Alex Smith
Alex Smith began working in radio as an intern at the National Association of Farm Broadcasters. A few years and a couple of radio jobs later, he became the assistant producer of KCUR's magazine show, KC Currents. In January 2014 he became KCUR's health reporter.
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Highly Transmissible COVID-19 Variants Have Been In Missouri Since Early January, State Data SuggestResearchers also found evidence of a mutation that helps the virus evade the immune system. -
Some local health officials warned that opening eligibility could result in some already-eligible people who have not received shots being left further behind. -
The state health department has provided few specifics on where the more dangerous COVID-19 variant may be spreading. -
In Kansas City, hospitals are treating local COVID-19 patients as well as patients transferred from rural counties in Missouri and Kansas, where there's no mandate or culture for wearing masks. -
Some doctors say Missouri's official hospital capacity data is exaggerated because it includes beds that aren't staffed by health care workers. -
Health communication experts say that misinformation spread through support groups can undermine trust in medicine and science. But some patients work to counter falsehoods with facts. -
Missouri is the second state to expand the health care program via ballot measure during the pandemic. Nearly a quarter-million people could get health insurance thanks to the measure. -
Missourians will vote Tuesday on whether to expand Medicaid to uninsured adults. The pandemic has raised the stakes for residents who have lost jobs and insurance coverage.
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Both supporters and opponents of expanding Medicaid say the Aug.4 vote is more critical than ever due to the coronavirus pandemic. -
Health and hospital officials in two states report that a Trump administration change to how pandemic data is collected has left them unable to access vital information.
