States, Officials Race To Protect Vulnerable Homeless Population But Acknowledge, ‘We’re Up Against Something Huge’
Many of the precautions that are being taken to ensure Americans' safety during the pandemic--such as stay-at-home orders--fall flat for the homeless population, though many are among the most vulnerable people in the country. In other public health news: social-distancing shaming, teeth pain, canceled procedures, minority data, and more.
The New York Times:
‘It’s A Time Bomb’: 23 Die As Virus Hits Packed Homeless Shelters
Roy Coleman, a 69-year-old living in a homeless shelter on Wards Island, was taken away by ambulance after showing symptoms of Covid-19. The other shelter residents were relieved — until Mr. Coleman was allowed to return last week after testing positive at Harlem Hospital. At another shelter, Alphonso Syville, 45, said that as much as he tried, he could not block out the incessant coughing that he heard from a man a few feet away. (Stewart, 4/13)
San Francisco Chronicle:
SF Moves 500 More Homeless People Into Hotels In Effort To Protect Them From Coronavirus
San Francisco moved more than 500 additional homeless people into private hotels this weekend, part of a constantly changing response to the challenge of protecting a uniquely vulnerable segment of the population from the coronavirus. This brings the number of homeless men and women who have been moved from streets and shelters to 751, city officials said at a Monday briefing on the virus’ local impacts. The transplants are either under quarantine or seen as particularly susceptible to infection and possibly death. An additional 150 or 200 are likely to make the move in coming days. (King, 4/13)
The Wall Street Journal:
Social-Distancing Rules—And Those That Flout Them—Spur Online Shaming
Mark Bonthrone was walking with his wife and 3-month-old daughter as a trio of teenagers approached. When his wife asked the group to give them space for social distancing, one of the teens laughed and pretended to have a coughing fit. When Mr. Bonthrone got home, the 39-year-old pounded out what he described as an “angry, old man Facebook” post in the local parents group of Ridgewood, N.J., about what happened. He included a detailed description of what the offending teenager looked like and where he was last seen. (Koh, 4/13)
The Washington Post:
Patients In Pain, Dentists In Distress: In Coronavirus Pandemic, The Problem With Teeth
The pain was going to be worth it. Easter Brown opened her mouth as wide as she could as a dentist yanked out the seven teeth she had left. At 77 years old, she was finally going to get a full set of dentures. She went home toothless that day in February and waited for the call saying her new smile had arrived. But when her phone rang in March, Brown was told that her dental clinic in the District was almost completely shutting down. (Contrera, 4/13)
NBC News:
Endometriosis Patients Grapple With Canceled Operations Because Of Coronavirus
For years, Alexandra Clem struggled with severe pelvic pain, migraines and a heavy menstrual cycle without understanding why. It wasn't until last summer when she was diagnosed with endometriosis and learned that would need to have surgery to treat it. Clem, 24, was gearing up for a second operation March 17, but it was canceled just a day before because her surgeon was being tested for the coronavirus. (Ciechalski, 4/13)
Politico:
Public Health Officials Prod Trump’s Team For Minority Data
The Trump administration has yet to release comprehensive data about racial and ethnic outcomes in Covid-19 cases, despite the growing concerns about racial disparities and some former health officials urging Medicare to resurrect a similar Obama-era analysis. Medicare chief Seema Verma said at the White House daily briefing last week that her office would be providing such data “very shortly” but two officials in her department told POLITICO that no such release is imminent or has been marked as a priority. (Diamond, 4/14)
Boston Globe:
When Going To The Grocery Store Can Put You In Harm’s Way, More People Are Writing Wills
Massachusetts estate attorneys say that since the pandemic hit they have seen a surge in new clients interested in drawing up their final wishes and families and existing clients who want to update health care proxies or finalize documents that they’ve procrastinated signing for months and sometimes years. Lawyers said they are getting calls from all corners, young and old, doctors, nurses, and other front-line workers, and people stuck at home contemplating their own mortality. (Fernandes, 4/12)
Stat:
Chronic Disease Startups Brace For A Looming Crisis As Covid-19 Delays Care
Clinicians at health tech startups who treat patients with chronic conditions are raising a looming concern: Will their patients — many of whom have had their routine care disrupted during the Covid-19 pandemic — see a relapse in their illnesses or new complications once the crisis subsides? (Brodwin, 4/14)
The Washington Post:
Those Addicted To Drugs Are Being Sent Home With More Methadone Than Ever
More addiction treatment medicine is being sent home with heroin addicts than ever before after state and federal regulators eased restrictions amid the deadly coronavirus outbreak. Authorities had limited take-home medicine to try to ensure that it wasn’t abused or sold on the streets. But providers say the change is necessary in this time of social distancing to thin the crowds that typically fill treatment centers. (Prudente, 4/13)
The Hill:
Poll Finds Americans See Infectious Diseases, Terrorism, Cyberattacks As Top Threats
Americans rank the spread of infectious disease, terrorist attacks and cyberattacks as the top national security threats, a study released by the Pew Research Center on Monday found. Pew researchers found that 79 percent of those surveyed ranking the spread of infectious diseases, such as COVID-19, as the top threat to the country. More than 70 percent of those polled identified cyberattacks from other countries and the spread of nuclear weapons as major threats. (Miller, 4/13)
The New York Times:
Is Coronavirus Making You Have Weird Dreams? Actually, Yes.
The question of whether “anyone else” has “been having” strange dreams (“lately”) is perennially popular online. It is a spooky yet comforting query: Has anyone else stumbled onto possible evidence that the universe possesses a finite metaphysical infrastructure occasionally detected by the subconscious? In recent weeks, however, the question has been posed with increasing frequency. Local news personalities in particular appear uniquely susceptible to wondering if anybody else is having strange dreams, with meteorologists and anchors in, for instance, Texas, Connecticut, North Carolina, Washington, Wisconsin, and New York, having recently posed it on their public Facebook pages. (Weaver, 4/13)
