Latest KFF Health News Stories
NYC Vaccine Mandate For Teachers Upheld By Federal Judges
New York City’s Department of Education says its requirement that all teachers and other school workers get the covid shot will take effect starting Friday after it survived another court challenge. Elsewhere, an Arizona judge ruled school mask mandates to be unconstitutional.
Even With Last-Minute Rush, Thousands Of Unvaccinated NY Health Workers Face Unemployment
A first round of health workers were terminated at some hospitals Monday, the date a New York vaccine mandate for all health workers went into effect. It’s estimated that thousands did not meet the deadline, leaving the state vulnerable to critical staffing shortages.
Fewest Number Of Americans Getting Covid Shot Since Tracking Started
And that slow pace is also having an impact on the economy. News outlets report on vaccine outreach across the nation, as well as in the NBA.
Summer Surge Peaked? Covid Cases Tapering Off In Some Areas
Nationally, the number of new infections reported daily declined 20%. And as experts try the predict the future of an unpredictable virus, news outlets report on what Americans can do to avoid another wave.
Senate Republicans Kill Effort To Suspend Debt Ceiling, Avert Shutdown
The House-passed legislation was blocked in the Senate on Monday, leaving Democrats scrambling for a plan B to avoid a government shutdown and U.S. loan default — an outcome that economists warn could lead to another recession. Meanwhile, intraparty tensions among Democrats mount over the intertwined infrastructure and social spending bills.
Top Officials Stepping Down From CDC And FDA Covid Teams
Leadership of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention covid response will now be held by Barbara Mahon. And at the Food and Drug Administration, Peter Marks will now head up the agency’s vaccine office.
Biden Rolls Up His Sleeve For Booster; McConnell, Too, In ‘Easy Decision’
President Joe Biden received his third shot of the Pfizer covid vaccine during an impromptu news conference, as the White House pool recorded the event. He said, “boosters are important, but the most important thing we need to do is get more people vaccinated.”
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Different Takes: Will Covid Cause A Physician Shortage?; Reasons US Is So Far Behind On Vaccinations
Opinion writers examine these covid and vaccine topics.
Viewpoints: Mississippi Next To Take On Abortion; Covid Worries Keep Patients From Cancer Screenings
Editorial writers delve into these various public health topics.
Fewer People Got Food Poisoning In 2020, But The Reasons Why Are Murky
More handwashing, less international travel and restaurant closures may have contributed to the decrease, CIDRAP reports. On the flip side, cases may have been underreported because fewer people may have sought medical help during lockdown.
Georgians Flocked To ACA Exchanges During Special Enrollment
More than 147,000 residents selected an ACA health plan between Feb. 15 and Aug. 15, AP reported. During the same period last year, about 41,000 people in Georgia signed up. Other news is from Kentucky, Ohio and Arizona.
WHO Assembles New Team Of Scientists To Dig Into Covid’s Origins
The Wall Street Journal reports that the new group will examine whether the virus could have emerged from a lab, a hypothesis that has angered China. Other news is from New Zealand, Brazil, Norway, Germany, China and elsewhere.
The ‘Dire’ State Of Surge In Hot Spots: Full Hospitals, Full Morgues
While the delta-driven surge is starting to loosen up in some areas, health officials are extremely worried for harder-hit sections of the U.S. In Montana, a Veterans Affairs facility has started to treat people not associated with the military. And morgues in Idaho report that they’re out of space.
After Feds Ration Regeneron, Florida Buys A Different Monoclonal Antibody
Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis announced the shipment of 3,000 doses of sotrovimab to help the state overcome its covid surge. Meanwhile, the World Health Organization officially recommended Regeneron but criticized its pricing and distribution.
Who Isn’t Using Telehealth During The Pandemic? Study Breaks It Down
Other health care industry news is on upcoming deadlines for covid-19 grant spending, electronic health records (EHRs), Greenwood Leflore Hospital’s financial troubles and FDA leadership.
Confusion Swirls Over Who May Get A Vaccine Booster
Doctors report a flood of questions from patients about who is eligible for another covid vaccine dose and whether they “may” or “should” get one. Dr. Rochelle Walensky acknowledges that a lot of the disarray stems from early White House messaging that boosters would be available to all — only to be followed by much more limited approval by the FDA and CDC last week.
Biden Slams Unvaxxed Americans, Says He’ll Push Mandates ‘Wherever I Can’
During a national address Friday, President Joe Biden criticized the more than 70 million people who haven’t started the vaccination process. “And to make matters worse, there are elected officials actively working to undermine with false information the fight against covid-19. This is totally unacceptable.”
Vaccine Hesitancy Has Waned, Poll Suggests
Even so, reaching holdouts — especially teens — has become tougher and tougher. In other news, a new vaccine patch developed at UNC Chapel Hill could change everything about how vaccines are administered, ABC11 reports.
House Passes Abortion Rights Measure In Largely Symbolic Vote
The Women’s Health Protection Act was approved in a 218-211 vote Friday night, with one Democrat crossing party lines. With little chance of getting past a filibuster, the bill is viewed as dead on arrival in the Senate.