Latest KFF Health News Stories
Fauci, Other Health Experts Press On Against Large Thanksgiving Gatherings
The nation’s top infectious disease expert urged Americans to conduct a “risk-benefit assessment” before getting together. “Every family is different. Everyone has a different level of risk that they want to tolerate,” he said.
First Vaccine Could Be Administered In US As Early As Dec. 11
Moncef Slaoui, the chief scientific adviser for Operation Warp Speed, said that if approvals proceed as expected, the nation’s vaccination program could start by mid-December and that 70% of Americans could be inoculated by mid-May.
Vaccine Rollout?: Delay Of Freezers, Short Shelf Life Could Stymie Plans
“We really don’t want to lose a drop of this stuff, so it’s a concern. And I don’t have all the answers for how we’re going to do this yet,” said Paul Cieslak, Oregon’s medical director for communicable diseases and immunizations.
AstraZeneca-Oxford COVID-19 Vaccine Prevents Virus In Average Of 70% Cases
Two dosing regimens were tested by AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford — one regimen showed 90% efficacy while the other showed 62%.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
California Law Banning Toxic Chemicals in Cosmetics Will Transform Industry
The law will ban the manufacture and sale in California of personal care products that contain 24 toxics, including asbestos, formaldehyde and lead, and is expected to fill a gap in federal regulation as companies sell the new formulations nationwide.
Parents Complain That Pediatricians, Wary of COVID, Shift Sick Kids to Urgent Care
Referrals of children to urgent care clinics or emergency rooms have become so prevalent that the American Academy of Pediatrics came out with interim guidance on how practices can safely continue to see patients. The academy recommended that pediatricians strive “to provide care for the same variety of visits that they provided prior to the public health emergency.”
Were You Notified About Missing Tax Forms for Your ACA Subsidy? Blame COVID.
Some consumers who received tax credits to purchase insurance from Affordable Care Act marketplaces report they’ve received letters in error from the government saying they didn’t file the IRS forms to account for how much money they made and how much funding they received from the government.
Viewpoints: Who Gets The Vaccine First? Depends On Who You Ask; Lessons On Hoarding Virus Therapies
Editorial pages focus on these pandemic topics and others.
Longer Looks: Interesting Reads You Might Have Missed
Each week, KHN finds longer stories for you to sit back and enjoy. This week’s selections include stories on masks, tattoos, wasp venom, Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, Obamacare, death doulas and more.
Perspectives: Masking Up For Thanksgiving; Getting Good Care; Keeping Schools Open
How honest will people be about the size of their bubbles during the holidays? Opinion pages focus on that issue and other COVID topics.
Lawmakers Push For Georgia To Free Detainees Over Gynecology Care
A letter from more than 100 congressional Democrats calls for the women to receive necessary certifications for a chance to apply for U-visas, which allow undocumented immigrants who have assisted law enforcement to apply to stay in the country legally, The Washington Post reports.
Report: EU Gets Lower Price Than U.S. For Pfizer, CureVac Vaccines
The report from Reuters says that the lower price reflects the financial support given by the European Union to BioNTech for the drug’s development. News is on Mexico and Serbia, as well.
Sigh: More Schools Are Shifting Students Online
Some or most schools except K-8 are closing in places like New York City, Kentucky and Michigan. Many are receiving political pushback over whether closures help reduce infection spread.
Rise In Cases Among TSA Employees Noted Nationwide Since October
Miami International has the largest number of cases — 157 — reported. News is on ways to keep yourself safe while navigating airports, and updates on sports and celebrities.
Vaping Rate Rising; Rate Of Decline in Cigarette Smoking Stalls
The adult smoking rate last saw a substantial drop in 2017. The new figures mean there are more than 34 million adult smokers in the U.S. About 11 million people are e-cigarette users. News is on the pandemic’s toll on smokers, a delay in the execution of a woman on death row, and more.
90% Positive: Officials Request Field Hospital To Treat Infected Prisoners
In Carson City, Nevada, 470 prisoners out of 525 have tested positive at the Warm Springs Correctional Center, along with 55 staff members. News is on the Sequoia Project, Quality Payment Program and Nuance Communications.
Promising News In The Fights Against Cancer And HIV
New research published this week suggests that combining a cancer vaccine with adjuvant molecules might help prevent the recurrence of melanoma. In AIDS developments, deaths related to HIV plunged from 2010 to 2018, data show.
Milwaukee Health Department Staffers Receiving Death Threats
“MHD staff have received death threats, have actively had their identity circulated over social media in posts or comments promoting aggressive acts, and had two individuals appear at an MHD location requesting access to such MHD staff,” the department said in a statement.
Delirium May Be COVID Symptom For Elderly
A new study found that 28% of COVID-19 patients ages 65 and older at seven U.S. emergency departments had delirium. In some cases, it was their only symptom.