Latest KFF Health News Stories
Perspectives: Time For Medical Professionals And The CDC To Recognize Racism; Safer Days For Kids
Editorial writers express views on these public health issues and others.
Big Ten Trouble: 42 Wisconsin Players, Staff Have Had COVID Since June — Including 29 This Month
The news comes one day after the conference announced it will resume playing football next month.
California Virus Laws Protect Police Officers, Fire Fighters, Health Care Workers
Media outlets report on news from California, Texas, South Dakota, New York, Idaho, Oregon, Louisiana, Colorado and District of Columbia.
Facebook Says It Will Limit Groups Giving Health Advice
In a blog post, Facebook also said it would limit groups tied to violence. Other public health news is on home dialysis, community living, childhood vaccines and more.
Children’s Hospitals In Texas, Minnesota Report Data Breaches
All of the cyberattacks, which also targeted Allina Health and Regions Hospital in Minnesota, were part of a ransomware attack on a cloud computing company called Blackbaud.
NYC Delays Opening Schools For In-Person Classes
News from North Carolina, Texas, South Dakota, California, Virginia, Rhode Island and Indiana schools is reported.
Scientists Push To Solve Mysteries Of COVID
The big questions persist: How did it start? How will it end? What went wrong? What other viruses are emerging?
Testing Policies Might Miss Infections Among Pregnant Women
More than half of pregnant women who were tested were asymptomatic, according to two new studies. Research is on premature births, Pine Sol is an alternative for Clorox wipes, eyeglass protection and more.
State Treasurers Want Gilead To Slash Price Of Remdesivir
In a letter Wednesday, 11 state officials asked the company to “responsibly commit to being a part of our nation’s recovery from COVID-19, both medically and economically, by repricing this drug more affordably.”
Anti-Mask Republican Congressman Will Lead COVID Drug Trial
Rep. Andy Harris (R-Md.) is on the data and safety monitoring committee for the drug aviptadil. The five-term congressman’s membership on the board is unusual; former FDA chief Scott Gottlieb told Politico he hadn’t heard of a member of Congress sitting on such a committee for any drug. Surgeon General Jerome Adams and Dr. Anthony Fauci also make headlines.
Some PPE Shortages Are Worsening
Supply-chain glitches have yet to be fixed. On Thursday, Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) said the country should “err on the side of saving lives” by federalizing the supply chain.
Moderna, Pfizer Reveal Vaccine Designs
Companies typically share these plans after studies are complete, but both companies hope to earn the trust of the public and scientists.
CMS Task Force Unveils Guidelines For How Nursing Homes Can Fight COVID
The commission, announced by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services in April, was tasked with enhancing strategies for infection control and prevention in facilities. The task force was made up of 25 appointed members, including infectious disease experts and directors of nursing homes. Critics claim it does little to set higher standards.
Private Insurers Pay More Than Double What Medicare Pays For Same Care
“The prices are so high, the prices are so unaffordable — it’s just a runaway train,” said Gloria Sachdev, the chief executive of the Employers’ Forum of Indiana, a coalition that worked with RAND on the study.
‘President Should Step Down’: Biden Condemns Trump’s Pandemic Response
At a campaign town hall in Pennsylvania, Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden charged that President Donald Trump’s coronavirus actions have been solely motivated by re-election and financial self-interest. He also questioned vaccine timing talk and slammed Attorney William Barr’s comments comparing pandemic restrictions to slavery.
House Vote On Marijuana Legalization Bill Postponed Until After Election
More moderate Democrats expressed concerns about the progressive labeling of the bill and failure to pass a relief bill.
Frustrations Roil Surface Of Relief Negotiations But Spur No Progress
Despite talk of a middle ground from President Donald Trump and some lawmakers, stimulus legislation negotiators end the week no closer to striking a deal.
Trump Officials’ Private Battle To Control CDC Messaging Goes Public
Health officials within HHS and CDC fear that recent attacks leveled by President Donald Trump and his aides at CDC Director Robert Redfield could escalate, while the American public receives mixed messages from the federal government during a public health crisis.
White House Abandoned HHS Plan To Mail Masks To Every American In April
Documents obtained by The Washington Post and NBC News detail the Department of Health and Human Service’s proposal to deliver 650 million cloth masks in April — enough for five face coverings per household, according to a U.S. Postal Service draft press release. The USPS papers also reveal safety fears raised by postal workers since the pandemic’s start.
Europe’s COVID Cases Rising Faster Than Spring’s Peak, Alarming WHO
The World Health Organization’s European officials warn governments and residents to redouble efforts to fight the virus. With hospitalizations spiking, the United Kingdom considers a second lockdown. And the worldwide total of confirmed COVID-19 cases passes the 30 million mark.