Latest KFF Health News Stories
Biden Deploying Help To Hospitals In 6 Strained States; 4 Others Near ICU Breaking Point
President Joe Biden will announce Thursday his administration will send military medical teams to 6 states with overtaxed hospitals. None of the states though are on the list of the 4 that currently have less than 10% capacity in their intensive care units. And hospitalizations are on the rise in many other areas due to the omicron surge.
Omicron Tidal Wave Shatters Covid Records In Hot Spots
From hospitalizations to positivity rates to daily infections, last winter’s terrible covid records are being toppled in many areas by the latest surge. News outlets report on the state of the pandemic from Colorado, Alaska, Hawaii, Utah and elsewhere.
‘Any Mask Better Than No Mask’?: CDC Sticks With Current Guidance
Despite urging from some health experts for people to upgrade from cloth masks to medical-grade ones due to the contagious nature of the omicron variant, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Rochelle Walensky says that the agency does not plan to change its recommendations. The White House is moving forward with a plan to provide higher-quality masks for free though.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Viewpoints: How Do We Help Exhausted Nurses?; Examining California’s Universal Health Care Bill
Editorial writers tackle these public health topics.
Different Takes: Omicron Requires New Response; Media Should Stop Showing Covid Injections
Opinion writers weigh in on these covid and vaccine issues.
California Assembly Takes Early Step Toward Universal Care
A state Assembly committee advanced a bill that would create a universal health care system and set its rules. A separate bill is planned to fund the proposal at about $163 billion a year. Republicans opposed the bill saying it would cost too much and could even lower the pay for health workers.
Perspectives: Small Businesses Play By Much Different Rules Than Big Pharma
Read recent commentaries about drug-cost issues.
Vending Machines Full Of Free Narcan Are Popping Up Across The Country
Read about the biggest pharmaceutical developments and pricing stories from the past week in KHN’s Prescription Drug Watch roundup.
CMS To Seek More Private Partnerships To Lower Medicare, Medicaid Expenses
CMS Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure tells a financial conference that the federal Medicare and Medicaid programs need to “align goals” with private companies to help lower drug costs and other health expenses.
Hawaii Water Contamination Will Be Fixed, Navy Says
Leaking military fuel from an old dump in Hawaii was blamed for causing discolored smelly water, and symptoms among local people like diarrhea, nausea, headaches, and eye and skin irritation. Facing criticism, the Navy has now promised to clean up the problem.
HHS Tweaks Women’s Preventive Care Guidelines For Private Insurers
The updated guidelines address coverage for electric breast pumps for breastfeeding, which now must be a priority, counseling for overweight or typically-weighted women ages 40 to 60, plus screening, education, counseling and provision of contraceptive care and more.
White House To Give Extra 10 Million Covid Tests A Month To K-12 Schools
Half the tests will be rapid tests, and half will be the PCR versions. The drive is part of an effort to keep classrooms open. Meanwhile, The New York Times reports on why covid testing is falling short in many schools, with expired kits, labor disputes and more hobbling their efforts.
Florida Will Be Allowed To Use 1M Expired Rapid Tests
Nearly a million tests sitting in a state warehouse expired at the end of last year, but the state has now been given a three-month extension to use them. Meanwhile, hospitals in Kentucky are asking people to not clutter up their emergency rooms by seeking routine covid tests.
Weekly Tests For Unvaxxed Federal Workers Start Feb. 15: White House
The tests mainly affect those exempted from the general federal worker vax mandate. Also: Indoor masking in New Orleans, the end of active contact tracing in New York and more.
Hospitalizations For Covid Are The Highest Ever
NPR reports that 145,982 people are hospitalized due to the effects of covid, beating the previous record from January 2021. Meanwhile, a study of California covid patients shows omicron seemingly does cause less severe disease than other variants, aligning with data found in other countries.
Lab Study Finds Certain Cannabis Compounds May Block Covid Infection
An Oregon State University study analyzing a range of botanical compounds discovered that two found in hemp can bind to the virus that causes covid and prevent it from infecting human cells. In the lab tests, researchers used the original virus and the alpha and beta variants, but no subsequent strains. Smoking cannabis does not offer any protection, the lead researcher said.
Omicron May Be Leveling Off In NYC; Michigan, Idaho, California Hit Hard
Meanwhile, Republican West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice, 70, tested positive Tuesday and said he was feeling “extremely unwell.”
Biden Administration’s Covid Strategy Questioned During Edgy Senate Hearing
As omicron infections rage in the U.S., Biden administration health officials faced pointed questions — from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle — as they defended the federal pandemic response to a Senate panel Tuesday. Testing, school safety and access to covid treatments were among the points of contention.
A Dire Forecast From Health Officials: Most Of Us Will Get Covid
Acting FDA head Janet Woodcock told senators during a hearing Tuesday that “most people are going to get covid.” Dr. Anthony Fauci repeated the warning in an interview. And, in yet another heated exchange between the two men, Fauci called out Sen. Rand Paul’s personal attacks and false claims, saying they’ve led to death threats against him and his family.
