Latest KFF Health News Stories
CDC Not Yet Ready To Recommend Covid Booster Shots For All
Scientists from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said there is not enough data currently to support a general recommendation for booster shots. Separately, a study notes that a third covid shot may offer “hope” to immunocompromised patients.
Biden Outlines Strategy To Prevent Public Health Menace Of Gun Violence
The White House aims to reduce gun violence through revoking licenses to sell guns through loopholes. The president called gun violence an “epidemic” throughout the country and reiterated the cyclical nature of violence with more crime in the summer annually.
National Eviction Ban Poised To Get Final 30-Day Extension
The eviction moratorium was set to expire June 30, and though no final decision has been made, federal officials are said to be ready to add another 30 days. Meanwhile, reports say people most at risk of eviction are those least likely to be vaccinated against covid.
Rare Heart Condition In Young ‘Likely’ Linked To mRNA Vaccines: CDC
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says 323 cases of myocarditis or pericarditis have been verified in people who received the Pfizer or Moderna covid vaccine. No deaths have been associated. Though it’s an “extremely rare side effect,” the Food and Drug Administration is adding a warning for teens and young adults to vaccine fact sheets.
Delta Variant Tears Through Missouri
The state has become the nation’s latest cautionary tale for the unvaccinated. Meanwhile, Europe and Australia make an urgent call for more people to get vaccinated in order to squelch the variant.
Early Covid Gene Samples Were Deleted From Database, Scientist Says
The new analysis, released Tuesday, bolsters claims that a variety of coronaviruses may have been circulating in Wuhan, China, before the initial outbreaks linked to animal and seafood markets in December 2019, The New York Times says.
17 Million Americans Likely Had Covid In Early 2020 And Didn’t Know It
Antibody testing on undiagnosed adults suggests that there may have been five times more cases than officially reported.
‘Horrific Decrease’: US Life Expectancy Tumbles By Nearly Two Years
Largely due to the covid pandemic, the nation’s life expectancy plummeted between 2018 and 2020 — the largest decline since 1943, when U.S. troops were dying in World War II — according to a new study. The alarming drop is even worse for Black and Hispanic Americans.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Different Takes: Americans Have A Right To Health Care; Missourians At Risk Of Losing Medicaid
Editorial writers delve into these public health issues.
Opinion writers tackle these Covid and vaccine issues.
CMS To Grant $20M To State-Based ACA Exchanges For System Updates
The funding is intended to help state-based marketplaces comply with federal requirements and to speed up insurance signups. In Medicaid news, states are expected to soon review new enrollments and Missouri’s governor schedules a special session on a proposed tax to fund Medicaid.
Defense Chief Supports Major Shift In Handling Of Military Sex-Assault Cases
Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin will recommend to President Joe Biden that the cases be handled by independent military lawyers instead of the chain of command. The seismic change requires amending the Uniform Code of Military Justice, which no other defense chief has been willing to do.
With Olympics A Month Away Japan Reaches Daily 1 Million Shot Target
The 1 million covid shots per day target was set by Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, and was reached June 14. Meanwhile, Japan has banned alcohol at Olympic venues, Ugandan team members test positive, and a weightlifter is set to be the first openly trans Olympian.
India Reports Another New, More Transmissible Covid Variant
The new variant is confusingly dubbed “delta plus” locally, and nearly two dozen cases have been identified so far. Meanwhile, New Zealanders worry over an infected Australian visitor; pressure builds to open Canada’s border; and a case of H3N2v flu is found.
Iowa Judge Blocks Law Requiring 24-Hour Wait Before Abortions
The law was permanently blocked on the grounds it was unconstitutional. Separately, Georgia’s Governor Brian Kemp will lift the state of emergency on July 1; Missouri’s covid case rate tops the nation; and Houston paid $1.7 million for fake N95 masks early in 2021.
Study Links Drinking 3 To 4 Cups Of Coffee Daily To Lower Liver Cancer Risk
The study involved data from nearly half a million people and showed most pronounced effects for ground coffee (even if decaffeinated). In other news, “morning people” could be at lower risk of depression than night-time people according to new research.
US Births Crashed 8% In The Ninth Month After Lockdown
The overall yearly decline in birth rate was down 4% over 2019’s figure — the biggest drop since 1973. Meanwhile, worries about asthma and prenatal exposure to ultra-fine particles, and a call for all kids to get heart health screening are also in the news.
Hospital Vaccine-Mandate Battle Ends With 153 Employees Fired Or Resigning
Previously a judge had dismissed an employee lawsuit against Houston Methodist Hospital’s covid vaccine mandate. Nursing staffing shortages, persistent blood supply shortages, and group homes for people with developmental disabilities are also in the news.
FDA Pulls Back Curtain On Alzheimer’s Drug Approval Process In Wake Of Uproar
Details on internal meetings are revealed in documents released by the Food and Drug Administration Tuesday. The agency is trying to calm criticism of its accelerated review of the contentious Alzheimer’s disease treatment, Adulhelm, but the new information may set off a fresh wave of concerns, news outlets report.
