Latest KFF Health News Stories
26% Of Parents Lied About Kids’ Covid Status, Survey Finds
If a child tests positive for covid but the parent tells nobody, do they really have covid? A study published Monday showed 26% of parents lied about their child’s covid status, and 20% allowed them to break quarantine. Moderna’s shot pricing and fading booster protection are also in the news.
NYC Mayor: Covid Masks Should Be Briefly Doffed At Store Doorways
The confusing guidance, given that until recently Mayor Eric Adams urged shoppers to wear face masks, is due to security: The New York Times says there’s a worry masked individuals at doors may “plan to rob the place.” Meanwhile, in Arkansas, Tyson workers sue over lack of covid protections.
Texas Sued Over Abortion Ban By 5 Women Denied The Procedure
It’s the first legal challenge filed by individuals against abortion bans allowed since Roe v. Wade was struck down, according to the abortion-rights group backing the litigants. The New York Times reports on the 91-page court filing in which the women allege “substantial harm.”
Walgreens To Dispense Abortion Pill Where It Can Legally; California To Cut Business Ties
Following a wave of political criticism, Walgreens clarified its position on selling abortion medication Mifepristone, saying its pharmacies would do so wherever “legally permissible.” California Gov. Gavin Newsom, meanwhile, said that his state would stop doing business with Walgreens over the issue.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Florida GOP-Led Laws Target Gender Studies, Trans School Kids, Educators
Florida legislators have proposed new laws that would force teachers to use students’ birth-assigned pronouns, ban college gender studies majors, and widen a ban on teaching children about gender and sexuality, The Washington Post says.
Viewpoints: Steps To Fix Our Broken Health Care System; Is CRISPR The Future Of Reproductive Care?
Editorial writers delve into these public health issues.
Opinion writers examine the latest in covid news.
Law Change Means Some Colorado Psychologists Can Prescribe Drugs
The Colorado Sun, explaining the law signed Friday by Gov. Jared Polis, notes that psychologists in the state have to obtain an additional two-year degree to qualify. The goal is to increase access to mental health care. Also: prisoner suicides in California, how stressful Houston is for workers, and more.
Death From Brain-Eating Amoeba Leads To Florida Water Warning
A death linked to a Naegleria fowleri infection has led to a warning to the roughly 200,000 residents of Charlotte County to avoid washing their face with tap water. Separately, worries over Legionnaires’ disease in Las Vegas, spiking cases of norovirus, and more are in the news.
Mississippi Hospital Ends Birth Services, Joins List Of Closed Facilities
AP reports the Singing River Gulfport hospital will suspend labor and delivery services April 1 due to a lack of obstetricians, adding to a list of closed birthing centers and newborn intensive care facilities in a state that has the nation’s highest fetal mortality rate.
Higher Dementia Risk Linked To Regular Laxative Use: Study
A correlation was found between regular laxative use and dementia by researchers in the U.K., with a study of around 500,000 adults. Meanwhile, Stat reports Eli Lilly is avoiding big Medicaid rebates with its insulin price cuts; the FDA warns of food allergy test false negatives, and more.
Disability-Rights Trailblazer Judith Heumann Dies; She Helped Create ADA
The world-renowned activist and quadriplegic served in both the Clinton and Obama administrations and was a fellow or board member at some of the nation’s leading nonprofits, news media outlets reported. President Joe Biden called her “a rolling warrior for disability rights in America.”
Abortion Clinics Set To Be Banned In Utah; Issue Already Shaping 2024 Election
Utah’s governor says he’ll sign a bill that will ban clinics from operating in the state, leaving hospitals as the only option. Abortion news is also reported from North Carolina, South Carolina, Massachusetts, and other parts of the nation.
Covid Mask Rules For Health Workers To End In California, Washington, Oregon
California health officials said they plan to relax guidance for masking in high-risk settings and health worker vaccine rules, the LA Times reported. Separately, Washington and Oregon will lift health worker mask rules, according to AP. Other news reminds us covid is still infecting and killing people.
Biden Had Basal Cell Carcinoma Lesion Removed During February Physical
The lesion was on his chest and “has healed nicely,” the president’s physician, Kevin O’Connor, said Friday.
Statin Alternative Lowers Heart Attack, Stroke Risks, Major Study Finds
Statins are the most common cholesterol-lowering drugs, but some patients can’t tolerate or refuse it due to side effects. In a large study of bempedoic acid, sold as Nexletol by Esperion Therapeutics, the alternative medication option is shown to both lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of stroke and heart attack. Stat examines whether doctors will start to prescribe the pill more.
Spiking Diabetes And Obesity Rates Among Young Adults Sound Alarms
A study finds that cases among patients between 20 and 44 years old rose from 2009 to 2020, with rates even higher than average for Black and Hispanic Americans. “We’re witnessing a smoldering public health crisis,” one study author told The Washington Post.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Kentucky Religious Gathering Could Have Exposed 20,000 To Measles
The CDC estimated that 20,000 people attended the gathering at Asbury University at the same time as a resident who was infected with measles, CBS News reports, during an outbreak that has already affected multiple states and countries. Doctors are warned to watch for symptoms.
