Latest KFF Health News Stories
Contagious Covid Variant Spreading As Cases Rise Across U.S.
Worries rise that the more contagious B.1.1.7 coronavirus variant first identified in the U.K. will cause another surge, as the CDC notes it’s the most prevalent strain found in five states. Meanwhile an uptick in infection numbers is reported.
CDC: Covid Officially The Third Biggest Cause of Death in 2020
U.S. Deaths in 2020: 3.3 million. Covid was the third leading cause of death after heart disease and cancer. “Continued messaging and training for professionals who complete death certificates remains important as the pandemic progresses,” researchers said.
Dramática baja de enfermedades por virus comunes, ¿significa máscaras para siempre?
Algunos expertos, como los investigadores que intentan mejorar las máscaras, argumentan que más sociedades deberían adoptarlas, como lo han hecho algunos países asiáticos.
Opinion writers weigh in on vaccines, long haulers, covid-19 and vaccine passports.
Different Takes: Endometriosis Must Be Diagnosed Earlier; Health Fallout Of Microaggressions
Editorial pages tackle these public health issues.
Covid Herd Immunity Can Be Reached–And Then Lost
In other news of covid, pandemic research, Cleveland Clinic partners with IBM, T cells fight covid variants, and socio-economic disparities made clearer.
New York State Moves Toward Legalized Recreational Marijuana
In other news from across the states, a report highlights dangerous lead in a Florida factory; lines are reportedly short at Florida’s covid vaccination sites; Colorado battles vaccine hesitancy; and the Baltimore Sun reports on Maryland’s efforts to assure vaccine equity.
Covid Deaths At This Stage Of Pandemic Hit Families Especially Hard
In other public health news, retailers are pressured on toxic chemicals in products and will mask wearing never go away?
WHO: Health Workers Face Mental Health Challenges
The World Health Organization warned that doctors, nurses and medical staff report higher levels of anxiety and depression. Meanwhile health care workers deaths reach 3,605, according to a KHN and Guardian investigation.
Manhattan Hospital Criticized For Near $3,000 Covid Test Insurance Bills
A report highlights Lenox Hill Hospital charging health insurers nearly 30 times the typical cost of covid tests. Elsewhere the FCC plans to update its telehealth program, and Blue Cross North Carolina is set to be one of the first insurers to end covid cost-sharing protections.
Safety-Net Hospitals Worry About New Medicaid Cuts
Medicaid reimbursement reductions loom in many states which could endanger safety-net hospitals that did not fare well during the pandemic. News on Medicaid is also reported from Missouri, Arkansas, South Carolina and Mississippi.
White House Reverses Trump’s Global Anti-Reproductive Rights Policy
In other reproductive health news, Texas lawmakers approve six anti-abortion bills; Kentucky passes a constitutional amendment denying the right to abortion in the state; and Delaware begins to erase its 19th-Century law making abortion a felony.
Congressional Democrats Eye Medicare Eligibility Age, CRA
The Democrats may try to use the Congressional Review Act to overturn Trump-era Department of Health and Human Services rules. And proposed Medicare changes are also in the works.
White House Building A Covid Vaccine Trust Volunteer Network
As the Biden Administration tries to build up confidence in the covid shots, a survey shows that more Americans are willing to get vaccinated. The Wall Street Journal notes that the U.S. has no central database for immunizations. And the vaccine passport issue is getting more tangled.
Journalists Allowed Into Texas Migrant Facility Where Over 4,000 Shelter
The media spotlight is focused on the Biden administration’s immigrant policies as journalists enter an overcrowded government facility in Texas. Meanwhile, over 10% of roughly 750 unaccompanied minors have tested positive for coronavirus at a San Diego facility.
Loosening Covid Restrictions Hand Biden His First Surge
President Joe Biden and his administration must now cope with a dangerous spike in covid cases while many governors ignore his pleas for continued vigilance. Also, inside the White House pandemic briefings.
WHO Defends ‘First Start’ On Covid Origins; US, Other Nations Demand More Transparency
After days of leaks, the World Health Organization officially released its report Tuesday on the source of the covid-19 pandemic. Limited access to data from China is a key source of the dissatisfaction voiced by many countries, including the U.S.
Covid Vaccine Eligibility Coming To All Adults In Every State
New data suggest covid vaccine demand varies significantly from place to place, with rural areas showing more reluctance. But all 50 states are planning to open vaccine eligibility to anyone aged 16 and over soon.
Pfizer Says Its Vaccine Protects Kids 12 And Up
Pfizer claims its covid vaccine made with BioNTech is 100% effective for children as young as 12. Pfizer also said it will begin testing a freeze-dried version of its vaccine. In other vaccine news, Germany restricts the use of AstraZeneca’s covid vaccine.
Covid Surges Shift To Younger People, As Older Generation Is Vaccinated
As 26 states report an increase in covid numbers, the data suggests that the age of new covid patients is skewing lower. And some doctors report that many new patients are less sick. Meanwhile, worries deepen that covid variants may run rampant, and Florida’s fatality numbers may have been undercounted.