Milwaukee Brewers are offering a COVID-19 vaccine shot outside the stadium, followed by a ticket to that days' game. Those who are anti-vaccine are upset by the promotion. Chuck Quirmbach
‘The virus spreads like cigarette smoke.’ It’s really hard to transmit coronavirus outside The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say it’s okay for the fully vaccinated to remove their masks in most settings. King County still requires masks in indoor public spaces, but outdoor public spaces are a different matter. Eilís O'Neill