Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Perspectives: The Relief Bill's Boondoggle, Part II; Pros, Cons Of Keeping Kids At Home This Fall
The Wall Street Journal: The Bureau Of Pandemic Investigation
Republicans lambasted Nancy Pelosi’s bailout of Washington’s Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in a previous virus relief bill, but now they’re countering with their own boondoggle. The Senate GOP proposal unveiled Monday includes $1.75 billion for “the design and construction of a Washington, DC headquarters facility for the Federal Bureau of Investigation.” Even Republican Senators are embarrassed by this project unrelated to fighting the pandemic. “You’ll have to ask them”—meaning the White House—“why they insisted that be included,” said Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. President Trump told the press Wednesday that Republicans who object “should go back to school and learn. You need a new building.” (7/29)
The Washington Post: By Threatening Unemployment Benefits, Republicans Risk Sending The Economy Over A Cliff
The 31.8 million U.S. workers currently receiving unemployment insurance benefits need that help — and they need clarity about how much help they are going to get, and for how much longer. Too bad neither the Republican majority in the Senate nor the White House can get its act together to meet those needs, especially with a July 31 expiration date for a covid-19-related $600-per-week supplement fast approaching. The GOP has proposed renewing the supplement at a lower level, $200, through September, to be followed by a new system under which recipients get 70 percent of their previous wages, up to $500 per week. Democrats want the $600 per week to continue unchanged through the end of this year. It’s anyone’s guess how this might be resolved before Friday. (7/29)
The Houston Chronicle: No Time For Squabbling. Congress Must Pass A COVID Relief Bill Now.
Congress has a job to do — and no time to waste. Republicans and Democrats must work to reconcile the differences in their latest coronavirus economic relief packages and forge a bipartisan bill that can be passed quickly. The still-struggling economy is being hit anew as the surge of the deadly virus in parts of the country, including Texas, forces cities and states back into shutdown mode and threatens to deepen the recession triggered by the pandemic. (7/29)
The Wall Street Journal: The Virus May Strike Teachers Unions
If you have school-age children, you may be wondering if they’ll ever get an education. On Tuesday the American Federation of Teachers, the second-largest education union, threatened “safety strikes” if reopening plans aren’t to its liking. Some state and local governments are insisting that public K-12 schooling this fall be conducted online three to five days a week and imposing stringent conditions on those students who actually make it to the classroom. Yet there are three reasons to be optimistic about the future of education. First, many parents will be more prepared to home-school their kids than they were in the spring. They or their hired teachers will do a better job of educating children, in many cases, than the public schools. (David R. Henderson, 7/29)
The New York Times: Yes, The Coronavirus Is In The Air
Finally. The World Health Organization has now formally recognized that SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19, is airborne and that it can be carried by tiny aerosols. As we cough and sneeze, talk or just breathe, we naturally release droplets (small particles of fluid) and aerosols (smaller particles of fluid) into the air. Yet until earlier this month, the W.H.O. — like the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or Public Health England — had warned mostly about the transmission of the new coronavirus through direct contact and droplets released at close range. Transmission through aerosols matters — and probably a lot more than we’ve been able to prove yet. (Linsey C. Marr, 7/30)
The Washington Post: Older Poll Workers Are Afraid To Work This Fall. Younger Americans Should Step Up.
With fewer than 100 days until the November election, officials are scrambling to figure out how to safely conduct an election during a public health crisis. At this point, several key issues are largely the province of government officials, such as ensuring that ballots are sent to voters in a timely manner and implementing hygiene protocols at polling locations. But ordinary Americans can address a major issue: a shortage of poll workers. This fall, young, healthy people should step forward to relieve the country’s mostly older poll workers from exposure to the novel coronavirus. While a record number of votes are likely to be cast by mail this year, polling locations will remain open across the country. That’s needed to accommodate those for whom mail-in ballots are not a good option, such as voters without reliable mail access or those who require assistance to vote. (7/29)
Atlanta Journal-Constitution: More Black Bone Marrow Donors Needed
Race and ethnicity matter in finding a matching donor for patients in need. Currently, out of 22 million potential donors on the Be The Match Registry – the world’s largest listing of potential stem cell donors operated by the National Marrow Donor Program – only 4%, or less than 1 million, are Black. Fewer Black donors makes it harder for Black patients to find a potentially life-saving cure. In fact, Black patients battling blood cancer or deadly blood disorders only have a 23% chance of finding a match, compared to a 77% chance for White patients. (Nikema Williams, 7/29)
The Hill: A Commonsense Step To Help The Individual Health Insurance Market
A little-known program continues to cause problems in the individual and small group health insurance markets. The program involves shared risk payments among insurers, and it must be reformed to expand choices and lower premiums. (Brian Blase, 7/29)
