Latest KFF Health News Stories
Emergency Responders Wary Of Safely Protecting Evacuees From Storms, COVID
People needing to be relocated during hurricanes often have health issues that can be compromised by COVID, experts say. Public health news also focuses on mental health, women’s health, bingeing, and more.
‘Really Very Difficult Indeed’: Schools Plan For A Complicated Fall
Among the reporting on schools: Detroit will test summer school students; three DC-area school districts reverse course to start fully online in the fall; and why the littlest seem at lower risk.
The Georgia governor, despite fighting Atlanta officials over a mask mandate, now asks citizens to wear masks. Marriott Hotels wants its guests to wear them, too.
COVID Scientists Dig Deeper Into Immunity, Transmission, Blood Clots
But many questions are still mysteries, such as how the virus spread so silently and quickly, and how deadly it really is. Meanwhile, researchers look further into the disease’s effects on organs, how UV light might help and how other viruses or vaccinations play a role.
Hospitals Expect To Face Financial Shortfalls
The main lobbying group for American hospitals reports hospitals will be running in the red because of Covid costs as it asks for even more federal taxpayer relief.
Impending Insolvency Of Medicare May Hit Sooner Due To Pandemic
With record numbers out of work, fewer payroll taxes are coming in to fund Medicare — at the same time more people are enrolling and Congress dips into Medicare’s reserves to help fund COVID-19 relief efforts.
Biden Unveils His Caregiver Plans
Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden announces a $775 billion (over 10 years) plan to improve care for children and the elderly. He couches it as part of an economic recovery effort.
We Won’t Skimp On Safety, Vaccine Makers Promise Lawmakers
In testimony to Congress, officials from AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson, Merck, Moderna and Pfizer said the unprecedented speedy push for a vaccine won’t cause them to cut corners.
White House, Congressional GOP Continue To Clash Over Stimulus Bill
Back-and-forth negotiations Tuesday between the White House and Senate Republicans yielded little agreement — but a lot of ire — over the scope and cost of the next pandemic funding legislation.
Chinese Hackers Targeting Biotech Firms, Says FBI
The FBI said the Chinese government is acting like “an organized criminal syndicate” and a Congressman proposes a bill to sanction foreign hackers.
Trump And Spokeswoman Contradict One Another On How Often He’s Tested
Press secretary Kayleigh McEnany told reporters Tuesday that the president gets tested for coronavirus multiple times a day. Yet later in the day, President Donald Trump put the frequency closer to one test every two to three days.
Trump Abandons Rosy Forecast: Pandemic To ‘Get Worse Before It Gets Better’
In the first briefing of the White House coronavirus task force since April, President Donald Trump warned the nation about the state of the pandemic. He also told Americans to, “get a mask.”
Positive COVID Test? Isolate For 10 Days, CDC Now Says
Updated guidelines from the CDC for those who’ve gotten a positive coronavirus test result recommend isolating for 10 days after symptoms begin. For asymptomatic patients, it’s 10 days from the testing date.
COVID Death Rate In America Back Up To Over 1,000 In A Day
For the first time since early June, the United States reported Tuesday more than 1,000 deaths in a single day due to the coronavirus. The alarming climb in death rates and hospitalizations undercut arguments about the severity of the current surge.
True Number Of COVID Cases Could Be 10 Times Higher
The CDC reports that blood samples taken from people in 10 U.S regions show that far more Americans have been infected by COVID-19 than have tested positive. The study, published in JAMA Internal Medicine, also indicates that not enough people have been exposed for widespread immunity.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Bingeing on Doom: Expert on the ‘Black Death’ Attracts Cult Following
A 2016 series on the 14th-century plague became must-see TV during spring’s COVID-19 outbreak — and flooded Purdue medievalist Dorsey Armstrong with questions about parallels between that pandemic and the current crisis.
Essential and in Danger: Coronavirus Sickens, Even Kills Public Health Workers
As the coronavirus threatens the nation’s public health army, an outbreak in Maryland reflects the tension between serving the community and protecting workers from a deadly disease.
Scientists Want to Know More About Using UV Light to Fight COVID-19 Spread
‘Germicidal’ ultraviolet light technology has a proven track record against indoor transmission of tuberculosis and other airborne microbes. It’s now being used in some restaurants and on subways.
Another Problem on the Health Horizon: Medicare Is Running Out of Money
With millions out of work because of the coronavirus pandemic, fewer payroll taxes are coming in to help keep Medicare’s trust fund intact.