With the rise of the BA.2 variant in some parts of the country, many questions remain about how to best navigate daily life and what precautions should or should not be taken. White House COVID-19 response coordinator Dr. Ashish Jha joins Amna Nawaz to discuss. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Shanghai is under lockdown Friday, as COVID cases continue to surge in China's financial capital. It is the most severe measure by the Chinese government to isolate and tract infections since it shut down the city of Wuhan after the virus broke out in 2020. William Brangham reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

As COVID-19 swept across the United States it became clear that the virus disproportionately affected certain racial and ethnic groups. But the outsized impact of the pandemic on one community -- Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders -- has been largely hidden because of inconsistent data collection and reporting. Stephanie Sy reports as part of our series, "Race Matters." PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Two years into the pandemic, concerns about COVID-19's impact on mental health continue to grow. We spoke to people across the country about their particular struggles and the work being done to help others suffering during the pandemic. And Dr. Tom Insel, who served as the director of the National Institute of Mental Health, joins Judy Woodruff to discuss what can be done. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

The World Health Organization reported infections are down globally. In the last two weeks, new cases in the U.S. have decreased by more than 60 percent and a number of states and cities have been lifting masking requirements. But experts warn about letting our guard down too soon. Dr. Anthony Fauci, chief medical adviser to President Biden, joins Judy Woodruff to discuss. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

With the holidays approaching and the omicron variant surging in some parts of the U.S., demand for rapid and at-home COVID-19 tests is higher than ever, and the wait at large PCR test sites can be several hours in some places. ProPublica reporter Lydia Depillis joins Hari Sreenivasan to discuss why the tests are so hard to find in the U.S., and the Biden administration's plans for ramping up supply. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

A newly emerged variant of the coronavirus known as "omicron" is causing widespread concern. First discovered in South Africa, it's now been detected in multiple nations, including Europe and Israel. Many nations including the U.S. are considering travel bans to try and contain the variant. Dr. Ashish Jha, dean of Brown University's School of Public Health, joins William Brangham to discuss. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

New York Times columnist David Brooks and Washington Post columnist Jonathan Capehart join William Brangham to discuss the week in politics, including the new COVID- 19 variant, inflation, President Biden's leadership decisions at the Federal Reserve and the verdict in the death of Ahmaud Arbery. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

COVID-19 was the number one cause of death for people between the ages of 35 to 54 during some months since the pandemic began last year, according to recent data. Meanwhile, as the Delta variant continues to drive infections around the world, the push for booster shots in the U.S. has raised concerns since many are still awaiting their first dose. ProPublica's Caroline Chen joins. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Community colleges have long been seen as an opportunity for students of all backgrounds to earn a degree. But those same students, especially the students of color, have been some of the hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. And many have had to drop out. But schools are hoping to bring students back with new initiatives. Hari Sreenivasan reports for our new series, Rethinking College. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders