Latest KFF Health News Stories
Workers Ask Large Retailers To Boost Pay, Safety During Shopping Season
In other news, people again are panic-buying toilet paper, fans are off limits at a South Dakota basketball tournament, recovery groups go online and more.
When the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently asked young adults if they had thought about killing themselves in the past 30 days, 1 of 4 said they had.
People Over 45 Warned About Greater Risk Of STIs
Among those at risk are people entering new relationships, often post-menopause, when they’re less likely to follow safe sex measures because pregnancy is no longer a consideration.
Hospitals Take Practical Steps To Survive COVID Crisis
At New York City Health and Hospitals, some of the protective measures include equipping patient rooms with cameras and microphones to enable more remote monitoring, purchasing additional ventilators and dialysis machines, establishing hot (COVID) and cold (non-COVID) areas in hospitals and training some existing nurses for ICU work.
FDA Approves Drug To Slow Progeria
The drug, Zokinvy, appears to increase the average lifespan of children with the rapid-aging disorder by more than two years.
Essential Workers Might Get Vaccine Before High-Risk People, Elderly
Members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, a group of outside experts that makes recommendations to the CDC on use of vaccines, met Monday.
Study: COVID Largely Spares Kids, Yet Is More Severe In Children Of Color
The study, led by the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and published Monday in JAMA Pediatrics, looked at almost 136,000 pediatric patients — only 4% of those tested positive for the virus. Other research news touches on sense of smell, lung capacity and bloodstream infections.
CDC Issues New Guidelines For Contact Tracers; Minnesota Urges App Use
In other news: The Strategic National Stockpile still lacks supplies, Clorox can’t keep up, Sen. Susan Collins lands a hefty testing swab contract for a Maine company, and more.
States Anticipate Biden Will Bolster Health Exchanges, Medicaid
Stateline examines how the incoming Biden administration could deliver increased support and funding for state health care services.
Medicaid Expansion Credited For Improved Colon Cancer Care
A study found that patients in the first three stages of colon cancer who were in expansion states were more likely to receive primarily surgical treatment within 30 days than those in non-expansion states.
Texas, Louisiana Can Halt Medicaid Funding To Planned Parenthood, Appeals Court Rules
Reversing a lower court’s ruling, a federal appeals court ruled that the states can cut off Medicaid funding to Planned Parenthood clinics. The case is expected to reach the Supreme Court.
Delivery Begins Of Regeneron’s Antibody Treatment After FDA OK
The Trump administration says it will start today distributing the COVID-19 therapy, just approved for emergency use by the FDA. Meanwhile a former FDA chief warns about the virus’ long-term effects.
COVID Planning At Top Of Biden’s To-Do List As Transition Officially Starts
With access to funds and federal officials no longer blocked, getting up to speed on the government’s pandemic response and vaccine distributions plans is the top priority for President-elect Joe Biden’s transition team.
3-Week ‘Pause’ Begins Today In Nevada To Get COVID ‘Wildfire Under Control’
News about state and local virus restrictions also comes from Washington, D.C., California, Delaware, Florida and Missouri. Additionally, research explores how mask mandates can help consumer spending as well as public health efforts.
At-Capacity Colorado Hospitals Can Turn Away Patients; N.Y. Reopens Emergency Hospital
To address the surge of COVID cases flooding the medical system, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis signed an executive order allowing hospitals to transfer patients without their consent or not admit new ones if the facility is full. And in New York, a Staten Island emergency hospital is reopened.
Hospitalizations Climb For 14th Straight Day. Peak Is Still Weeks Away.
Over 85,000 Americans are severely sick enough from COVID-19 to require hospitalization, overwhelming health care capacity and workers. And one model indicates that the crisis will only deepen over the next three weeks, while Dr. Anthony Fauci warns that the U.S. death total could reach 300,000.
Millions Of Americans Board Planes For Thanksgiving, Despite Public Health Warnings
More than 3 million Americans headed to airports over the weekend, while medical professionals and public health officials simultaneously warned of the COVID-19 dangers of traveling and celebrating the holiday with people outside one’s own household.
Utah Eases Limits On Thanksgiving Gatherings; Pa. Plans Get Tougher
Even though cases are surging in several counties, Utah dropped restrictions on household-only gatherings. Pennsylvania takes steps to lessen spread, while South Dakota lets common sense rule.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Rural Areas Send Their Sickest Patients to Cities, Straining Hospitals
Critically ill rural patients are often sent to city hospitals for high-level treatment, and as their numbers grow, some urban hospitals are buckling under the added strain. Meanwhile, mask-wearing and other pandemic prevention measures remain spotty in rural counties.