Latest KFF Health News Stories
While Political Leaders Lock Down Borders, Scientists Have Been Razing Theirs To The Ground
The global science community is uniting in an effort to rise to fight the virus. Never before, researchers say, have so many experts in so many countries focused simultaneously on a single topic with such urgency. Meanwhile, as scientists learn about the coronavirus as they go, uncertainty can sometimes translate into mixed messages for an already confused and desperate public. In other innovation news: a nasal swab produced by a 3D printer, the backstory of the now famous image of the virus, and the race for a vaccine.
As the pandemic continues to spread, there’s a growing push for public health agencies to change the guidance against healthy Americans wearing masks. Such a recommendation though would worsen the shortage of desperately needed protective gear for front line workers.
Tension Ramping Up Between Health Care Workers, Hospitals Over Personal Protective Equipment
Health care workers are not only facing a shortage of protective gear but are also a group that’s hard hit by the outbreak. As states, advocates and other leaders scramble to try to rectify the problem, some health care workers fight for their rights to be protected on the front lines of the pandemic. Meanwhile, a major medical staffing company has slashed benefits for its workers in the midst of the outbreak.
Plans To Re-Start Society All Rely On This Blood Test To Identify People Who Might Be Immune
The serology tests serve a dual purpose: finding Americans who can safely return to some normalcy and helping researchers find treatments for the disease.
Testing Blindspots In South And Midwest Cripple Efforts To Contain Spread Of Outbreak
The attention of the nation is on the coasts, but that doesn’t mean other parts of the country are safe. Testing is crucial to identify the next hot spots, but shortages and wait times continue to undermine containment efforts. Meanwhile, as new data shows nearly 25% of people infected with virus don’t show symptoms, advocates double-down on calls for social distancing. And the outbreak is changing social norms when it comes to how people should interact in public.
“I’ve never had to actually do this,” said Dalen Lacy said, a warehouse worker. “But I’ve got to do what I’ve got to do for my kids.” Lacy is among a wave of Americans who are seeking unemployment aid for the first time as the pandemic upends the economy. Meanwhile, what happens to those who can’t pay rent today? And consumer confidence plunges to its lowest level in nearly three years.
Overseeing Distribution Of Stimulus Trillions Might Be Easier Said Than Done For Democrats
Democrats are confronting the fact that it might be hard to oversee the $2.2 trillion stimulus spending when the physical act of congregating in the Capitol is dangerous. The Trump administration is also using the pandemic as a way to stop senior officials from having to report to Congress. Meanwhile, differences between Republicans and Democrats on the need for a fourth stimulus package signal rougher governing waters ahead.
Some states are receiving more medical equipment than they’ve requested while others are only getting a fraction, with some of it broken at that. Governors are making increasingly frantic requests to FEMA, but say they’re having to outbid each other for supplies. “You now literally will have a company call you up and say, ‘Well, California just outbid you,’” said New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo. “It’s like being on eBay with 50 other states, bidding on a ventilator.”
Trump Administration Decides Against Re-Opening Health Law Enrollment In Midst Of Crisis
Facing the looming surge of coronavirus patients, some states have re-opened their marketplaces for residents to sign up for insurance coverage under the health law. Although the Trump administration considered following suit, it has decided to pursue other options.
President Donald Trump and his coronavirus task force, including Drs. Anthony Fauci and Deborah Birx, struck a serious tone Tuesday saying Americans must brace for a “bad two weeks.” They also projected that at least 100,000 Americans could succumb to the coronavirus even with strict social distancing measures in place. Without the shutdown, the number would skyrocket higher.
Opinion writers weigh in on public health topics stemming from the pandemic.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Temperature Check: Tips For Tracking A Key Symptom Of Coronavirus Contagion
Taking one’s temperature is not as easy as it sounds. For one reporter, the first challenge was finding a thermometer.
‘Essential’ Or Not, These Workers Report For Duty
In Los Angeles County and beyond, people continue to toil through the coronavirus pandemic, often in positions that put them in constant contact with the public. Many are low-wage workers who can’t afford to stop working.
California’s New Attack On Opioid Addiction Hits Old Roadblocks
State officials in California have achieved some success in promoting the use of medication-assisted treatment for people with opioid addictions, but they are bumping up against familiar resistance and constraints.
Analysis: He Got Tested For Coronavirus. Then Came The Flood Of Medical Bills.
Hidden costs for ER visits and other fees could cost people thousands of dollars.
With Coronavirus Rare In Rural Florida, Experts Dispute Way Forward
At least 30 states have issued statewide stay-at-home orders. Florida, one of the eight states with the highest number of COVID-19 cases recorded so far, is the only one in that group not to have such an order.
Blood Centers Will Collect Plasma From COVID-19 Survivors In Bid For Treatment
New guidelines issued Tuesday could speed a century-old therapy to those critically ill with the pandemic virus.
Perspectives: COVID-19 Vaccine Might Be Worth Government Turning A Blind Eye To Pharma Profits
Read recent commentaries about drug-cost issues.
Pre-Term Birth Drug Calls Into Question FDA’s Prolific Use Of Expedited Approval Process
Read about the biggest pharmaceutical development and pricing stories from the past week in KHN’s Prescription Drug Watch roundup.