Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Thin Public Health Budgets, Lack Of Mandatory Sick Days, And Uneven Access Make U.S. Vulnerable During Pandemics
Reuters: Fragile Safety Net Leaves U.S. Economy Vulnerable To Coronavirus Hit
The spreading coronavirus outbreak poses a double-barreled threat to U.S. workers who face not only the prospect of lost wages if they are forced to stay home during a quarantine but also a fragile safety net to fall back on during such a crisis. Unlike in other rich countries, the United States provides thin and uneven social assistance for its 130 million full-time workers, and even less for the country's nearly 30 million part-time employees. (3/4)
The Washington Post: The Health System Is Showing Why It's Not Ready For A Coronavirus Pandemic
Nationwide, worries are growing about a lack of hospital beds to quarantine and treat infected patients. Major medical centers are typically full even without a flood of coronavirus patients. “We just don’t have the capacity in the hospitals and health systems to deal with a massive influx of patients and keep them isolated,’’ said Gerard Anderson, a professor of health policy and management at Johns Hopkins University. (Rowland and Whoriskey, 3/4)
The Wall Street Journal: Coronavirus Response Plan Exposes Vulnerabilities In U.S. Health-Care System
The structure of the U.S. health system poses challenges for the nation’s coronavirus response plan, which relies on testing to identify cases, treatment of infected individuals and strategies to minimize spread, such as encouraging people who are sick to stay home. More Americans are becoming uninsured and deferring medical care because of mounting out-of-pocket costs. About half of service workers, who often have direct contact with the public, lack paid sick leave, and immigrants are facing new regulatory barriers to getting health care. (Armour, 3/4)
NBC News: Top Hospital Braces For Coronavirus Pandemic With Secret Warehouse Full Of Emergency Supplies
On a tree-lined block an hour outside Boston sits a secret warehouse filled with hundreds of boxes labeled "pandemic product." The boxes, containing items like IV fluid, medical gloves and protective gowns, remain shrink-wrapped in neat rows inside the facility until the day Massachusetts General Hospital orders an emergency infusion of supplies. With the coronavirus spreading across the U.S., that day may soon be approaching. (Martinez, Breslauer and Gosk, 3/4)
Stateline: States Have 'Immense' Powers To Fight Coronavirus
Local and state public health officials wield extraordinary powers in emergency situations such as the current coronavirus outbreak. They can close schools and private businesses. They can restrict or shut down mass transit systems. They can cancel concerts, sporting events and political rallies. They can call up the National Guard. They can suspend medical licensing laws and protect doctors from liability claims. (Ollove and Brown, 3/5)
Kaiser Health News: During A Pandemic, States’ Patchwork Of Crisis Plans Could Mean Uneven Care
A possible coronavirus pandemic could overwhelm the nation’s hospitals and force doctors into difficult decisions about how to allocate limited resources. Yet, experts say, only a handful of states have done the work necessary to prepare for such worst-case scenarios. How would hospitals handle overflowing emergency rooms? What would doctors do if they ran out of medicines or ventilators? How would they decide who gets prioritized if they can’t treat everyone? (Hawryluk, 3/5)
Modern Healthcare: Coronavirus Strains Fragile Pharmaceutical Supply Chain
The Indian government may hold 26 pharmaceutical ingredients and drugs made from them amid supply concerns stemming from the coronavirus, stretching an already fragile pharmaceutical supply chain. The spread of COVID-19, which is the disease caused by the most recently discovered coronavirus that's similar to SARS and MERS, has slowed business in China. The Indian government has preemptively restricted the exports of a range of pharmaceuticals and their ingredients, some of which are used in widely used antibiotics, to protect its domestic supply. (Kacik, 3/4)
