Latest KFF Health News Stories
Editorial pages focus on these public health topics and others.
Different Takes: Pros, Cons Of FDA’s Plasma Decision; Trump Plays Defense On Health Care Policies
Opinion writers weigh in on these health care topics and others.
Threat Of Resurgent COVID Shutters Most Schools In Seoul
Also in global headlines: Germany’s travel warning for Paris and the French Riviera; questions of herd immunity in Brazil; virus lockdown in Gaza; and more.
Six States Set Out To Track COVID Infections From Sturgis Motorcyle Rally
Cellphone data shows 61% of the counties in the U.S. have had visits from someone who attended the Sturgis, S.D., rally. State news is from Minnesota, Nebraska, Wyoming, North Dakota, Washington, Louisiana, Texas, Wisconsin, Michigan, Oklahoma, Massachusetts, Maine and Montana, as well.
‘Roller Coaster’: Northern Californians Face More Dangerous Wildfires
The state was spared another round of fire-starting lightning storms, but residents are warned to stay away from homes in Northern California fire zones. California news is on masking up, nursing homes, progress on COVID, and more.
Some Good News About Mosquitoes And Ticks: They Can’t Spread COVID
In other public health news: peaches pulled for possible salmonella; breastfeeding pods in Walmart stores; and a breakthrough in cartilage research.
Judge Blocks Florida Requirement To Hold In-Class Instruction
The Florida Education Association filed a lawsuit saying the rule violated a provision in Florida’s constitution. School news is from California, New Mexico, Texas, Montana, Alabama and Iowa.
Researchers Probe Long-Term Effects Of COVID On Children
Although the majority of children experience mild illness, some are reporting symptoms that persist for weeks, or the development of post-viral syndromes, according to the Wall Street Journal. News outlets also report that the World Health Organization suggests masks for many kids, scientists are looking into the transmission risk from children and concerns about how to handle school safety.
Learning To Live With The Virus Doesn’t Have To Be Scary
Scientists map out scenarios of how humans might come to coexist with this new threat. News looks at developing immunity, retesting’s value, and more.
Analysts Say Insurers’ Record Profits Will Be Tempered In Coming Months
Moody’s expects profits to deflate as insurers give funds back to customers, Modern Healthcare reports. Also in news about the health care marketplace: Google invests in a telemedicine company going public and a Colorado man learns that an uninsured patient is extremely vulnerable to exorbitant hospital bills.
Uninsured In Texas Flock To Direct Primary Care Practices
Faced with skyrocketing health insurance premiums, families turn to a growing niche of primary care as a stop-gap alternative during the pandemic. News outlets also look at how unemployment and evictions are impacting Americans.
AstraZeneca Kicks Off Early-Stage Trial Of COVID Antibody Treatment
Also in virus treatment news: NIH plans to look at Gilead’s remdesivir-like compound; a new study out on remdesivir; and the dangers of oleandrin.
Pharma Asks: Where Is Trump’s Drug Price Order?
The Trump administration has still not released the president’s executive order said to tie some U.S. drug prices to European drug prices. In other news: a disconnect on pill change alerts, and a unit of Sun Pharma settles allegations.
GOP Speakers Praise Trump For ‘Quick Action And Leadership’ On COVID
Republicans speaking Monday night at the party’s convention met criticism of the president’s actions on the coronavirus response head-on, arguing that he helped turn the tide on the pandemic and saved thousands of lives.
In Heated Exchange With Lawmakers, Postal Leader Defends Changes
“I am not engaged in sabotaging the election,” Postmaster General Louis DeJoy told a House committee, but President Donald Trump again Monday lashed out at Democrats’ push to have more people vote by mail.
Census Results Affect States’ Health Spending
In 2017 alone, Census data helped direct $1.1 trillion in Medicaid and CHIP spending, according to the George Washington University Institute for Public Policy.
White House Pressure For Fast-Tracked Vaccine Collides With Safety Warnings
While President Donald Trump accuses the FDA of dragging its feet on vaccine approval, public health experts urge against prematurely authorizing a vaccine. Meanwhile, AstraZeneca denies that it is discussing emergency use authorization for its experimental vaccine. And at the center of the storm is a political newbie, FDA Commissioner Steven Hahn.
EPA Approves Use Of Long-Lasting COVID Disinfectant In Texas
Texas sought emergency approval from the EPA for the use of SurfaceWise2. Texas-based American Airlines and two branches of Total Orthopedics Sports & Spine will now be able to use it.
FDA’s Authorization Of Convalescent Plasma Launches Torrent Of Questions
Does it really work? Is the move politically motivated? Dr. Stephen Hahn, head of the FDA, defended his agency against the second charge, while global scientific experts raise concerns about the first.
As U.S. Sees Hopeful Decline Of Cases, Some States Report Troubling Numbers
The daily tally of COVID cases hit the lowest level in more than two months on Sunday, marking the ninth straight day with fewer than 50,000 new cases. But the outbreak is still haunting the heartland.