NYT Health

Hospital giants got billions in federal aid to cushion them from any financial losses caused by the pandemic. But many are scooping up rivals and doctors' practices. Critics of consolidation warn that higher prices may follow.https://nyti.ms/2SE4tO2 

"He was interested in the kind of deep ideas that philosophers are interested in," Alan Lightman said of Dan Frank. "He had his own view of the human condition and the literary expression of that condition and his own standards for literary excellence."https://nyti.ms/34w662S 

“Our industry is in break-glass mode,” said Brent Dillie, the owner of the mask-manufacturing company. “Six months from now, many of us won’t be around and that won’t be good for America the next time there’s a national health emergency.”https://nyti.ms/2Tkz43g 

With a new kind of gene therapy, scientists partially restored a blind man's sight.https://nyti.ms/34vbAeb 

Americans who are among the most eager to get Covid-19 shots as well as those moving out of the "wait-and-see" group could put the 70 percent coverage mark in reach this summer.https://nyti.ms/34A8TrC 

Many scientists welcomed President Biden’s call for a more rigorous investigation of a virus lab in Wuhan, China, though they said the so-called lab leak theory was still unlikely.https://nyti.ms/3fvASzc 

Sickle cell is a blood disorder that mostly afflicts Black people and can cause relentless pain. Getting help can be difficult for patients in a medical system steeped in racial bias. Here is one woman's story.https://nyti.ms/3i1LSWL 

“There’s no telepathy or spooky thing at play.” Interacting with someone is complicated, requiring an ongoing feedback loop of attention, prediction and reaction. It makes sense that the brain would have some way of mapping both sides.https://nyti.ms/3vCWTlb 

"Knowing Dan was like being in a very special book club," Jim Gleick said of Dan Frank. "He steered you to the strangest places. He always wanted to know what you were reading."https://nyti.ms/3vCWTSd 

Americans with other serious illnesses regularly face exorbitant and confusing bills after treatment, but things were supposed to be different for coronavirus patients. Often, they aren't.https://nyti.ms/3p25StT 

“This was practical science, designed by parents to get their kids back to school."https://nyti.ms/3fTPJlT 

How much would you bid for an NFT of an obscure internal university document? UC Berkeley hopes someone will be willing to pay a lot if it's a description of Nobel-winning cancer research. https://nyti.ms/34tkUz5  by @kchangnyt

Virus alert apps have been downloaded more than 90 million times. But researchers don't yet know whether the apps’ ability to accurately alert users of virus exposures outweighs potential drawbacks -- like falsely warning unexposed people.https://nyti.ms/3i5sM22 

“The pandemic has exacerbated things,” one social psychologist notes. “It impacted everybody, but it impacted caregivers more.”https://nyti.ms/3vE8zUI 

The Tennessee woman had clashed for years with doctors over treating her sickle cell pain. Nothing seemed to work. So she visited a specialist at Vanderbilt for what felt like a desperate last attempt to find relief. Here's what happened.https://nyti.ms/3p1NWzk 

Masks made in China are priced so low — sometimes a tenth of what American factories charge — that there is little chance for domestic companies to survive.https://nyti.ms/3wNNWWz 

Federal health officials are investigating only the most severe breakthrough infections in vaccinated people. But the cases remain comparatively rare. https://nyti.ms/3i4gWoE 

"I’m looking forward to a much different school year next year, primarily because of vaccination.”https://nyti.ms/3vzIxCh 

Scientists have created an atlas of microorganisms that can be found in the world’s subways. It contains data collected by more than 900 researchers and volunteers in 60 cities, from Stockholm to Shanghai, Sacramento to Sydney.https://nyti.ms/3vFEDYs