Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Coronavirus Made 2020 The Deadliest Year In Recorded US History
Politico: Virus Drove Record U.S. Death Rate In 2020, CDC Finds
The U.S. death rate increased by 15 percent last year as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, making it the deadliest year in recorded U.S. history, the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention will announce, according to two senior administration officials with direct knowledge of the matter. The agency will summarize its findings in an upcoming issue of Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Its analysis will detail the rates at which U.S. residents of various races and ethnicities died as a result of the virus as well as the total number of deaths in each demographic group, those sources said. (Banco, 3/10)
CNBC: Here Are The States With The Longest And Shortest Life Expectancies, According To The CDC
If you’re born in the South, chances are you’ll have a shorter life expectancy compared with the rest of the United States, according to newly released data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday. The findings, published by the National Vital Statistics Reports, examined state-level mortality and population estimates from 2018, as well as state-specific death and population figures for older Medicare beneficiaries that year. (Higgins-Dunn, 3/11)
In updates on the number of covid cases —
The Wall Street Journal: Covid-19 Live Updates: Reported U.S. Cases Rise
Newly reported Covid-19 cases and deaths in the U.S. edged higher, as the country continued to ramp up its vaccination effort and more states expanded eligibility for shots. Texans aged 50 and older will be able to get vaccinated starting March 15, the state health department said Wednesday, noting that age group accounted for more than 93% of Covid-19 deaths in the state. In Alaska, eligibility has been extended to those aged 16 and older. (3/10)
CNN: US Coronavirus: A Year After The Pandemic Was Declared, US Covid-19 Numbers Are Way Too High To Relax Just Yet, CDC Director Warns
More than 29 million cases have been reported in the US since the World Health Organization declared the novel coronavirus a pandemic one year ago. The virus plunged America into grief and crisis. Several rounds of violent surges in infections prompted local and state leaders from coast to coast to order safety restrictions -- in some cases, curfews -- hoping to curb this invisible enemy's spread. Waves of Covid-19 patients crippled healthcare systems. Spikes in deaths drove some communities to call in mobile units to support their morgues. (Maxouris, 3/11)
Axios: U.S. Averages 50,000 New COVID-19 Cases Per Day
The U.S. is averaging fewer than 50,000 new coronavirus cases per day for the first time in over five months. The downward trend comes after reaching a high in January and amid the U.S. vaccination campaign, but health officials warn people to remain vigilant about social distancing and masking. (Chen, 3/10)
San Francisco Chronicle: Dramatic Change In COVID Hospitalizations In The Bay Area, California
Just a couple of months ago, hospitals across California were overwhelmed with coronavirus patients. But the situation has changed dramatically: Hospitalizations have plummeted throughout California and the Bay Area since the height of the winter surge. Statewide, 3,625 confirmed COVID patients were in hospitals on Tuesday, including 992 in the ICU. That’s an 83% decrease from the peak of 21,597 hospitalizations on Jan. 4, and a 80% decrease from 4,868 ICU patients on Jan. 10. (Hwang, 3/10)
