Latest KFF Health News Stories
B.1.1.7 Is Now ‘Alpha’: WHO To Rename Covid Variants
The current series of complex numbers and letters makes it hard to keep B.1.351 straight from B.1.671.2. So the World Health Organization is set to unveil a new naming convention that uses the Greek alphabet instead. Experts also hope that the change will alleviate location stigmas associated with virus variants.
More Covid Restrictions Lifted, But Virus Still Popping Up
Also, in Texas, the state legislature was unable to curtail the governor’s powers to fight an epidemic.
A Different Memorial Day Than Last Year: Americans Begin To Gather Again
After travel spiked, crowds gathered at Memorial Day weekend events across the nation, including at Arlington National Cemetery where President Joe Biden honored fallen soldiers and asked Americans to demonstrate more empathy toward each other.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Editorial pages tackle these public health issues.
Opinion writers weigh in on these vaccine and covid issues.
Longer Looks: Interesting Reads You Might Have Missed
Around the anniversary of George Floyd’s death, news outlets dive into the intersection of health, justice and racism. Covid’s impact on women’s health is also examined, as are breakthrough infections, the individual mandate, inconvenient science and the lonely pandemic pups.
Let’s Fly Away: Americans, Overseas Hot Spots Eager For Return Of Travel
Despite the eagerness of many people to hit the road again — and the need in many places for those tourist dollars — covid restrictions, vaccination requirements and other pandemic details are causing confusion and some hesitancy. News reports also examine China’s vaccination efforts, the situation in India and controversy in Thailand about vaccines.
Idaho Bans Mask Mandates; New Jersey Drops Its Mask, Social Distancing Rules
Among other news, New York City plans to tackle rising homelessness, Connecticut moves to boost schools’ mental health care, Planned Parenthood expands mental health care in Florida, and fraud charges related to covid scams are reported across the country.
Persistent Symptoms Common For Covid Patients
Nearly three quarters of the people who recover from covid have persistent problems. The most common symptoms are shortness of breath and fatigue, according to a literature review published by JAMA. Another study says heart inflammation from covid is rare among athletes tested.
Solutions To Hospital Staffing Shortages Sought
The Oregon State Hospital is seeking help from the National Guard. In other industry news, medical schools say they are working harder to add anti-racism training.
New Nursing Home Regulation Is Considered
Connecticut moves forward with legislation that forces nursing homes to be ready for another pandemic. Yet under California regulations, nursing home operators can continue running facilities even after they’ve been denied a state license.
Democrats See Medicaid Expansion As A Winning Issue
And Oklahoma’s governor lets a bill that puts restrictions on his plan to privatize Medicaid become law without his signature.
Eli Lilly Faces Criminal Investigation
The federal government launched a criminal investigation of Eli Lilly for manufacturing irregularities, according to Reuters. In other pharma news, the Biden administration won’t end the Unapproved Drug Initiative and Elizabeth Holmes’ lawyers claim publicity will deny her a fair trial. (They cited 3,755 examples of negative personal news and 2,862 examples of negative business news of defunct Theranos.)
Many Health Systems, Pointing To Pandemic Service, Seek Rate Increases
Many health systems expect that the wave of positive publicity from their work during the pandemic may help them as they renegotiate contracts with insurers and seek to make back some of the money they lost from canceled elective procedures. But experts point out that many of these hospitals did not lose as much money as anticipated.
CDC: The Next Month Will See Falling Covid Cases, Deaths
Despite the good news, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention predicts that up to 606,000 people may have died from covid by June 19. President Joe Biden is set to praise progress against the disease in a pre-Memorial Day appearance.
Dems Assail GOP On Drug Pricing Bill, Yet Fail To Gain Support In Own Caucus
In a series of ads, Democrats complain that Republican lawmakers are refuse to support legislation to cap prescription drug prices. But the bills are also controversial among Democrats. The majority party is also having trouble coming up with ways to end long-standing GOP measures that limit federal funding on abortions and gun research.
US Looking At More Unexamined Data On Wuhan Lab
Several news reports say U.S. intelligence officials have informed the White House that they have more evidence concerning the Wuhan lab that could be the origin of the covid virus. But it has yet to be examined. And WHO wants to see it, too.
No Covid Shot Yet? Your State May Try Clever Incentive Tricks To Woo You
Free state passes, fishing licenses for Minnesotans, college scholarships and an F-150 pickup truck for West Virginians, and million-dollar prizes in California are just some of the incentives being tried to reach the covid vaccine-hesitant.
Covid Vaccination Rates Improve
Ten states are now at 70% vaccinated. But a poll shows that it may be difficult to get shots in the arms of the remaining unwilling and hesitant.