Latest KFF Health News Stories
Research Roundup: UTIs; C Difficile; Classic Hodgkin Lymphoma; Radiotherapy; Smoking And Tobacco
Each week, KHN compiles a selection of recently released health policy studies and briefs.
California Governor Orders Ban On New Diesel, Gas Cars By 2035
The White House criticized the announcement: “… the lengths to which they will go to destroy jobs and raise costs on the consumer is alarming.”
Missouri Gov. Mike Parson, Who Railed Against Masks, Now Has Coronavirus
NPR reports that as recently as July 11, Parson told a group of cattle ranchers that the government should not interfere with their decision to wear or forgo a face covering. “You don’t need government to tell you to wear a dang mask,” he said.
Fall Could Be Worse Than Spring: Trudeau Warns Canada About Second Wave
The Canadian prime minister says it’s unlikely people will be gathering for their Thanksgiving in October. News is also from Germany, Israel, Malaysia, Honduras and Vietnam.
CDC: Halloween Masks Don’t Offer Protection
The agency also warns against wearing a costume mask over a regular cloth face mask and instead recommends Halloween-themed cloth masks. Other public health news reports on ongoing county fairs, airline mask policies, parental burnout and Wall Street’s reopening, as well.
Wildfires Expose More Americans Than Ever To Toxic Air Pollution
The increase of 9 million more Americans is compared to 2018, the worst previous year. Other news is on exercising when the air is hazy, a death linked to black licorice, food safety and more.
Testing Czar Ships Rapid Test Kits To Black Colleges
The first shipment of more than 250,000 will be followed up next week with 300,000 more. Other news is on school building safety, transmission rates, banned students and more.
Legendary Football Player Gale Sayers Dies Following Battle With Dementia
His wife said she partly blames the repeated head injuries during his NFL career for his dementia. News is also on figure skating.
Studies Show Face Shields Don’t Stop COVID, But Copper Surfaces Do
Researchers are urging hospitals to consider swapping out stainless steel surfaces for copper. COVID lives for several days on stainless steel but dies within hours on copper, studies show.
New In Biotech: Google Maps’ COVID Tracker; Apple Watch’s Blood Oxygen Sensor
And in pharmaceutical news, “brain-boosting” supplements may contain unapproved drugs in potentially dangerous combinations and doses.
Number Of Patients, Surgeries Slow To Return To Normal, Report Finds
The slow rebound is causing financial concerns for hospitals. Also in the news: liability claims against home care nurses; medical deferrals for immigrants; COVID grants; Northwell Health; Teladoc; Amwell; and Community Health Systems.
Trump Promises Abortion Executive Order In Appeal To Catholic Voters
Text of the order has not been released, but President Donald Trump said it will require health care providers to provide medical care to all babies born alive, whether prematurely or from a failed abortion. Organizations representing obstetricians and gynecologists say the law already provides those protections.
Kids Will Likely Be At The Back Of The Vaccine Line
With no clinical trials underway, a COVID-19 vaccine for children is unlikely before the fall of 2021. Other news stories report the latest on vaccine development by Sanofi, Merck and AstraZeneca.
Trump Refuses To Pledge To Peaceful Transition Of Power If He Loses Election
“Get rid of the ballots, and you’ll have a very — we’ll have a very peaceful, there won’t be a transfer, frankly. There’ll be a continuation,” President Donald Trump said of the uptick in mail-in voting due to the pandemic. “The ballots are out of control.”
As Voter Safety And Politics Clash, Fight Over Mail-In Voting Ramps Up
The latest developments include: a ProPublica and WRAL News analysis that finds black voters in North Carolina are more than twice as likely to have their mail-in ballot rejected; how Ohio made voting decisions; a pending court ruling in Montana; and record early voting in Virginia.
Feds Cracking Down On Hospitals That Don’t Report Daily COVID Data
The draft guidance is expected to be sent to hospitals this week. The government also wants hospitals to provide daily information on flu cases.
Health Agency Heads Field Heated Questions On Vaccines, Independence Of Scientists
FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn, NIH infectious disease chief Anthony Fauci and CDC Director Robert Redfield testified on the state of the coronavirus pandemic before a Senate panel Wednesday.
Fauci Chides Paul For Distorting Facts On Herd Immunity
“I challenge that. You were not listening to what the director of the CDC said, that in New York, it’s about 22 percent. If you believe 22 percent is herd immunity, I believe you’re alone in that.” Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease specialist, told Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) during the Senate hearing. The two men have clashed before, but Wednesday’s exchange was particularly pointed.
More Contagious Viral Strain Dominates COVID Cases In Houston-Based Study
Nearly all of the samples taken in the more recent months of the pandemic for the largest U.S. genetic study of the virus that causes COVID-19 contained a mutation that makes it easier to transmit, though not deadlier.
Trump Threatens To Nix FDA Proposal For Stricter Vaccine Standards
“That has to be approved by the White House. We may or may not approve it. That sounds like a political move,” President Donald Trump said about a draft FDA plan to apply tougher safety and efficacy requirements for emergency use approval of a COVID-19 vaccine.