Latest KFF Health News Stories
European Union Moves Up Approval Timeline For Pfizer Vaccine
The European Medicines Agency approves vaccines and medicines for all 27 countries. Other media reports are on French President Emmanuel Macron’s testing positive for COVID, an unjust lockdown in Melbourne, Australia, and more.
‘It’s Time’: Data Support Reopening Washington Schools, Governor Says
Gov. Jay Inslee will use $3 million in CARES Act funding toward safety measures. Media outlets report on news from Washington, Kansas, Oregon, Oklahoma, Iowa and Kentucky.
Mothers Who Rented Bus For Huge Maskless Birthday Party Face Charges
The Ohio parents were charged with “contributing to the unruliness/delinquency of a child.” Reports are on benefits of fitness video games, vaccine safety, when it’s OK to travel and more.
Mask Safety: Silk Or Cotton? Filters Or Filterless? Stay Tuned For Answers
A division of the CDC is working to develop standards on how efficient certain masks are at blocking the coronavirus. But know this: wearing a used one can be a problem. News is on enforcing mask-wearing in 2021, the Army’s new masks and more.
Twitter, Facebook Try To Tackle Vaccine Misinformation
Twitter said it will label or remove posts with false claims about the shots. Also: Some people citing falsehoods about election fraud switch to vaccine lies.
FDA Approves Another At-Home COVID Test
The test from Abbott produces results in 15 minutes. In an ongoing study, the test accurately produced positive results about 92% of the time and correctly returned negative tests 100% of the time, the company said.
CommonSpirit Health, Morehouse Team Up To Train Minority Physicians
The organizations are partnering for a 10-year, $100 million initiative to develop a joint undergraduate and graduate medical education program to train a minimum of 300 additional clinicians from historically underrepresented communities, Modern Healthcare reports.
Biden To Get COVID Shot Next Week; Plans For Inauguration Roll On
Aides for the president-elect say the delay has been due to the logistics of administering it in public, rather than hesitation to get the vaccine.
Medicaid, CHIP Enrollment Up Nearly 6% During Pandemic; Poverty Grows
All states saw their Medicaid rolls grow except Montana and the District of Columbia, the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission said Wednesday.
Congress Inching Toward Deal That Includes Stimulus Checks
Progress is reported on a new round of coronavirus relief talks, as lawmakers face a Friday night government shutdown deadline.
Trump Blocks $200M In Medicaid Funds For California
In other administration news, Vice President Mike Pence will receive the COVID vaccine Friday and Interior Department Secretary David Bernhardt tested positive for the coronavirus.
One Day, 3,600 Lost: US Reports New Death And Hospitalization Records
The coronavirus outbreak spreads with little abatement across the nation as new cases continue to surge and hospitals are overwhelmed with severely ill patients.
‘We Want Them Infected’: Emails Reveal Trump Official’s Push For Herd Immunity Strategy
“Infants, kids, teens, young people, young adults, middle aged with no conditions etc. have zero to little risk….so we use them to develop herd…we want them infected…” wrote then-White House science adviser Paul Alexander in emails obtained during a House investigation and reported by Politico.
FDA Panel Votes Today On Moderna’s Vaccine
Medical experts will assess Moderna’s clinical trial data and offer their opinions on the vaccine — which, like Pfizer’s, uses mRNA technology and requires two doses.
Cold Storage, Production Issues Cause Early Distribution Snags
Several thousand doses of Pfizer’s vaccine had to be quarantined in California and Alabama after storage temperatures became too cold during transport.
First Nursing Home Vaccinations Administered; Who Will Be Next?
With immunization programs in U.S. nursing and long-term care homes now underway, states must decide whom to prioritize next. A CDC advisory panel is set to weigh in.
Allergic Reactions To Shot Experienced By Two Alaska Health Care Workers
The two workers were among 144 vaccinated at a Juneau hospital Wednesday. They both received emergency care, and only one of the cases was described as severe.
Pfizer Vaccine Vials Deliver A Dose Or Two More Than Estimated
More people will be able to get the first batch of Pfizer’s vaccine than previously believed after hospital pharmacists discovered that a vial contains enough vaccine to inoculate six or seven, rather than the labeled five.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Different Takes: Congress Needs To Advocate For ER Docs; Did U.S. Move Fast Enough On Vaccines?
Opinion writers weigh in on these public health issues and others.
