Latest KFF Health News Stories
Opinion writers weigh in on these health care topics and others.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
‘Another Trap’: Deadly Inflammatory Syndrome More Likely To Impact Black American Children
The depredations of the novel coronavirus, police brutality, economic inequality and institutional racism blended together at the funeral for the pandemic’s youngest victim in the D.C. area, the Washington Post reports — a region where black Americans comprise nearly 76% of COVID deaths. In other news on children’s health and COVID-19, France reports more than 100 cases and doctors look for ways to understand and treat it, as well.
Editorial pages focus on these pandemic issues and other health issues.
Proponents of the Louisiana law requiring clinic doctors have admitting privileges to a hospital within 30 miles say it is designed to make doctors accountable and competent. Other news on the Supreme Court is on the “missed opportunity” for oral dissents, as well.
Developed during the Obama administration, the federal program places employees in different agencies like CMS and VA. “It might be everything from figuring out how we can enable remote work… to trying to help with procurement,” said USDS administrator Matt Cutts. More technology news is on designing electronic health records at the VA.
Media outlets report on news from California, Rhode Island, Maine, Wisconsin, Texas, Michigan, Maryland, Vermont and Massachusetts.
Americans Are Gargling Bleach, Misusing Other Disinfectants Amid Fear Of Coronavirus
A survey found that 39% of adults surveyed had misused cleaning products in some way during the pandemic. The survey also showed that many people did not know how to safely use different cleaning products
Neurologists Baffled By Length Of Time Some Patients Are Taking To Wake Up After Ventilators
Normally a patient in a medically induced coma would wake up over the course of a day. Some COVID patients are taking nearly a week to wake up. In other scientific news on the virus: brain damage found in autopsies, the origin of the outbreak may be earlier than previously thought and the use of repeated tests is questioned.
Health Care Workers Grappling With Immense Emotional Toll Of Battling On Front Lines Of Virus War
Although health care workers are being touted as heroes, many feel lost, alone and helpless after facing the horror of working on the front line during a pandemic. In other news on health workers: lost lives, job cuts and help for providers.
Over 400,000 People Around The Globe Have Now Died From COVID-19; China Defends Its Early Response
Global pandemic developments are reported out of Brazil, China, Spain, Britain, Japan, New Zealand, Australia, South Africa and more.
The End Of Handshakes? Epidemiologists Weigh In On Comfort Levels With Pre-Pandemic Behavior
Epidemiologists say they feel safe going to the doctors or going on an overnight trip within driving distance. But, on the whole, they don’t see going to weddings or concerts within the next year. In other public health news: life in retail during the coronavirus, workplace safety, anxiety and more.
Hurricane Threat Upends Everything People Have Been Taught Is Safe During A Pandemic
With hurricane and wildfire seasons looming, officials struggle to figure out how to keep Americans safe from natural disasters in the midst of a pandemic.
Report Notes Neglect, Mistakes Made By For-Profit Vermont Nursing Home Where 11 Died
More than 40% of the coronavirus fatalities in the U.S. are tied to nursing homes and long-term care facilities. The New York Times investigates what went wrong at the Burlington (Vermont) Health & Rehab Center. Other news on nursing homes comes from Washington, Oregon, Massachusetts, Texas, Louisiana and Nevada, as well.
‘Misclassification Error’ Made May Jobs Report Seem Rosier Than It Likely Is
While the government reported that the unemployment rate was 13.3%, the error means that it was more like 16.3%. In other news on the economic toll of the virus: homelessness, signs of improvement, stimulus checks, debt collectors, job losses and more.
Food Stamps Are Best Way To Feed Hungry Americans, But Partisan Politics Make Increases A Nonstarter
Food banks and anti-hunger advocates say that food stamps are far more effective than food banks, but the federal government would have to expand the program.
Even at hospitals that are well-off and have made billions in profits in previous years, the financial burden of the pandemic is falling on the front-line workers who are the most vulnerable to the virus. In other places in the country, though, rural hospitals are being pushed to the financial brink.
WHO Recommends Wearing Face Masks In What Critics See As Long-Overdue Acknowledgment
WHO has been hesitant to recommend wearing face masks to prevent the spread of the virus even as many countries adopted some kind of guidance on face coverings. Meanwhile, a scientist finds another reason to wear a mask: it helps ensure social distancing.
Scientists At Odds Over Hydroxychloroquine’s Future In The Battle Against COVID-19
British scientists halted a large trial of the controversial anti-malarial drug, but WHO is continuing to study the efficacy of the treatment.
Drug Giant Tapped To Produce A Billion Vaccine Shots For World’s Poorest Populations
The vaccine that the Serum Institute of India plans to manufacture is the one being developed at the University of Oxford. Drug companies are trying to compress the normal, lengthy process for creating a vaccine by implementing development plans while studies are still going on. World leaders have been concerned that the poorest nations would be left out of the global vaccine race.
