How to prep for a winter driving emegency

PLUS: The cool way your body tells you to hydrate

View this email online January 30, 2022 by Suzette Lohmeyer Happy Sunday, Health family! January is just about behind us and the days are slowly getting lighter. This week, we focus on winter driving safety, how your body knows when you've had enough water and whether pets are really a COVID threat. How to stay safe during a winter driving emergency  David Zalubowski/AP If you got stuck in your car in freezing temperatures, would you have what you need? Food? Water? Blankets? The answer was no for many during a recent winter storm that stranded people on Interstate 95 for close to 24 hours. That kind of situation is not only dangerous, say preparedness experts, but potentially deadly.  Read on to find out how to prep for a winter driving emergency.    PLUS: 4 pro tips on staying warm in cold weather. Newsletter continues after sponsor message Your body knows when to hydrate Franck Fife/AFP via Getty Images You're thirsty, so you start glugging down water. But how do you know when you've had enough? The brain can't wait until the water gets absorbed into the bloodstream, because that can take 15 minutes or more and by then you might have had too much. Thankfully, other body parts pitch in.  Read on for the very cool science behind thirst.  Not everyone can be vaccinated  Jesse Zhang for NPR As omicron surges, parents of kids too young to be vaccinated are spending much of their time assessing COVID risks, worried their littles aren't getting the kind of developmental experiences they need, and feeling like they've been forgotten by those who just want to move on.  Read about how parents of young children are at the end of their rope.   PLUS: The population that gets overlooked by an "everyone will get COVID" mentality.  Good to know before you go  Bertha Wang/AFP via Getty Images Coronavirus FAQ: Are pets a threat? And NPR's Scott Simon makes a case for Hong Kong's hamsters.   Free N95 masks are available! Here's how to get yours. It's never too late to train your dog.  New Hampshire to sell at-home COVID tests in liquor outlets.  A growing number of parents are calling for schools to ditch masks. We hope you enjoyed these stories. Find more of NPR's health journalism on Shots and follow us on Twitter at @NPRHealth. All best, Suzette Lohmeyer and your Shots editors Listen to your local NPR station. Visit NPR.org to hear live radio from WBEZ (edit station). What do you think of today's email? We'd love to hear your thoughts, questions and feedback: shots@npr.org 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 Goats & Soda, Daily News, Best of NPR and more! You received this message because you're subscribed to Health emails. This email was sent by National Public Radio, Inc., 1111 North Capitol Street NE, Washington, DC 20002 Unsubscribe  |  Privacy Policy