Latest KFF Health News Stories
Mask-Wearing As Political Virtue Signal? Basic Public Health Guidance Falls Into Partisan Trap
After pictures of Vice President Mike Pence touring the Mayo Clinic without a mask emerged, the spotlight turned toward just who is wearing masks and who is taking a stance against them. While Pence did put on a mask for his tour of a General Motors plant in Indiana after facing criticism, the decision to wear a mask is now becoming politically fraught.
Intelligence Agencies Concur With Scientific Consensus That Virus Was Not Man-Made
President Donald Trump has pushed the idea that the coronavirus was manufactured in a Chinese lab, though scientists studying it say that it comes from nature. Intelligence agencies were directed by the White House to investigate, but, in a rare move, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence signaled support for the scientific consensus that the virus was “not manmade or genetically modified.”
In Contrast To His Predecessors, Trump Doesn’t Attempt To Lead The Nation In Mourning
Even as the American death toll surpasses that of the Vietnam War, President Donald Trump has stayed away from trying to mourn with grieving Americans. In other news, Trump’s social distancing guidelines quietly expire and are replaced with plans to help states reopen. And Army leaders defend Trump’s decision to give a speech at West Point.
The Next Frontier In Hunting Down The Virus: The Sewer System
While wastewater surveillance has been used for years in developing countries to detect outbreaks of polio, in the U.S. it has been used more recently to track opioid use within communities. There’s no strong evidence that shows the coronavirus is present in human waste, but some experts think it could be a way to identify areas at risk.
Politico looks at the reasons why people should remain cautious over the Gilead drug trial results conducted by NIH that show that remdesivir can help cut hospitalization time for coronavirus patients. Meanwhile, Gilead announced its ramping up production of the treatment. And old drugs may find new life in the race for a cure.
Developing A Workable, Safe Vaccine Is Just The First Step In Long, Daunting Distribution Process
“We’re thinking about the vaccine, but what if the vials it is stored in, or rubber stoppers in the vial or the plungers in the syringes become the constraint?” said Prashant Yadav, who studies health care supply chains at the Center for Global Development in Washington, D.C. Experts say it could play out like the ventilator and PPE shortages. Meanwhile, scientists debate the ethics of injecting patients with COVID-19 to further vaccine research.
As U.S. Death Toll Climbs Past 63,000, Experts Scramble To Figure Out How High It Will Go
Projecting the course of the pandemic and its toll is difficult because there are complicated factors at play. Meanwhile, even as the Trump administration downplays the threat of the virus, the government has placed an order for 100,000 body bags. Meanwhile, overwhelmed New York City funeral homes and other facilities designed to hold bodies are desperately seeking help with the surge.
Opinion writers weigh in on these pandemic issues and others.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
As Costs Concerns Mount, Gov. Newsom Pressed To Expand Medi-Cal To Seniors In Country Illegally
An estimated 1.5 million undocumented Californians remain uninsured, and advocates worry that the group will be hit hard by financial setbacks during the pandemic. In other health care costs news: free clinics try to fill gaps and what to do if insurers bill you for testing.
Swine Flu Offered Health System A Pandemic Dry Run, But No One Made Changes To Better Prepare
The swine flu scare didn’t materialize into a pandemic for the United States, but it exposed vulnerabilities in the health system. However, an analysis from The Wall Street Journal found that everyone in the chain put their self-interest ahead of learning from those lessons. Other preparedness news focuses on ventilators, a push for a supply chain “czar,” masks and more.
Should Masks Be Required On Airplanes? Democrats Pushing For Administration To Issue An Order
It’s well known that airplanes’ ventilation systems within an enclosed space is a perfect storm for spreading germs. But the FAA remains insistent that it doesn’t exist to monitor public health.
Partisan War Over Shutdowns Reflected In Congress As Senate Is Called Back And House Stays Home
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) is moving ahead with his plan to call the Senate back despite the fact that many of the members are in high-risk demographics. The House scuttled its plans to return. Meanwhile, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) has named the rest of the members of the coronavirus oversight committee.
Editorial pages focus on these pandemic issues and others.
The plans of governments and tech companies to use mobile devices to aid coronavirus tracking efforts depend on users always keeping Bluetooth on. But security and privacy researchers warn that Bluetooth can be vulnerable to hacking and is less accurate than other location services like GPS. Also in health IT news is the latest bumpiness on the road of electronic health records and the continued growth of telemedicine during the pandemic.
World Outbreak: Economies Stagger Around The Globe; Brazil’s Numbers Start To Worry Neighbors
News is reported on how coronavirus is impacting nations in Europe, the Americas, Africa and Asia.
Media outlets report on news from New York, California, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Georgia, Louisiana, Nevada and New Mexico.
The cards would prove people have antibodies to the disease, and while the measure might increase socio-economic and racial disparities, health experts argue they could be a short-term solution for reopening the economy and giving people a respite from social distancing. Public health news is on the health risks of living near heavily polluted air, hard-hit rural bus lines, the importance of ethnic and racial data and keeping wellness checks for children, as well.
Trying to balance the financial and health risks of coronavirus with the need to provide essential services is becoming the latest battleground for labor unions and business groups. While it might be easy in some states for health care workers to file claims, it’s not always the same case for other workers finding it hard to prove they got sick on the job. Other reports on health care workers include a behind-the-scene look at a New York City infection unit and RVs becoming temporary homes for physicians on the front lines.
New Testing Suggests There’s A Wide-Spread Outbreak Throughout Federal Prison System
New figures provided by the Bureau of Prisons show that out of 2,700 tests conducted systemwide, nearly 2,000 came back positive.
