Nursing Home Gave Veterans Unproven Hydroxy Cocktails, Records Show
At least 62 residents of New York State Veterans’ Home at St. Albans, some of whom had not tested positive for the virus, were given the medications, according to interviews, medical records and other documents. Public health officials had cautioned against the use of hydroxychloroquine despite claims by many government officials.
The City:
NYC Nursing Home Gave Dozens Of Veterans Experimental COVID-19 Cocktail
Hydroxychloroquine, an antimalarial drug first approved in the United States in 1955, was used widely throughout the country last spring as an experimental treatment for COVID-19. The drug, often combined with the antibiotic azithromycin, had been touted for months by officials at every level of government — most prominently by then-President Donald Trump. ... Between March and late April last year, the 250-bed New York State Veterans’ Home at St. Albans administered hundreds of doses of the unproven drug combination to at least 62 residents, some of whom had not tested positive for the virus. (Russell, 2/8)
In news from Florida —
Tampa Bay Times:
Someone Tried To Poison Oldsmar’s Water Supply During Hack, Sheriff Says
Local and federal authorities are investigating after an attempt Friday to poison the city of Oldsmar’s water supply, Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri said. Someone remotely accessed a computer for the city’s water treatment system and briefly increased the amount of sodium hydroxide, also known as lye, by a factor of more than 100, Gualtieri said at a news conference Monday. The chemical is used in small amounts to control the acidity of water but it’s also a corrosive compound commonly found in household cleaning supplies such as liquid drain cleaners. The city’s water supply was not affected. A supervisor working remotely saw the concentration being changed on his computer screen and immediately reverted it, Gualtieri said. City officials on Monday emphasized that several other safeguards are in place to prevent contaminated water from entering the water supply and said they’ve disabled the remote-access system used in the attack. (Evans, 2/8)
In news from New York, Missouri, Kentucky and elsewhere —
The New York Times:
N.Y.C. To Reopen Middle Schools, But Most Students Will Still Learn From Home
The nation’s largest public school system will take another step toward a full reopening later this month by welcoming middle school students back into classrooms that have been shuttered since November. The about 62,000 New York City middle school students who opted for in-person learning last year will be able to return to classrooms for at least part of the week starting Feb. 25. The city still does not have a plan to reopen its high schools. (Shapiro, 2/8)
The Hill:
Cuomo Moves Up Date For Indoor Dining In NYC Ahead Of Valentine's Day
Indoor dining will resume in New York City on Friday, Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) announced, two days ahead of the original target date, which will allow eateries to benefit from the full Valentine's Day weekend. During a press briefing Monday, Cuomo said the post-holiday surge of COVID-19 cases is over. The rolling average of cases and hospitalizations have declined over the past week, compared with the past four weeks. (Weixel, 2/8)
The Washington Post:
After St. Louis Jail Unrest, Inmates' Advocates Allege Desperate Conditions While Officials Defend Pandemic Response
ArchCity Defenders, a nonprofit legal advocacy group that created a hotline in late March for people to report on conditions at local jails, said that before Saturday’s unrest, the organization had received 60 calls about issues at the St. Louis Justice Center, including concerns about inmates who have tested positive for the coronavirus not being isolated, a lack of recreational time and retribution from guards over complaints. Inmates had staged two protests previously. (Berger and Berman, 2/8)
AP:
St. Louis Circuit Attorney To Investigate Conditions At Jail
St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner on Monday launched an investigation into conditions at the City Justice Center, a large downtown jail that was the site of a massive disturbance over the weekend. More than 100 detainees on Saturday were able to get out of their cells, smash windows and set fires. A corrections officer was injured and hospitalized but is expected to recover. (2/9)
Courier-Journal:
House Democrats File Resolution To Declare Racism Public Health Crisis
Two House Democrats have filed a resolution to declare systemic racism a public health and safety crisis in Kentucky, demanding redress across all branches of government in the state. House Joint Resolution 40 was filed last week by Rep. Kelly Flood, D-Lexington, and Rep. Attica Scott, D-Louisville, urging Kentucky to follow the lead of similar resolutions passed in Louisville, Lexington "and 143 more local governments across 27 states." (Sonka, 2/9)
The Pew Charitable Trusts:
COVID-19 Variants Further Strain Public Health Agencies
Even as President Joe Biden plans to federalize the pandemic response, new COVID-19 variants will force state and local public health agencies to expand their efforts in tracking and responding to the new strains. More contagious variants add to the struggle agencies already face to trace contacts, manage health care across jurisdictions, communicate with the public and vaccinate residents. The stakes are huge: Public health officials worry that if more transmissible variants take hold, an even more dangerous surge could lie ahead, compelling public officials to impose new restrictions, possibly including shutdowns. (Ollove, 2/8)
