Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Four Benchmarks That Can Help States Decide When To Re-Open Include Heavy Testing And Contact Tracing
The New York Times: U.S. Is Nowhere Close To Reopening The Economy, Experts Say
How long can we keep this up? It is still very early in the U.S. effort to snuff a lethal pandemic by shutting down much of the economy. But there is a growing question — from workers, the White House, corporate boardrooms and small businesses on the brink — that hangs over what is essentially a war effort against a virus that has already killed more than 9,000 Americans. There is no good answer yet, in part because we don’t even have the data needed to formulate one. (Tankersley, 4/6)
The New York Times: How Will We Know When It’s Time To Reopen The Nation?
Everyone wants to know when we are going to be able to leave our homes and reopen the United States. That’s the wrong way to frame it. The better question is: “How will we know when to reopen the country?” Any date that is currently being thrown around is just a guess. It’s pulled out of the air. To this point, Americans have been reacting, often too late, and rarely with data. (Carroll, 4/6)
Stat: The 'Certified Recovered' From Covid-19 Could Lead The Economic Recovery
Re-opening a nightclub in New York seems crazy at this point, as that’s just the kind of setting in which Covid-19 can spread like wildfire. But it wouldn’t be crazy if all of the workers and patrons had previously had Covid-19 and recovered from it. (Edlin and Nesbitt, 4/6)
The Washington Post: Americans Hit By Economic Shocks As Confusion, Stumbles Undermine Trump’s Stimulus Effort
The Trump administration has stumbled in its initial push to implement the $2 trillion coronavirus aid package, with confusion and fear mounting among small businesses, workers and the newly unemployed since the bill was signed into law late last month. Small-business owners have reported delays in getting approved for loans without which they will close their doors, while others say they have been denied altogether by their lenders and do not understand why. (Stein, 4/5)
The New York Times: Coronavirus And Paid Sick Leave: A Quarantined Uber Driver's Quest
Zachary Frenette likes working as an Uber driver in Phoenix. He is a top-rated driver who often chats with his customers on their trips. During the outbreak of the coronavirus last month, business began to slow. Then, a possible exposure to the virus prompted Mr. Frenette, 29, to quarantine himself. Off the roads and worried about making his rent on time, he turned to Uber for help. (Fortin, 4/4)
The New York Times: Millennials, Burdened With Debt, Are Now Facing Their First Economic Crisis
The last time a serious economic downturn hit in 2008, Evan Schade was in high school and the crisis seemed like a news event that happened to other people. This time, as the coronavirus has brought the economy to its knees, it has become a personal affair. When nonessential businesses were closed last month in Kansas City, Mo., where he lives, Mr. Schade, 26, lost his job at a carpet store and almost all of the shifts in his second job at a coffee shop. His girlfriend, Kaitlyn Gardner, 23, was laid off from a different coffee shop. (Popper, 4/6)
NBC News: Falling Through The Cracks: Many Americans Won't Get Coronavirus Checks
For millions of Americans awaiting coronavirus cash, help is not on the way. Although the $2 trillion stimulus bill passed last month includes payments of up to $1,200 for everyone who makes less than the limit, many Americans will fall through the cracks. That includes most college kids, immigrants without Social Security numbers and some disabled adults. (Lederman, 4/6)
ABC News: Hobby Lobby Closes Its Stores After Defying Coronavirus Stay-At-Home Orders
Hobby Lobby finally closed all of its stores in the U.S. after the craft supplies company received backlash for staying open in at least one state amid the novel coronavirus pandemic. Nearly all of the store employees will be furloughed, as well as a large portion of corporate and distribution employees, according to a statement from the company. (Torres, 4/4)
CIDRAP: What Can Firms Do Now In The Midst Of A Pandemic?
While US business owners may feel anxious or unsure amid the COVID-19 pandemic, they should resist institutional paralysis and use this time to prioritize operations, protect the health and mental wellbeing of employees, and plan for recovery, experts say. "Businesses can prioritize the services they provide if they are short-staffed or do not have all the supplies needed and identify alternative suppliers, if feasible," said Lisa Koonin, DrPH, MN, MPH, senior advisor to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC's) pandemic response team and founder of Health Preparedness Partners in Atlanta. She said that planning for COVID-19 is "very similar" to planning for an influenza pandemic. (Van Beusekom, 4/3)
Modern Healthcare: Outpatient Care Gets Walloped By COVID-19 In March Job Losses
Dentists' offices, physicians' offices, home health providers and other outpatient healthcare sectors shouldered the brunt of healthcare's steep job losses in March as the novel coronavirus ravaged the economy and forced businesses to shed workers. The healthcare industry shed 42,500 jobs last month. The ambulatory sector, which typically captures most of the industry's job gains, in March comprised a whopping 96% of the losses, according to preliminary data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, released Friday. Hospitals added a modest 200 jobs. (Bannow, 4/3)
