Latest KFF Health News Stories
Testing Backlog Better, Giroir Says; Data System Worse, Health Officials Say
The Trump administration’s testing czar, Adm. Brett Giroir, says most lab results come back in three days or fewer, but some people are still frustrated by long delays. In other news, analysts say the public data hub that replaced the one run by the CDC is rife with errors.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Perspectives: The Relief Bill’s Boondoggle, Part II; Pros, Cons Of Keeping Kids At Home This Fall
Editorial writers focus on these pandemic issues and others.
Opinion writers weigh in on these pandemic topics and others.
Research Roundup: COPD; Appendicitis; Orthodontics; And Artificial Intelligence
Each week, KHN compiles a selection of recently released health policy studies and briefs.
The pandemic is reappearing in Vietnam and is surging again in several Asian countries. Also, a Japanese court recognizes “black rain” victims 75 years after the atomic bomb blast.
How States Are Faring: Ohio Hospitalizations Hit Record High
Reports on the coronavirus epidemic from Ohio, Texas, Arizona, Montana, Oregon and Oklahoma.
States facing major health problems, some not related to the coronavirus epidemic, seek federal help. Meanwhile, some state officials are realizing that maybe, just maybe, people are partying too hard and spreading COVID.
US Needs To Drastically Change Or Face Many More Deaths, Health Groups Say
Also in the news today: Covered California; CARES Act funds in Georgia, SOC Telemed; and a major hospital apologizes for performing cosmetic genital surgeries on intersex infants.
Number Of Kids With Lead Poisoning Higher Than Expected, Study Finds
Other scientific developments include a potential medieval antibiotic, how your blood sugar affects your workouts and the effects of mechanical ventilation on COVID patients.
How White Nurses Can Fight Racism In The Workplace
Other topics on the mental and physical effects of racism include this year’s heat wave, last year’s Walmart shooting in El Paso, Texas, and yoga.
Study: Gum Disease Linked To Dementia
“We looked at people’s dental health over a 20-year period and found that people with the most severe gum disease at the start of our study had about twice the risk for mild cognitive impairment or dementia by the end,” said study author Ryan Demmer. And more on cognitive testing.
Usefulness Of COVID-Symptom Apps Questioned
But venture capitalists pour more money into other medical technology.
Shared Homes: Younger Family Members Are Infecting Older Ones
Whether they’re going to work or bars, when young adults head home, family members are at risk. Public health news is on flying, homelessness, assistance funds, masks, isolation, and more.
Evolving Plans For Higher Ed: Mailing Test Kits, Switching To Online, Enlarging Classrooms
News on how various colleges and universities are handling students returning, including Baylor, Georgetown, Seton Hall, Miami University and colleges in Michigan.
Mask Mandates Expanded In Maryland
Maryland’s governor toughens his mask mandate, even though Dr. Anthony Fauci says they are difficult to enforce.
Worries Grow of Antibiotic Shortages
In other pharma news, 23andMe’s database is used in cancer drug development and Kodak shareholders get a windfall after federal government pumps $765 million into a largely moribund company.
Thousands Of Lives Spared By Closing Schools In Spring, Researchers Find
A new study shows evidence that closing all of a state’s schools was associated with a measurable decrease in U.S. coronavirus cases and deaths. Also news on how various school districts are handling a fall reopening of classes.
Medicare Part D Premium Will Rise Slightly Next Year, CMS Says
Also in Medicaid news: Missouri’s upcoming vote on expansion and an interview with Will Lightbourne, head of California’s Department of Health Care Services, which oversees the state’s Medicaid program.
Who Gets The COVID Vaccine And When?
“This is a huge experiment and no one knows how it’s going to turn out,” said James Le Duc, the director of the University of Texas Medical Branch’s Galveston National Laboratory, about the very fast development process of a COVID vaccine.
