Latest KFF Health News Stories
Vaccinations Aren’t Necessary To Reopen Schools, CDC Chief Says
And in other school news, the city of San Francisco says it will sue its own school district to force it to reopen for in-person learning.
Can Vaccines Be Mixed? Oxford To Test Efficacy Of Combos
With multiple covid vaccines available, British researchers will study the changes to efficacy of giving one Pfizer dose and one AstraZeneca dose. Current UK and U.S. guidelines say not to interchange the shots.
‘Lay Low’ And Avoid Super Bowl Superspreaders, Experts Urge
With new cases dropping from January peaks, Dr. Anthony Fauci pleads with Americans to skip gatherings on Super Bowl Sunday to avoid covid spread.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Parsing Policy: Get Relief On The Way; Reopen Schools; Take Care Of Underserved Areas
Opinion writers weigh in on these pandemic topics and others.
Viewpoints: Lessons On Keeping The Next Pandemic From Taking Place, Taming This One
The director-general of the World Health Organization, political leaders in Europe and others express views about the pandemic.
Read recent commentaries about drug-cost issues.
‘No Matter What, … We Will Hold The Games,’ Tokyo’s Olympic Chief Insists
The International Olympic Committee agrees, saying the Games will open July 23 with 11,000 athletes and tens of thousands of officials and news media. A decision about allowing fans at venues will be made in the spring. Other news is from Cuba, Puerto Rico, Myanmar, England and China.
Georgia Falls Behind On Updating Medicaid Report
States are required to issue reports showing health care organizations are ensuring the best possible care. News reports look at an attempt in Missouri to address preexisting conditions and more.
What’s Really Happening To Insulin And Epinephrine Prices?
Read about the biggest pharmaceutical developments and pricing stories from the past week in KHN’s Prescription Drug Watch roundup.
Scientists Worry 100% Fatal Bacteria Found In Chimps Will Jump To Humans
The bacterium, Sarcina troglodytae, causes a disease called Epizootic Neurologic and Gastroenteric Syndrome, or ENGS. Although the illness has yet to be found in humans, “there are very few pathogens that infect chimpanzees without infecting humans,” said Tony Goldberg, one of the authors of the paper and a University of Wisconsin-Madison professor of epidemiology.
Win For Nurses, Patients: California Ends Emergency Staffing Waivers
Because of staffing shortages during covid surges at multiple hospitals, nurses had been required to care for an additional patient in ICUs and two additional patients in regular units.
FDA Approved Many Medical Devices Without Making Clinical Data Public, Stat Investigation Finds
Companies are pitching their AI devices to patients and doctors who know very little about whether they will work or how they might affect the cost and quality of care, physicians and health data experts told Stat. An FDA official responded that a new “action plan’’ for regulating AI aims to force manufacturers to be more rigorous in their evaluations.
Democrats Move Forward On Big Relief Package Without GOP Support
With President Joe Biden’s blessing, Senate Democrats began procedural votes that would allow his proposed $1.9 trillion stimulus legislation to be approved through the budget reconciliation process.
Biden Administration Likely To End Trump’s ‘Public Charge’ Rule
The White House announced that it will review the regulation that makes it harder for legal immigrants to get green cards if they use certain kinds of public assistance including Medicaid or food stamps. Other administration news reports on family separations and parental leave for appointees.
Big Study Confirms That Coronavirus Antibodies Last At Least 6 Months
Three months after a natural infection, 99% of the 20,000 study participants retained antibodies. After six months, 88% had antibodies. The results follow several smaller studies with similar results. However, it’s still unclear how long antibodies last after receiving a covid vaccine.
Herd Immunity: Are We There Yet? Sorry, Not Even Close
Less than 2% of Americans have received both doses of a covid vaccine, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. To return to a sense of normalcy, at least 70% of the population should be fully vaccinated, Dr. Anthony Fauci told CNN.
‘Eeek’ Mutation Of A Variant: Latest Discovery Worries Disease Experts
Samples studied in the United Kingdom and the U.S. have shown a mutation of the more contagious B.1.1.7 variant first discovered in the U.K. Infectious disease experts are concerned about vaccine efficacy against this latest viral change.
Plan For More Doses: Moderna Wants To Add More Vaccine To Vials
The FDA would need to approve the five-dose increase. While the idea would boost production, it poses risks, including the possibility of vials breaking from being too full.
AstraZeneca Vaccine Cuts Covid Transmission, Booster Delay Works
The latest research on the vaccine candidate produced by AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford finds that it was 76% effective at preventing infection after a single dose and that rate rises with a longer interval between the first and second doses.
