Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Nursing Home Report: New York Undercounted Deaths By 50%
Politico: New York Undercounted Nursing Home Deaths By As Much 50 Percent, Report Finds
The New York attorney general on Thursday accused the state of drastically undercounting Covid-19 deaths in nursing homes, saying in a stinging new rebuke of Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s administration that the official tally of about 8,500 may be off by as much as 50 percent. A 76-page report, released Thursday morning by Attorney General Tish James, adds a new layer to the criticism the Democratic governor has faced over the state’s handling of Covid-19 in long-term care facilities — an issue that came to a head in recent days as state lawmakers pressed for the findings of a long-awaited inquiry into the deaths of nursing home residents. (Young, 1/28)
In news from California —
Politico: Newsom: California Schools Won't Reopen 'If We Wait For The Perfect'
A frustrated Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday said school administrators and teachers unions should agree as soon as possible to reopen schools for younger students — or else be clear with families that they will not return to classrooms at all this academic year. Newsom was responding to growing demands that all teachers receive vaccines first, but also a long list of conditions that go beyond what the governor has proposed as safe to reopen schools that have been shut for nearly a year. The vast majority of California's 6 million public schoolchildren haven't been on campuses since March. (Mays, 1/28)
Los Angeles Times: California Lawmakers OK COVID-19 Eviction Protections Through June
Californians facing financial hardship because of the COVID-19 pandemic will be protected from eviction through June as long as they pay part of their rent under an emergency bill approved Thursday by the Legislature, just three days before an existing moratorium was set to expire. Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office said he will sign the legislation on Friday morning, providing eviction protection for tenants who pay at least 25% of their rent through June. The bill also provides $2.6 billion in federal funds for rent subsidies that will help pay most past-due rent by low-income tenants dating back to last April. (McGreevy, 1/28)
KHN: Vaccination Chaos Fuels Push To Recall Newsom
Joyce Hanson was thrilled when she heard Gov. Gavin Newsom announce Jan. 13 that Californians age 65 and older would be eligible to get vaccinated against covid-19.Infections and hospitalizations had been surging in California, and Hanson knew a simple trip to the grocery store put her at greater risk of getting sick and dying. Plus, she hadn’t seen her daughter in more than a year, so she immediately began making plans to visit her in the San Francisco Bay Area. (Hart, 1/29)
In news from Arkansas, North Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Montana, Colorado and elsewhere —
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette: Schools' Covid-19 Cases On The Rise
Covid-19 cases in public schools increased by about 9% over a three-day period, ending a trend over the past several days of mostly declining case totals, according to state Department of Health data released Thursday. Totals for active cases among public school students and staff jumped to 2,977 from the 2,723 cases reported Monday. The state Department of Health releases data on infections at educational institutions on Mondays and Thursdays, generally. Statewide, cases increased early this month after students returned from their winter breaks, rising to a high of 3,425 as of Jan. 14. But cases then began to decline. (Adame, 1/29)
North Carolina Health News: Project ECHO Resounds Throughout WNC
Each Monday at noon, Janice Somers closes her office door at Westwood Hills Nursing and Rehabilitation and puts her phone on Do Not Disturb. For the next 90 minutes, the nurse administrator and four team members join hundreds of employees from over a hundred North and South Carolina facilities for the Nursing Home COVID-19 Action Network, a four-month online course designed to establish common guidelines for infection control in nursing homes. (Newsome, 1/29)
Georgia Health News: Report Card Gives Georgia Low Grades On Tobacco Policies
Georgia received mostly failing grades on tobacco control policies in an annual American Lung Association report. The report from the organization emphasized the issue’s impact amid the pandemic, pointing out that cigarette smokers face a higher risk of severe illness if they contract COVID-19. (Miller, 1/28)
Billings Gazette: Montana Judge Halts Trump Attempt To Limit Science Findings In EPA Decisions
A U.S. District Judge in Montana has paused a rushed attempt by the Trump administration to restrict the science used by the EPA to make public health decisions. Judge Brian Morris ruled from U.S. District Court in Great Falls late Wednesday that the Environmental Protection Agency had unlawfully rushed its rule to significantly restrict the amount of the medical and scientific research that could be used for decision making. The EPA had attempted to impose the rule on Jan. 6, the day it was declared final, rather than give the public the standard 30-day notice. Plaintiffs in the case had asked Morris to stop the EPA’s rapid rollout. The judge also indicated EPA’s attempt to restrict scientific research didn’t appear to be legal, but he referred that issue for further discussion. (Lutey, 1/28)
KHN: States Move Ahead With Canada Drug Importation While Awaiting Signal From Biden
Florida, Colorado and several New England states are moving ahead with efforts to import prescription drugs from Canada, a politically popular strategy greenlighted last year by President Donald Trump. But it’s unclear whether the Biden administration will proceed with Trump’s plan for states and the federal government to help Americans obtain lower-priced medications from Canada. (Galewitz, 1/29)
