Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Genetic Risk Factor May Be Why Some People Lose Sense Of Smell, Taste
NBC News: Genetic Risk Factor Found For Covid-19 Smell And Taste Loss, Researchers Say
Scientists are piecing together why some people lose their sense of smell after contracting Covid-19. A study published Monday in the journal Nature Genetics identified a genetic risk factor associated with the loss of smell after a Covid infection, a discovery that brings experts closer to understanding the perplexing pattern and may point the way toward much-needed treatments. (Sloat, 1/17)
In other news about the spread of covid —
NBC News: Nearly 1 Million Pediatric Covid Cases Reported Last Week
Nearly 1 million cases of Covid-19 were reported among children in the United States last week, the American Academy of Pediatrics said Tuesday. The pediatric case count ending the week of Jan. 13 — 981,488 — reflects a 69 percent increase from the previous week's 580,247 cases. (Edwards, 1/18)
Los Angeles Times: California Surpasses 7 Million Coronavirus Cases
California has recorded more than 7 million coronavirus cases after its fastest accumulation of reported infections in the history of the pandemic. The unprecedented count, recorded in California’s databases late Monday, comes one week after the state tallied its 6 millionth coronavirus case. Even during last winter’s disastrous wave, new infections increased more slowly. It took a little over three weeks for California to get from 2 million cumulative coronavirus case to 3 million. (Money and Lin II, 1/18)
AP: Kentucky Surpasses 1 Million COVID-19 Cases
Kentucky reached another unwanted pandemic milestone, surpassing 1 million COVID-19 cases as the prevalence of the omicron variant puts increased pressure on hospitals, Gov. Andy Beshear said Tuesday. The state reported more than 53,500 new coronavirus cases in the past five days, pushing the case total past the 1 million mark since the first Kentucky case was detected in early March 2020, the governor said. (1/18)
Health News Florida: Members Of Nurses Union Protest In Kissimmee To Call On Hospitals To Increase Staffing
National Nurses United is calling on hospitals to boost staffing levels. Members of the union for registered nurses protested outside hospitals in 12 states, including Florida, on Thursday. Outside Osceola Regional Medical Center in Kissimmee, about 20 nurses waved signs that read: "Staff up for safe care." Chris Setzer, who works in the cardiac intensive care unit, used to spend about nine hours out of her 12-hour shift with her patients. “But with tripling now, I’m lucky if I see them three hours a day,” said Setzer. “So the remaining nine hours, who is watching your ICU loved one? It’s not the nursing staff because we’re just not available.” (Peddie, 1/18)
Also —
Oklahoman: Oklahoma Schools Ask Officials To Substitute As COVID Crushes Staffing
With school staff and substitutes both in extraordinarily short supply, some state leaders have been covering classes in Oklahoma public schools. Gov. Kevin Stitt announced on Tuesday an executive order to authorize staff of state agencies to substitute teach. The governor urged all state employees to "see what they can do" to help keep schools open. Some officials stepped in already. State Rep. Cyndi Munson spent the school day on Friday teaching physical education at Spero Upper Elementary in Santa Fe South Charter Schools. (Martinez-Keel, 1/18)
The Washington Post: D.C. Opens Covid Centers, Montgomery County Considers Vaccine Passport
D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser on Tuesday announced plans to open eight centers — one in each ward — for residents seeking coronavirus vaccinations and tests, as the regional death rate increases and more places consider vaccine mandates. (Portnoy, Wiggins and Tan, 1/18)
Salt Lake Tribune: Senate President Stuart Adams Tested Positive For COVID Twice Tuesday Before Publicly Announcing He Was Negative
After testing positive for COVID-19 last week, Senate President Stuart Adams opened the 2022 session unmasked, conducting business as normal and trying to reassure senators and the public he was fully recovered. In his opening comments to Tuesday, Adams initially said he’d tested positive twice for COVID-19 since yesterday but backtracked seconds later. “I tested negative twice,” he said, joking that he’d misspoken to make sure people were listening. In reality, the senator had indeed tested positive twice Tuesday morning. (Gehrke, 1/18)
