Latest KFF Health News Stories
News Report Prompts Air Force Investigation Into Domestic Violence
CBS News notes that Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall called for an investigation into allegations of domestic violence, after a CBS report on the matter alleged inappropriate handling by the military. Meanwhile, reports say the Supreme Court is ready to return to limited in-person arguments.
Maryland Widens Booster Shot Program To Nursing Home Elderly
Axios notes that Maryland’s move making elderly in nursing homes eligible for covid booster shots makes it the first state to offer boosters to a cohort outside the immunocompromised. Meanwhile, the director of the World Health Organization called for countries to halt boosters until 2022.
Indoor Mask Rules Grow in Nevada, Ohio, New York
Meanwhile, Kentucky goes the opposite direction. In other news, football fans wonder how — or if — it’s possible to stay safe from covid while cheering on their favorite teams.
United Airlines To Put Vaccine-Exempt Workers On Leave Of Absence
Company officials at United Airlines said they could “no longer allow unvaccinated people back into the workplace.” Separately, Qantas confirmed unvaccinated travelers will be banned from flying internationally. Vaccine mandates, digital records, religious exemptions and more are also reported.
Biden To Lay Out New Covid Measures To Combat Delta Surge
President Joe Biden will announce his administration’s new 6-step strategy centering around vaccination outreach, boosters, masks and testing.
Covid Outlook Getting Worse For Kids
Children now account for more than one-quarter of new weekly US covid cases, CIDRAP reports. It’s the first time that has happened during the pandemic. And a new Yale University study found that severe breakthrough infections mostly affect older people with underlying health conditions.
Los Angeles Schools Voting Today On Vaccine Requirement For Students
The nation’s second-largest school system would become the first in the nation with a vaccine mandate for students 12 and older. And in Florida, a judge has ruled that schools can start legally requiring masks.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Opinion writers delve into these covid and vaccine issues.
Editorial writers weigh in on adolescent stress management, cybersecurity in healthcare and Texas women’s health care issues.
FDA Tries To Fill The Gap For Smoking-Cessation Drug Chantix
Read about the biggest pharmaceutical developments and pricing stories from the past week in KHN’s Prescription Drug Watch roundup.
Perspectives: Mail-Order Prescriptions Unfairly Ensnared In War On Opioids
Read recent commentaries about drug-cost issues.
Global Progress Against HIV, TB, Malaria Faltered During Pandemic
The impact of covid extended even into the battle against other diseases, according to a new report. Meanwhile, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention added Sri Lanka, Jamaica and Brunei to its covid travel alert list, France’s doctors ask for protection against death threats, and more.
Covid The Worst Public Health Threat? No: Climate Change, Med Journals Say
More than 200 medical journals from around the world have collaborated to issue a joint statement warning of “catastrophic harm” to health from climate change caused by emissions. Meanwhile, researchers say hiding indoors from wildfire smoke is ineffective for protecting health.
Louisiana Nursing Homes Lose Licenses After Hurricane Evacuations, Deaths
Four people died after more than 800 residents were moved to a warehouse, where conditions became hellish. Other news is from California, Wisconsin, New York, Mississippi and Colorado.
CMS To Bolster Some State Reinsurance Programs With $452M Infusion
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is set to announce, Axios reports, that it will support more than a dozen state programs that pay insurers to help cover the cost of extremely expensive health care needed by some customers, in an effort to keep premiums low for more people.
Elizabeth Holmes Gets Her Day In Court As Theranos Trial Begins Today
At the heart of the matter are thousands of patients whom Holmes and Theranos are accused of defrauding: a mother misled about her pregnancy, a patient told to stop taking heart medication and patients who received false HIV-positive results, NBC reports.
FDA: Paperwork Not Filed Before Covid Microbiome Drug Tested On Humans
Kaleido Biosciences has been warned by the Food and Drug Administration that it broke paperwork procedure in clinical tests of a microbiome therapeutic aimed at treating covid. In other news, miniature brain-like structures have been grown in the lab to boost Parkinson’s disease research.
Vaccine Mandates Face New Lawsuits, Local Pushback
Health workers in Detroit and Maine filed legal challenges to employee vaccine requirements. State leaders in Arizona and Oregon are also at odds with measures enacted by city governments.
C Is For Covid, As Outbreaks, Mask Rules, Quarantines Impact Schooling
Pennsylvania schools now have a mask mandate, but Utah’s conflicting mask rules frustrate parents. In Indiana’s schools, 7,200 new cases were reported. Unmasked kids are stressing teachers, and some schools opt to buy high-tech air purifiers to battle covid infections, as covid is upsetting education.