First Edition: March 12, 2021
Today's early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
KHN:
CDC’s ‘Huge Mistake’: Did Misguided Mask Advice Drive Up Covid Death Toll For Health Workers?
Since the start of the pandemic, the most terrifying task in health care was thought to be when a doctor put a breathing tube down the trachea of a critically ill covid patient. Those performing such “aerosol-generating” procedures, often in an intensive care unit, got the best protective gear even if there wasn’t enough to go around, per Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines. And for anyone else working with covid patients, until a month ago, a surgical mask was considered sufficient. (Jewett, 3/12)
KHN:
University Of Missouri Settles Lawsuits Over Knee Surgeries Involving Veterinarian
The University of Missouri has settled a collection of personal injury and false advertising claims over knee surgeries for $16.2 million, in what appears to be one of its largest public payouts in recent years. The 22 plaintiffs, a handful of whom were minors, filed suits from 2018 through 2020 over “BioJoint” surgeries pioneered by two university employees, orthopedic surgeon Dr. James Stannard and veterinarian Dr. James Cook. The procedure involves a complex operation that the Mizzou BioJoint Center’s website calls a “biological joint restoration,” replacing parts of the knee with cadaver bones or cartilage to treat arthritis or joint damage. Some plaintiffs alleged in court documents that the procedure was sold to them as a way to avoid a traditional artificial knee replacement. (Weber, 3/12)
KHN:
To Extract More Doses Per Vial, Vaccinators Put Squeeze On FDA To Relax Vaccine Handling Advice
President Joe Biden has promised enough covid vaccine to immunize every willing adult by June 1. But right now, the gap between supply and demand is so dramatic that vaccinators are discovering ways to suck the final drops out of each vaccine vial — if federal regulators will let them. Pharmacists involved in the covid vaccination drive say it’s common to have half a dose left in a Pfizer vial after five or even six doses have been administered — and to have half a dose left after 10 doses have been drawn out of a Moderna vial. Combining two half-doses could increase vaccinations by thousands at a time when 2 million or so doses are being administered every day in the country. (Allen, 3/12)
KHN:
‘Explained By KHN’: Consumer Concerns About The Covid Vaccines
The twists and turns of the American health system can sometimes leave people lost, confused and looking for answers. We’ve created a new video series — “Explained by KHN” — in which our correspondents and editors answer common health care and health policy questions. As promising news about the development, efficacy and distribution of covid-19 vaccines spread across the United States, questions about the shots were even more viral. In this edition of “Explained by KHN” we will answer common consumer questions about the covid vaccines. (Allen, Appleby and Lofton, 3/12)
KHN:
KHN’s ‘What The Health?’: Expanding The ACA In An Unpredicted Way
For the first time since its enactment in 2010, the Affordable Care Act is slated for major benefit expansions, courtesy of the covid relief bill approved by Congress this week. But the changes are only temporary, so the measure also tees up a fight to make them permanent. Meanwhile, the uneven distribution of vaccines continues — with some states finding themselves with more shots than takers, while others continue to have too many arms chasing too few shots. (3/11)
The Wall Street Journal:
Biden Tells States To Make All Adults Eligible For Covid-19 Vaccine By May 1
The president spoke on the same day that he signed into law a $1.9 trillion Covid-19 relief package, one year after much of the U.S. economy ground to a halt, as the virus spread. In a 23-minute speech, Mr. Biden said the U.S. was operating on a war footing and urged the weary public to maintain vigilance against the virus. He also reflected on the toll that the pandemic has taken on millions of Americans. ... At times, Mr. Biden struck an optimistic tone—touting the administration’s progress in its early stages—but he also reminded Americans that a return to normalcy would require caution and an adherence to public-health guidelines. (Restuccia and Siddiqui, 3/11)
The New York Times:
Biden Tells Nation There Is Hope After A Devastating Year
Seeking to comfort Americans bound together by a year of suffering but also by “hope and the possibilities,” President Biden made a case to the nation Thursday night that it could soon put the worst of the pandemic behind it and promised that all adults would be eligible for the vaccine by May 1. During a 24-minute speech from the East Room, Mr. Biden laced his somber script with references to Hemingway and personal ruminations on loss as he reflected on a “collective suffering, a collective sacrifice, a year filled with the loss of life, and the loss of living, for all of us.” (Rogers, 3/11)
AP:
Biden Aims For Quicker Shots, 'Independence From This Virus'
Biden announced an expansion of other efforts to speed vaccinations, including deploying an additional 4,000 active-duty troops to support vaccination efforts and allowing more people — such as medical students, veterinarians and dentists — to deliver shots. He is also directing more doses toward some 950 community health centers and up to 20,000 retail pharmacies, to make it easier for people to get vaccinated closer to their homes. Biden added that his administration is planning to launch a nationwide website to help people find doses, saying it would address frustrations so that there would be “no more searching day and night for an appointment.” (Miller and Lemire, 3/12)
Stat:
Biden Will Compel States To Make Vaccines Available For All Adults By May 1
The White House will compel state, local, and tribal governments to make Covid-19 vaccines available to all American adults no later than May 1, President Biden said on Thursday. The Biden administration has previously issued non-binding directions or recommendations on Covid-19 mitigation measures like mask use or school reopenings. But the aides stressed that, using the authority of the Department of Health and Human Services, its vaccine order will be binding, and states’ compliance will be mandatory. (Facher, 3/11)
Politico:
‘We All Lost Something’: Biden Honors Covid Victims, Accelerates Vaccine Timeline
At least twice, Biden spoke about the need for grandparents to reconnect with their grandchildren, a missing familial bond during a pandemic that older adults are more susceptible to. Recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released on Monday allowed for fully vaccinated people to visit indoors with unvaccinated healthy people from a single household, without wearing masks or physical distancing. The new guidance used grandparents and grandchildren as an example. (Cancryn and Din, 3/11)
The New York Times:
We Fact-Checked Biden’s Prime-Time White House Address
President Biden, in a prime-time address on Thursday night, exaggerated elements of the coronavirus pandemic along with his, and his predecessor’s, response to it. Here’s a fact-check. (Qiu, 3/11)
The Washington Post:
Fact-Checking Biden’s Address To The Nation
President Biden’s address to the nation was heavy on emotion and hope, but light on facts. Here are two moments where the president stretched the truth. (Kessler, 3/11)
Roll Call:
Biden Signs Bill To Provide Almost $2 Trillion In COVID-19 Relief
President Joe Biden signed the first major legislative achievement of his young presidency Thursday afternoon, moving to get a $1.86 trillion COVID-19 aid package into law as quickly as possible. “In the weeks that this bill has been discussed and debated, it’s clear that an overwhelming percentage of the American people: Democrats, independents, Republican friends, have made it clear, the people out there have made it clear they strongly support the American Rescue Plan,” Biden said in the Oval Office. (Lesniewski, 3/11)
NBC News:
What's In The $1.9 Trillion Covid Bill Biden Just Signed? You Might Be Surprised.
President Joe Biden signed the massive Covid-19 stimulus bill into law Thursday, touting provisions that will put money into the pockets of millions of Americans. But the bill is more than stimulus payments and jobless benefits. It also includes a litany of programs: health insurance subsidies, a cash-for-kids allowance to slash child poverty, state and local aid (which can't be used to cut taxes) and money for schools, restaurants, pensions, homeowners, renters, farmers and funerals. Here are some of the key provisions. (Kapur and Sarlin, 3/11)
The New York Times:
Forecasters Expect Biden’s Stimulus To Rapidly Boost Economy
Just hours after he signed a $1.9 trillion pandemic relief bill into law, President Biden said the package would help to reopen schools and defeat the virus more quickly. Mr. Biden, in a prime-time address, noted that the measure provides $130 billion for schools, an amount that he said will “accelerate a massive effort to reopen our schools safely.” (Tankersley, 3/11)
AP:
COVID Relief Bill Could Permanently Alter Social Safety Net
President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package is being hailed by Democrats and progressive policy advocates as a generational expansion of the social safety net, providing food and housing assistance, greater access to health care and direct aid to families in what amounts to a broad-based attack on the cycle of poverty. With more than $6 billion for food security-related programs, more than $25 billion in emergency rental assistance, nearly $10 billion in emergency mortgage aid for homeowners, and extensions of already-expanded unemployment payments through early September, the package is full of provisions designed to help families and individuals survive and recover from pandemic-induced economic hardships. (Khalil and Fram, 3/12)
CNBC:
The Government Will Fully Cover Laid-Off Workers' COBRA Premiums
The government will pay for laid-off workers to maintain their employer-sponsored health insurance through September, thanks to a provision in the $1.9 trillion stimulus package signed into law on Thursday by President Joe Biden. As part of the relief bill, the government will subsidize COBRA premiums for former workers of a company until the fall. COBRA, or the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act, permits people who leave a company with 20 or more employees to pay to stay on their workplace insurance plan for as long as 18 months. (Nova, 3/11)
Reuters:
Novavax Vaccine 96% Effective Against Original Coronavirus, 86% Vs British Variant In UK Trial
Novavax Inc’s COVID-19 vaccine was 96% effective in preventing cases caused by the original version of the coronavirus in a late-stage trial conducted in the United Kingdom, the company said on Thursday, moving it a step closer to regulatory approval. There were no cases of severe illness or deaths among those who got the vaccine, the company said, in a sign that it could stop the worse effects of new variants that have cropped up. (Nadeem and O'Donnell, 3/11)
NBC News:
Novavax Covid Vaccine Is Highly Effective In U.K. Trial, Drugmaker Says
The Maryland-based biotech company Novavax reported Thursday that its experimental Covid-19 vaccine is more than 96 percent effective in preventing mild and severe illness. The results are from the company's Phase 3 clinical trial, which was conducted in the U.K. Novavax's trials in the U.S. and South Africa continue, and the company cannot apply for emergency use authorization in the U.S. until the American trials are complete. (Edwards, 3/11)
CNBC:
Novavax Vaccine 96% Effective Against Original Coronavirus, 86% Vs British Variant In UK Trial
Novavax’s Covid-19 vaccine was 96% effective in preventing cases caused by the original version of the coronavirus in a late-stage trial conducted in the United Kingdom, the company said on Thursday, moving it a step closer to regulatory approval. There were no cases of severe illness or deaths among those who got the vaccine. (3/11)
ABC News:
Pfizer Vaccine Shows 94% Effectiveness Against Asymptomatic Transmission Of COVID
As concerning COVID variants spread and the companies behind the three authorized vaccines hurry to test their shots against them, there's other promising news from Thursday's announcement: this latest analysis was performed when more than 80% of Israel's COVID-19 cases were from the UK variant B.1.1.7 -- demonstrating that the Pfizer vaccine is equally effective against this variant, which is known to be more contagious, and possibly even more deadly, Israel's Ministry of Health reported. (Silberman, 3/11)
CBS News:
Pfizer Vaccine 97% Effective Against Symptomatic COVID-19, Study Shows
Pfizer-BioNtech's coronavirus vaccine offers more protection than earlier thought, with effectiveness in preventing symptomatic disease reaching 97%, according to real-world evidence published Thursday by the pharma companies. Using data from January 17 to March 6 from Israel's national vaccination campaign, Pfizer-BioNtech found that prevention against asymptomatic disease also reached 94 percent. (3/11)
CBS News:
Xavier Becerra Headed For Confirmation As Health Secretary With Support From Manchin And Collins
It's unclear whether any Republican will join Collins in voting to confirm Becerra, as many have claimed he lacks the experience to lead the department. Outside conservative groups are also working to drum up opposition to his nomination. (Quinn, 3/11)
AP:
Democrats Muscle Ahead With Biden's Health Secretary Pick
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., forced a vote to discharge Becerra’s nomination Thursday that succeeded 51-48. The vote clears the way for floor debate on confirming him to the position. “I’m perplexed that none of my Republican colleagues would vote for him,” Schumer said before the vote. “He’s a capable man. He’s worked hard to make sure that people get health care.” Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., noted that Biden’s prior Cabinet nominees had so far received bipartisan support. “There’s a reason Mr. Becerra could not get one single Republican vote to move out of committee,” McConnell said. “It’s because he’s such a thoroughly partisan actor with so little subject matter expertise.” (Freking, 3/11)
Politico:
Senate Advances Becerra Nomination For HHS Secretary
Becerra, the California attorney general, has come under fire from Republicans for his record on abortion rights and past support for "Medicare for All." Manchin said he had spoken with Becerra about the nominee's pledge to “uphold the law in regards to the Hyde Amendment” — the longstanding ban on federal funding for abortion that Biden and other Democrats want to abolish. Collins said she looked forward to working with Becerra on "shared goals" including lowering the price of prescription drugs and boosting domestic drug manufacturing to reduce reliance on global supply chains. (Miranda Ollstein, 3/11)
Roll Call:
Senate Votes To Move Becerra Nomination To Floor
The Senate on Thursday voted, 51-48, to discharge Xavier Becerra’s nomination to lead the Department of Health and Human Services from the Senate Finance Committee, teeing up floor debate and a confirmation vote as soon as next week. Becerra appeared to have the votes to be confirmed to the role overseeing the massive agency, after Sens. Joe Manchin III, D-W.Va., and Susan Collins, R-Maine, said separately they would vote to confirm him. (McIntire, 3/11)
The Hill:
Collins To Back Becerra For HHS Secretary
Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) announced Thursday that she will support Xavier Becerra’s nomination to serve as secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS). Collins said she decided to vote to confirm Becerra after several conversations with him on a range of issues, including lowering prescription drug costs and expanding health care access to rural areas across the country. She is the first Republican to come out in support of his confirmation. (Axelrod, 3/11)
Roll Call:
One-Tenth Of Congress Had COVID-19, Cases Halted Soon After Vaccination
Roughly 1 in 10 members of Congress contracted COVID-19 in the past year since the pandemic significantly changed daily life in the United States and on Capitol Hill. At least 71 lawmakers had COVID-19 at some point in 2020 or 2021, based on public statements they made about testing or being presumed positive for the virus or testing positive for antibodies, according to a GovTrack database. (McPherson and Cioffi, 3/11)
AP:
Justices Call Off Arguments Over Medicaid Work Requirements
The Supreme Court said Thursday it has called off upcoming arguments over a Trump administration plan to remake Medicaid by requiring recipients to work, agreeing to a request from the Biden administration. The court had been scheduled to take up the issue on March 29. But the Biden administration already has decided preliminarily that work requirements do not fit with Medicaid’s goal of providing health care to lower-income people. (3/11)
Modern Healthcare:
Supreme Court Cancels Arguments In Medicaid Work Requirements Case
The Supreme Court will no longer hear oral arguments later this month in a case challenging the legality of Medicaid work requirements in Arkansas and New Hampshire. The announcement on Thursday follows a request by the Biden administration's Department of Justice to cancel the hearings because HHS is reviewing the approval of work requirements in several states. CMS has indicated it may withdraw approvals in the nine states that received work requirement waivers from the Trump administration, including Arkansas and New Hampshire, which would make the legal challenges moot. (Hellmann, 3/11)
FierceHealthcare:
Supreme Court Pulls Medicaid Work Requirements Case Off Docket
Legal experts say the move likely means the case won’t be heard this term and possibly may not be heard at all, especially with the Biden administration signaling a different approach to work requirements. “By taking the cases off the docket, the court is signaling that it won’t hear them this term and probably that it’ll never hear them at all,” University of Michigan Law Professor Nicholas Bagley told Fierce Healthcare. (King, 3/11)
CNN:
US Coronavirus: Here's Why Experts Say The US May Be Fooled By Improving Covid-19 Numbers And What That Means For The Summer
Covid-19 numbers may be on the decline in the United States after a year of collective grief. But with tens of thousands of deaths expected over the next few months, experts are warning Americans not to drop their guard just yet. (Holcombe, 3/12)
Las Vegas Review-Journal:
Nevada Adds Highest One-Day Total Of New COVID Cases In Nearly A Month
Nevada registered its highest one-day total of new COVID-19 cases in nearly a month, with 618 recorded over the preceding day, according to state data posted Thursday. The figure was the largest since the state reported 813 new cases on Feb. 13, according to data from the Department of Health and Human Services posted on the state’s coronavirus website. It also was well above the 14-day moving average of 234 new cases per day, the state data showed. The state also reported 13 new deaths from the disease caused by the new coronavirus, which also was well above the 14-day moving average of five fatalities per day. (Brunker, 3/11)
AP:
First Case Of Brazil COVID-19 Variant Found In Washington
A COVID-19 variant first identified in Brazil has been detected in Washington state, health officials said Thursday. Public Health – Seattle & King County said the UW Medicine Virology Lab detected the presence of the P.1 variant in a COVID-19 King County test sample. Three COVID-19 variants, including the variant first identified in the UK and the variant first identified in South Africa, have now been detected in Washington state. (3/12)
The Washington Examiner:
New York Will End Quarantine Requirements For Domestic Travelers In April
The requirement for out-of-state visitors to quarantine upon arrival to New York will be lifted April 1, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Thursday. Domestic travelers will no longer be required to quarantine upon arrival to the city, but Cuomo said that "it is still being advised as an added precaution." (Deese, 3/11)
Politico:
Biden's New Covid Workplace Rules Set To Collide With Reopenings
The Biden administration is expected to issue new temporary rules next week to curb Covid-19 spread in the workplace, setting a collision course with the growing number of states loosening restrictions on businesses to aid their reopening. The mandates — which would add enforcement powers to guidelines that are now just optional — threaten to further roil the politics around President Joe Biden’s cautious reopening strategy and ramp up tensions between the administration and the business community, particularly with industries hard-hit by closures like restaurants and entertainment and hospitality venues. (Luthi and Rainey, 3/11)
AP:
Oklahoma Governor Lifting Coronavirus Restrictions In State
Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt said Thursday that statewide coronavirus restrictions will be lifted because increasing vaccinations and decreasing numbers of new cases and hospitalizations. “There will be no statewide restrictions on events for Oklahomans,” Stitt said. “I’m also removing a requirement to wear masks inside state buildings ... wearing a mask should be a personal decision based on your circumstances.” Limits of 50% occupancy in public buildings and masking requirements, extended in February, will be rescinded Friday, Stitt said. (3/11)
AP:
Walz Plans To Dial Back Virus Restrictions For Gatherings
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said Thursday he’s planning significant rollbacks of COVID-19 restrictions on gatherings, following an update by state health officials showing that 70% of the state’s senior citizens have now been vaccinated. “They will be probably our biggest turn because we’re at a point where we have not been since this thing started, and it will start to give guidance on larger gatherings starting as early as April,” Walz said Thursday during a visit to a Twin Cities high school. (3/11)
AP:
UT To Return To 'Fully In-Person' Campus Starting In Fall
The University of Tennessee on Thursday announced that it will return to a “fully in-person campus experience” in Knoxville starting in the fall. According to a news release, this will include in-person teaching in classrooms at capacity, normal campus housing, reopening dining halls and allowing more fans at athletic events. (3/12)
AP:
NC Bill To Return More Students To Classrooms Becomes Law
North Carolina elected leaders finalized a directive on Thursday that will put more K-12 students in classrooms five days a week by telling all districts to offer in-person instruction no later than early April. The order was contained in legislation that Gov. Roy Cooper signed into law hours after the House approved the bill unanimously. The Senate gave it a similar vote on Wednesday. The Democratic governor and Republican legislators negotiated the compromise legislation, which resolved issues that prompted Cooper to veto a previous school-reopening measure nearly two weeks ago. (Robertson, 3/12)
FierceHealthcare:
Cigna: Some COVID-19 Patients Report Lingering Neurological, Heart Conditions Post-Recovery
People who have recovered from a COVID-19 diagnosis face potentially new diagnoses for neurological, behavioral health and cardiovascular conditions, new data from Cigna show. Cigna researchers analyzed (PDF) claims data on 150,000 commercial plan members and their family members between April and June 2020 and found that 5.8% reported neurological conditions post-COVID. In addition, 5.1% reported heart conditions such as heart failure or coronary artery disease, and 5% reported mental health disorders following a COVID-19 diagnosis, the study found. (Minemyer, 3/11)
The Washington Post:
Covid-19 Patients With Cancer, HIV, May Play A Role In Incubating Variants
Deepa Bhojwani recalled feeling lucky her 2-year-old cancer patient with covid-19 bounced back quickly after being seen for a fever in the emergency department at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. But in the months that followed, an unnerving thing happened. The toddler’s condition flip-flopped from sick to well to sick again and so on, resulting in six hospitalizations over 196 days — and each time, the boy was positive again for the coronavirus. Bhojwani, a leukemia specialist, wondered whether the lab results might be a mistake or — terrifyingly — a rare case of reinfection. But when the medical team dove deeper, it found evidence the original virus had been inside the boy all along, evolving into more efficient forms. “We know viruses mutate,” Bhojwani said. “But we didn’t expect this.” (Cha, 3/11)
AP:
Wisconsin Greatly Expands Coronavirus Vaccine Eligibility
Wisconsin is expanding coronavirus vaccine eligibility to at least 2 million more people later this month, including anyone 16 or older with common pre-existing medical conditions such as being overweight, pregnant or having high blood pressure, health officials announced Thursday. People who don’t have pre-existing conditions that would qualify them as of March 29 or who haven’t otherwise qualified to get vaccinated yet are expected to become eligible sometime in May, the state Department of Health Services said. (Bauer, 3/11)
Fox News:
Kansas Hospital Trashes Hundreds Of Coronavirus Vaccine Doses Due To Mistake
A Kansas hospital was forced to throw away nearly 600 COVID-19 vaccine doses this week due to a "process error," health officials said Thursday. Lawrence Memorial Hospital said it received 570 doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine from Lawrence-Douglas County Public Health on Wednesday. The doses are typically delivered while frozen -- so they can be placed in a freezer at the hospital until they are ready for distribution. The Lawrence, Kansas, hospital, in a release, said it followed this procedure, "not realizing they were already thawed." (Aaro, 3/12)
Fox News:
Patients Expecting COVID-19 Vaccine Injected With Empty Syringes At Kroger Location In Virginia: Report
Multiple patients at a Kroger location in Virginia who were hoping to receive the COVID-19 vaccine were reportedly injected with an empty syringe by mistake, according to a local report. A health care professional at the location at Kroger location in Chesterfield County was "under the impression" that a colleague had filled the syringes before the patients came in for their appointments, local news station WRIC reported. Fewer than 10 people were injected with an empty syringe. The patients affected by the mishap were later contacted to come back for the actual vaccine, per the news station, which added that the Virginia Department of Health was subsequently contacted and has been "working with [the Kroger location] on this issue." (Farber, 3/11)
Houston Chronicle:
Outdated Population Data May Be Costing Texas Millions Of COVID-19 Vaccine Doses
Texas health officials and Gov. Greg Abbott say the federal government is using outdated population figures to calculate the number of COVID-19 vaccines sent to Texas — an inaccuracy that has potentially cost the state millions of doses. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has been using a five-year average of census data, from 2014 to 2018, to determine weekly vaccine allocations. But state officials say those numbers underestimate Texas’ adult population by roughly 1 million people — a large part of the reason why Texas ranks so low in its distribution compared to other states. (Harris and Rubio, 3/11)
NBC News:
Covid Vaccinations Are Free — But They're Taking A Toll On Local Pharmacies' Bottom Lines
Pharmacists may be on the front line of Covid-19 vaccination distribution, but they feel increasingly like an afterthought when they try to get paid for it. A common complaint among community pharmacists is that they are sapped physically, mentally and financially by hours of paperwork, piles of rejected claims and unceasing billing audits just to receive some level of payment for administering vaccines. And it’s a problem that could push some of these small businesses to the brink financially. (McCausland, 3/12)
The Hill:
49 Percent Of GOP Men Say They Won't Get Vaccinated: PBS Poll
Nearly half of U.S. men who identify as Republicans said they have no plans to get the coronavirus vaccine, according to a new PBS NewsHour/NPR/Marist poll released Thursday. The study, which surveyed 1,227 U.S. adults from March 3 to March 8, found that approximately 30 percent of Americans overall said they do not plan on getting vaccinated. (Castronuovo, 3/11)
Becker's Hospital Review:
Surgeons Seen As Better Communicators When Wearing Clear Masks, Study Finds
Patients were more likely to report good communication with surgeons who wore clear masks instead of standard cloth medical masks in a study published March 11 in JAMA Surgery. Researchers at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine in Chapel Hill asked 15 surgeons to wear either clear or covered masks during clinic visits with new patients. Researchers then interviewed 200 patients, half of whom saw surgeons with clear masks and half who saw surgeons in traditional masks. (Bean, 3/11)
CIDRAP:
Study Highlights COVID Spread In Hospitals Despite Use Of Masks, Goggles
Harvard University scientists detail three cases of COVID-19 spread despite the use of medical masks and eye protection in a study today in Clinical Infectious Diseases. The Massachusetts Department of Public Health sequenced the genomes of SARS-CoV-2 specimens from patients and employees at Brigham and Women's Hospital in which spread occurred despite one or both parties wearing ASTM Level 1 masks with ear loops. These masks are designed to filter 95% of bacteria and 0.1-micrometer particles.Three cases of viral transmission despite use of masks occurred from November 2020 to mid-January 2021, as determined by matching virus genomes. The first involved an asymptomatic, unmasked 82-year-old patient who infected two patient care assistants wearing masks and face shields. Both assistants developed symptoms 4 and 5 days after the patient's diagnosis. One had spent 4 hours with the patient on hospital day 3, and the other tended to the patient for 8 hours on day 4. (3/11)
AP:
'Silver Lining': Hospitals Keep Practices Born In COVID Rush
As coronavirus surged in New York last year, officials at the state’s largest hospital system realized their old way of transferring patients to relieve stress on swamped emergency rooms just wasn’t going to cut it. Instead of time-consuming phone calls and emails, Northwell Health created a quicker, more efficient “crowd-sourcing” method using an online spreadsheet to match patients in need of a transfer with hospitals having available beds. Now, Northwell Health, which operates 23 hospitals and 700 outpatient clinics in the New York City region, has made that system — born in the midst of a crisis — a permanent part of its operations. (Shaffrey, 3/11)
Modern Healthcare:
Hospitals Posted Higher Profits In Second Half Of 2020 Even As COVID Cases Soared
As COVID-19 cases reached unprecedented levels in the final months of 2020, some of the country's biggest health systems made more money than they did in the comparable 2019 period—even without counting their federal grants. Company executives pointed to two big contributors: sicker than usual patients and a higher-than-expected ratio of privately insured patients, both on the COVID and non-COVID sides. The pandemic narrowed the subset of people willing to visit hospitals. Those that did tended to have very serious illnesses or injuries and they also were more likely to have commercial insurance, which pays hospitals much more than Medicare and Medicaid. (Bannow, 3/11)
Modern Healthcare:
Ohio Sues Centene Over Alleged Pharmacy Benefits Overcharges
Ohio's attorney general sued Centene Corp. on Thursday, alleging the St. Louis-based insurer used a "web of subcontractors" to obscure drug costs and overcharge the state's Medicaid program for millions of dollars in pharmacy benefits. "Corporate greed has led Centene and its wholly owned subsidiaries to fleece taxpayers out of millions," Attorney General Dave Yost said in a statement. "This conspiracy to obtain Medicaid payments through deceptive means stops now." (Tepper, 3/11)
The New York Times:
Sickle Cell Treatment Not Linked To Cancer, Researchers Say
Just a few weeks after a promising gene therapy for sickle cell disease seemed to have hit a roadblock, prospects for the treatment now look better. Preliminary data suggesting that it might cause cancer have not held up. In the gene therapy, scientists insert a normal gene into patients’ DNA to help correct sickle cell disease, which is caused by a devastating mutation. The cutting-edge treatment may prove to be a cure, and a company that is testing the treatment, Bluebird Bio, had been on track to apply to the Food and Drug Administration for approval next year. (Kolata, 3/10)
NBC News:
'Vasectomy Mayhem' At Virginia Urologist Draws Trademark Complaint From NCAA
The NCAA is challenging a group of Virginia urologists who trademarked the phrase "Vasectomy Mayhem," claiming it's too close to its famed basketball tournament, "March Madness." The governing body of college sports accused Virginia Urology, a practice based in Richmond, Virginia, of improperly cashing in on the cherished "March Madness" brand, according to the NCAA's filing to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office's appeals board. (Li, 3/11)
Stat:
How Will Doctors Handle Contraception Apps Like Natural Cycles And Clue?
Two years ago, Danielle Castillo decided to end her 13-year relationship with the pill. She had been using hormonal birth control since she was 17, and it often made her nauseous and lowered her libido. Engaged to a supportive partner but not yet ready to have children, the Cleveland-based social media marketer started researching alternatives. What she found, through online searches and Facebook groups, was Natural Cycles, an app the FDA cleared in 2018 to be marketed as birth control. (Palmer, 3/12)
The New York Times:
More Childhood Lead Poisoning Is A Side Effect Of Covid Lockdowns
Over the past half-century, public health officials have made enormous progress in protecting American children from lead poisoning and the irreversible neurological damage it can cause. Since the 1970s, the percentage of children with high levels of lead in their blood has plummeted. But in 2020, a new health threat, the coronavirus, endangered these hard-earned gains. When Covid-19 cases spiked last spring, lockdowns and day care closures confined young children to their homes, where lead exposure can be particularly high. (Anthes, 3/11)
CBS News:
Duke Basketball Season Over After Positive Coronavirus Test, Ending 24-Year NCAA Streak
Duke has pulled out of the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament and officially ended its season after a member of the program tested positive for coronavirus. The Blue Devils' streak of 24 consecutive NCAA Tournaments is now over. "Since last March when the pandemic started, we have listened to our medical experts and always put safety at the forefront of any determinations regarding competition," said Duke Athletic Director Kevin White. "As a result, this will end our 2020-21 season." (Smith, 3/11)
Reuters:
Exclusive: EU Told To Expect No AstraZeneca Vaccines From U.S. In Near Future - Sources
Washington has told the European Union that it should not expect to receive AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines manufactured in the United States any time soon, two EU sources said on Thursday, in a new blow to the bloc’s supplies. The U.S. message could complicate vaccination plans in the 27-nation EU, which has been grappling since January with delays in deliveries from vaccine makers. (Guarascio and Chalmers, 3/11)
The New York Times:
The U.S. Is Sitting On Tens Of Millions Of Vaccine Doses The World Needs
Tens of millions of doses of the coronavirus vaccine made by the British-Swedish company AstraZeneca are sitting idly in American manufacturing facilities, awaiting results from its U.S. clinical trial while countries that have authorized its use beg for access. The fate of those doses of AstraZeneca’s vaccine is the subject of an intense debate among White House and federal health officials, with some arguing the administration should let them go abroad where they are desperately needed while others are not ready to relinquish them, according to senior administration officials. (Weiland and Robbins, 3/11)