Pandemic Stress Pushing Teachers To A Breaking Point; Hurdles Remain For Herd Immunity

Plus, will bubble tea survive the pandemic?

by Jill Hudson Colleges around the country faced an admissions season marked by pandemic-era challenges: dropped testing requirements, remote learning, disrupted extracurriculars and record applicant pools. College-bound high schoolers didn't have it easy, either: Lisa Przekop, director of admissions at University of California, Santa Barbara, says that many applicants this year wrote their application essays about depression and anxiety during the pandemic. Read more about an admissions period like no other. ​​​​​​​ Marty Melville/AFP via Getty Images The arrivals hall in airports across Australia and New Zealand are about to get much busier. Earlier this week, the two countries launched their long-anticipated travel bubble that will allow residents of each country to visit the other without having to quarantine upon arrival. Listen to a few joyful reunions.  First, it was toilet paper, then cleaning wipes, baking yeast, even ketchup packets. The pandemic has caused plenty of product shortages in the U.S. Now there is a national shortage of boba, the dark, chewy pearls of tapioca typically found in bubble tea. Listen in.    Ryan Raphael for NPR After a year of uncertainty, long hours and juggling personal and work responsibilities, many teachers say they have reached a breaking point. The stress of teaching through the pandemic is affecting their health and their personal lives. "It's like nothing I've experienced before," one teacher says.  What should we think about the latest coronavirus news? On one hand, half of U.S. adults have been vaccinated, and as of this week, everyone aged 16 and older is eligible to be vaccinated. At the same time, the administration of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine has been paused and many are still hesitant to get vaccinated. Listen to this episode of the Short Wave podcast. Newsletter continues after sponsor message What Else We're Reading Photographer/Source Stream your local NPR station. Visit NPR.org to find your local station stream. Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! They can sign up here. Looking for more great content? Check out all of our newsletter offerings — including Music, Politics, Health and more! You received this message because you're subscribed to New Normal emails. This email was sent by National Public Radio, Inc., 1111 North Capitol Street NE, Washington, DC 20002 Unsubscribe  |  Privacy Policy