Emergency use authorization makes it easier for doctors to use a drug in a manner not specifically approved by the Food and Drug Administration. The FDA granted these drugs this status in March.

Alcohol and drug consumption have increased recently, but fewer patients have sought treatment. Most treatment centers face possible closure even as they anticipate a post-pandemic surge in need.

The standard test for infection with the coronavirus looks for a genetic fingerprint. Laboratory errors, including contamination, can lead to false results, a problem seen with environmental testing.

California is paying to train a huge contingent of contact tracers by July. Many of the new recruits are librarians: they're curious, tech savvy, and great at talking to strangers.

A rich country might spend $5,000 or more on health care per person. A poor country might spend as little as $19 per person. How will that affect responses to the novel coronavirus?

Rural Yakima County, east of Seattle, has the most COVID-19 cases per capita among West Coast states. The largely Latino agricultural workforce helped secure the backbone of the local economy.

About 40% of people with obsessive compulsive disorder struggle, as I do, with contamination anxiety. Balancing the need to sanitize a home in pandemic times with the need to tame OCD can be tricky.

The nation still sees more than 20,000 new cases on average a day, a number that's barely budged for weeks. Forecasters say we're looking at tens of thousands more deaths this summer.

Trump has reversed Obama-era protections that prohibit discrimination in health care based on gender identity. Critics warn the rule could harm a vulnerable group — LGBTQ people — during a pandemic.

This week we tackle frequently asked questions — and some infrequently asked ones as well. And we also have advice on how to decide about possible testing if you attended a protest.