Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Remote Learning Lifts Pressure Of Racism For Some Black Students
ABC News: Some Black Parents Say Remote Learning Gives Racism Reprieve
Before schools shuttered during the pandemic, Ayaana Johnson worried every time she dropped her daughters off at school. Johnson, a Black woman, says racism is rampant in her predominantly white Georgia town. At her daughters’ school, a student once used racial slurs and told another child he doesn’t play with “brown people.” She says teachers are quick to punish or reprimand Black children and Ku Klux Klan flyers can be found in mailboxes. (Fernando, 5/4)
Bloomberg: U.S. Employers Brace For Covid Mental Health Fallout As Workers Return To Office
From casual Fridays to after-work drinks, those weekly rituals once taken for granted are returning as Americans head back to the office. And while masks, plexiglass and empty conference rooms will alter the cubescape, employers are nevertheless invested in getting things back to normal—or at least as normal as possible. But that won’t be easy. Covid-19’s damage may be felt in the workplace long after the disease has receded. That’s thanks to the mental and emotional toll the pandemic has taken on employees who, like everyone else, have spent the past year living in fear, isolation and sorrow. (Cohen, 5/5)
The Wall Street Journal: Despite Divorce, Bill And Melinda Gates To Remain Co-Chairs, Trustees Of Their Foundation
Bill and Melinda Gates have transformed the world’s fight against poverty, inequity and disease over more than two decades as philanthropists, using their enormous wealth and influence to shape policies and drive innovation in global health, agricultural development, gender equality and American education. Now the impending divorce of one of the world’s most high-profile couples puts into question the future of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the philanthropy they lead together. (McKay, 5/4)
KHN: Trouble Managing Money May Be An Early Sign Of Dementia
After Maria Turner’s minivan was totaled in an accident a dozen years ago, she grew impatient waiting for the insurance company to process the claim. One night, she saw a red pickup truck on eBay for $20,000. She thought it was just what she needed. She clicked “buy it now” and went to bed. The next morning, she got an email about arranging delivery. Only then did she remember what she’d done. Making such a big purchase with no forethought and then forgetting about it was completely out of character for Turner, then a critical care nurse in Greenville, South Carolina. Although she was able to back out of the deal without financial consequences, the experience scared her. “I made a joke out of it, but it really disturbed me,” Turner said. (Andrews, 5/5)
The Wall Street Journal: Medical Expenses And Taxes: What You Need To Know
Medical-expense deductions, once on the congressional chopping block, are alive and well, including a recent newcomer stemming from the Covid-19 pandemic. Here is what you need to know about claiming unreimbursed medical expenses on your tax returns, as well as a few easily overlooked deductions. (Herman, 5/3)
In obituaries —
The Washington Post: Helen Murray Free, Chemist Who Revolutionized Diabetes Testing, Dies At 98
When Helen Murray Free entered college in 1941, young women enjoyed few professional opportunities upon their graduation. For the most part, she said, they could hope to become “secretaries, nurses or teachers.” In keeping with the limitations of her time, Mrs. Free had enrolled at the College of Wooster in Ohio planning to become an English and Latin teacher. But when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, precipitating the U.S. entry into World War II, her horizons shifted. As young men emptied out of college campuses to join the armed forces, their seats in university science courses were suddenly vacant, although the country still needed scientists. (Langer, 5/4)
