Latest KFF Health News Stories
Even As Nation’s Cases Rise, HHS Promotes In-Person Support Systems
Modern Healthcare reports on ways in which the federal government will attempt to deal with the nation’s “deteriorating mental health” brought on by shutdown isolation and economic devastation. News is from South Dakota, Washington, Georgia, Michigan and Indiana, as well.
New Human Virus Linked To Small Animals Emerges In Alaska
A second person has been diagnosed with “Alaskapox,” first identified in 2015. Researchers said there’s no cause for alarm. Other public health news is on wildfire dangers to water, food recalls at Walmart and child abuse.
A Pandemic Trend? Drinking More, But Cooking Healthier Meals At Home
According to a new study, American adults admit to drinking 14% more during the pandemic. Yet food execs report seeing a shift from comfort foods back to healthier options. In other news, Airbnb cancels one-night Halloween reservations, LSU scraps wellness checks at football games, and more.
New, Incision-Free Brain Surgery Helps Patients With Parkinson’s Disease
The new surgery, MRI-guided focused ultrasound, treats essential tremor and tremor-dominant Parkinson’s disease with sound waves, targeting the brain tissue that causes the shaking. Only 23 hospitals in the U.S. offer this treatment. Hospital news is also reported out of Georgia, Illinois and Kansas.
FDA Approves Drug Cocktail To Treat Mesothelioma
It’s the first regimen approved for that type of lung cancer in 16 years.
Study: Coronavirus Lives On Your Skin For 9 Hours
Comparatively, influenza A survives on human skin for less than two hours. In other COVID-19 research, a study has shown that nearly a third of hospitalized patients experienced some type of altered mental function.
Republicans March Toward Barrett Vote As Democrats Demand COVID Tests
Republican Senate leaders defended their decision not to slow down the nomination process for President’s Donald Trump’s Supreme Court pick even as coronavirus rips through Washington.
In Win For GOP, Supreme Court Says Absentee Ballots In South Carolina Need A Witness
However, ballots already sent in without a witness should be counted, the justices ruled. Tens of thousands of ballots have already been submitted in the state.
Plexiglass To Play A Role In Wednesday’s Pence-Harris Debate
Despite the addition of plexiglass barriers between the candidates, however, some still say the debate should not be happening in-person.
Biden Sharpens Criticism With Trump Now Back Home At White House
“Quite frankly, I wasn’t surprised,” Biden said of President Donald Trump’s diagnosis while speaking in Miami on Monday. He urged Trump to listen to science and support mask-wearing.
CDC Confirms Coronavirus Spreads Through Airborne Transmission
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Monday that the virus may be transmitted between people who are more than 6 feet apart. Yet Monday’s guidance was more cautious than previous guidance that the CDC released last month, before pulling it down shortly thereafter.
White House Stops FDA From Issuing High Vaccine Safety Standards For EUA
The bar set by the proposed guidelines would have been hard for any vaccine maker to clear by the Nov. 3 election. President Donald Trump has pinned much of his re-election campaign message on a vision that a COVID-19 vaccine would secure FDA emergency use authorization by that date.
‘Largest Spreader’ Of Disinformation? Title Goes To Trump, Studies Find
The source of many of the fake claims and bad information online about critical topics like the coronavirus pandemic and voter safety is the president of the United States, two recent studies conclude.
Outbreak Puts Vulnerable White House Staffers At Risk; Some Test Positive
As a still-contagious President Donald Trump returns from the hospital to the White House, concerns are raised for the people who work in the residence as well as the Secret Service members who staff the area. Some have voiced anger and fear over their working safety conditions.
White House Forgoes Contact Tracing Of Attendees At Rose Garden Ceremony
The White House had resisted an offer from the CDC. Health officials are concerned the event might turn into a super-spreader. So far, 30 people in the Trump circle have tested positive.
Shock, Rage Flare Over Trump’s ‘Reckless’ Tweet Downplaying COVID Danger
After spending three days in the hospital treated by an army of doctors and receiving cutting-edge care, President Donald Trump told Americans: “Don’t be afraid of Covid, Don’t let it dominate your life.” Doctors and scientists were aghast at the advice that counters all public health messaging about a disease that has killed over 202,000 Americans so far. Many families of victims voiced devastation over the president’s words.
VIP Treatment For President Contrasts Sharply With Care Of Ordinary Patients
That is especially true for COVID-19 cases, which have disproportionately struck low-income communities, Black and Hispanic Americans and people with less access to health care. Other unique factors in President Donald Trump’s case are also in the news.
Not ‘Out Of The Woods’: Trump Faces COVID’s Precarious Second Week
Without providing many details about President Donald Trump’s condition, his physician Dr. Sean Conley said Monday afternoon: “Though he may not entirely be out of the woods yet, the team and I agree that all our evaluations and most importantly his clinical status support the president’s safe return home where he’ll be surrounded by world class medical care 24/7.” COVID patients are watched closely during the second week of the disease as they can relapse quickly.
Trump Returns To White House From Hospital While Questions Remain About His Condition
President Donald Trump will remain under around-the-clock medical care since leaving Walter Reed National Military Medical Center Monday evening. Before departing, he tweeted that he’s “Feeling really good!” while tagging on some advice to Americans that downplays the severity of COVID-19. Upon his return to the White House, he also remarked about his possible immunity.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
