Latest KFF Health News Stories
Opioid Crisis Is Engulfed By Pandemic, Leaving Many Vulnerable To Overdose, Relapse
This year was supposed to be a turning point for the opioid crisis in many states. Then the pandemic hit. In other public health news: domestic violence, online predators, family ties and more.
For Some Doctors, Risk Of Infection Comes With Extra Layer Of Worry: Deportation
A visa holder’s death could quickly change a family’s ability to stay in the U.S., and doctors are all too aware of how those on the front line can be hardest hit by the virus. In other provider news: personal protective gear, a brewing mental health crisis and more.
The Mask Market: Chaotic, Wild Wild West World Of Oddballs, Shadowy Investors And Ganjapreneurs
ProPublica takes a deep dive into the mask marketplace and uncovers a strange, cryptic and sometimes shadowy world. Meanwhile, amid all the hub bub over masks, a historian looks at the long journey of face coverings through the ages.
Russia Reports More COVID Deaths; South Africa’s Test Backlog Stretches To 100,000
Global pandemic developments are reported out of Russia, South Africa, Britain, Colombia, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, China, Hong Kong, India, Nepal, Peru, Ecuador, Tibet and other nations.
Cost Of Meat, Other Foods Hit Historic Highs With Prices Expected To Remain Elevated For Months
The 2.6% jump in April food prices was the largest monthly increase in 46 years, according to the Labor Department. Burgers, chicken and even garlic prices are higher with harvesting and transporting goods more difficult during the pandemic. The situation is worse for meat largely because of illnesses among slaughterhouse workers that allowed plants to operate at only 60% capacity. Other news on the meat industry is on plants unable to meet demands and towns worried about plant’s dangers to public health, as well.
As Hurricane Season Looms, State Officials Scramble To Update Evacuation, Safety Plans
Evacuating during a pandemic would be a “nightmare,” officials say. But the forecast for an active season is grim for Southern states traditionally in the path of devastating storms.
Tuesday’s Primaries Offer States Chance To Test Drive Turn-Out Strategies, Mail-In-Voting Process
Primaries in Indiana, Maryland, Montana, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota and Washington, D.C., will offer the first big test for mail-in-voting and turn-out strategies. “Any plan you had three months ago is out the window,” Brock Lowrance, a Republican strategist, tells AP about getting voters to the polls. Meanwhile, the U.S. pulled off an election during the 1918 flu pandemic. Will the country be successful during this crisis?
Next Coronavirus Relief Negotiations Could Hinge On Jobless Benefits With Millions Unemployed
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) is already making clear Republicans will not support an extension of the extra unemployment benefits Congress passed in March. Democrats, on the other hand, want to push it further. Meanwhile, states and cities plead with lawmakers for more aid.
Unlike Other Respiratory Infections, Novel Coronavirus Can Make The Jump Into Blood Vessel Cells
The new findings that the novel coronavirus can infect endothelial cells could explain the wide range of baffling symptoms exhibited by coronavirus patients–from COVID toes to strokes and heart attacks. Scientists say that respiratory viruses don’t typically leave the lungs. In other scientific news: a look at what dose it takes to get really sick; a suggestion that the virus may be losing its potency; a look at who is getting infected; and more.
As States Reopen, Demand For Plexiglass Is Booming Like Never Before
States and businesses are trying to protect their residents and workers with new safety measures–including putting up plexiglass between cashiers and costumers. It’s just one example of the new, booming marketplaces created by the virus. Media outlets also look at where states stand on their plans to reopen.
Testing Can Still Depend On Who You Know, Exacerbating Socioeconomic Disparities In Outbreak
A lack of a national allocation system has created a patchy landscape of unequal testing access. In some places anyone can get a test. In others it’s a struggle. The divide threatens to worsen disparities that are already influencing the crisis. Meanwhile, Japan reports success in bucking the “test, test, test” model that’s being championed by public health experts worldwide. In other news: not everyone is rushing to get a test; should people get one even without symptoms?; costs continue to be a factor even with the promise of a free test; and more.
Supreme Court Denies Church’s Request To Overturn California’s Restrictions On Religious Gatherings
Chief Justice John Roberts said that it wasn’t judges’ place to substitute their judgment for health experts and elected officials who appear to be acting in good faith. While some churches moved ahead with plans for Pentecost services, others are being more cautious in reopening.
In Strange Twist, Getting Outbreak Under Control Actually Hamstrings Vaccine Research
Scientists say that there might not be enough of the virus circulating within some populations to get a sense of a vaccine’s efficacy. They might have to search out hot spots to get convincing results. In other vaccine news: some worry “Operation Warp Speed” sends the wrong message to those who already doubt the safety of vaccines; Moderna moves ahead with its trials; China suggests it may have a vaccine by the end of the year; and more.
Trump’s Decision To Withdraw From WHO Could Leave Profound Damage In Its Wake, Experts Warn
President Donald Trump announced that the U.S. will terminate its relationship with the global health agency, which has become a scapegoat for the administration when questioned about its own response in the early days of the pandemic. Experts say that the move will deeply hurt world-wide public health efforts beyond the pandemic. Meanwhile, WHO launches a voluntary pool to collect product patent rights, regulatory test data and other information that could be shared to develop drugs, vaccines and diagnostics to combat the virus.
U.S. Sends 2 Million Doses Of Controversial Anti-Malarial Drug To Hard-Hit Brazil
Studies of hydroxychloroquine have been halted because of its dangerous side effects. There’s also no scientific evidence that the drug helps treat or prevent the coronavirus. Yet the United States has now sent 2 million doses of it to Brazil, which is being devastated by the virus. The U.S. also sent 1,000 ventilators. News outlets report other treatment news, as well.
“We were never really blind when it came to surveillance” said CDC Director Robert Redfield, adding that it would have been like “looking for a needle in a haystack.” Experts dismiss that defense of the agency’s early testing response as “preposterous,” saying Redfield’s statement ignores that flu surveillance samples were not tested for COVID-19 in real time.
As America’s Death Toll Climbed Toward 100,000, Trump Relied On Distractions And Spectacle
The Washington Post looks at what unfolded within the White House during May, from President Donald Trump’s announcement he was taking an experimental and dangerous drug to his social media gambit at the end of the month. Meanwhile, the White House is reportedly divided over whether to address the rising racial tensions in the country. And Trump postpones the G-7 summit amid the pandemic.
Americans flooded the streets by the thousands over the past days to protest the death of George Floyd, racial inequity and police brutality. Health experts worry that the mass gatherings could set off another wave of the coronavirus. Black Americans have already suffered in disproportionate numbers from the outbreak, and could bear the brunt of the new infections.
Whether Outbreak Is Receding Or Surging Depends On What State You’re Standing In
Some areas of the U.S. are on the downward slope of COVID-19 peaks but others report stubbornly high or rising numbers. Overall the country has confirmed more than 1.7 million cases and nearly 104,000 deaths to date.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
