Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Tragic Downside Of Social Distancing: These Seniors In Chicago Subsidized Housing Died Alone
ProPublica: Senior Citizens In Subsidized Housing Have Been Dying Alone At Home, Unnoticed Because Of Coronavirus Distancing
Someone needed to check on Leonard Graves. The 57-year-old lived alone in a senior building on Chicago’s North Side, and no one had seen him in at least two days. Volunteers called community ambassadors usually checked on fellow residents in the Edith Spurlock Sampson Apartments, a 394-unit Chicago Housing Authority complex. But after the coronavirus began spreading in Chicago, leaders say the CHA suspended the program. With the help of a building maintenance worker, a worried friend entered Graves’ apartment on March 14. (Duke and Coryne, 6/2)
The Hill: Zoloft Shortages Reported Amid Increased Demand, Strained Supply Lines
The Food and Drug Administration is reporting shortages of Zoloft and the generic version of the antidepressant as demand soars and supply chains for key ingredients are interrupted by the pandemic. Pfizer, the maker of Zoloft, told the FDA it has a limited supply available of the 100-count bottles of 100-milligram pills due to a “demand increase” for the drug. Some other doses of Zoloft are still available. (Hellmann, 6/1)
The Wall Street Journal: How Sleep Has Changed In The Pandemic: Insomnia, Late Bedtimes, Weird Dreams
When Covid-19 cases and fears brought lockdowns to much of the nation, for many, schedules went out the window—and with that a good night’s sleep. Aubrey Wolff, a 44-year-old teacher and mom in Teaneck, N.J., says she has difficulty falling asleep even when taking melatonin, a natural hormone that induces sleepiness. “I’m going to bed at 12 a.m. but I’m not falling asleep,” says Ms. Wolff, a first-grade teacher with three children, ages 8, 11 and 13. “I’m not in a routine plus I’m not moving around as much, and there’s the stress of all my to-do lists.” She tends to fall asleep as late as 2 a.m. (Reddy, 6/1)
NPR: How To Get Sleep In Uneasy Times
Having trouble getting to sleep these days? You're not alone. For people with a history of insomnia, sleep problems are magnified right now. And many who never struggled before are suddenly experiencing interruptions in their nightly rest or difficulty falling asleep. It's pretty typical that in moments of anxiety, sleep suffers, but the situation we're all living through today means the anxiety never stops, says neurologist and sleep specialist Dr. Douglas Kirsch, past president of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. (Neighmond, 6/2)
The New York Times: Zappos Offers To Listen To Pandemic Worries
When Rose Wang called the customer service line at Zappos, all she wanted was a quick confirmation that a gift receipt was included with the hot pink Crocs she had ordered for her mother for Mother’s Day. But a few minutes into the call, Ms. Wang, 33, realized something felt different. After helping her with the gift receipt, the customer service representative, who was based in Las Vegas, started making small talk. In a calming voice that reminded Ms. Wang of a grandmother, the representative told her that she, too, found it nearly impossible to buy gifts for her mother. (Gross, 5/31)
CNN: 5 Natural Ways To Boost Your Mental Health During Stressful Times
Life today is razor's-edge tense. If your regular coping methods aren't measuring up, there are science-backed actions we can add on our own to ease anxiety, depression and stress — all done naturally, no doctor's note required. (LaMotte, 6/2)
The Washington Post: She Came To The U.S. Legally And Was Trying To Do Everything Right. Then Came The Coronavirus.
On her last legal day in the United States, Tatiana Angulo awoke before sunrise in her attic bedroom and listened for a few moments to the sounds of what her life had become. Her boyfriend, Pablo Ruiz, was still sleeping next to her. He would be up soon, telling her what she already knew, that when midnight came, “things are going to be different for you,” but for now, what she heard was the unsettling sound of someone coughing in one of the bedrooms downstairs, and more coughing from the closet next to her room, where a man had recently begun living because he had nowhere else to go. (Hannah Dreier, 6/1)
The Wall Street Journal: Chicken Soup, Remdesivir And Deep Breaths: How Older Patients Survived Covid-19
A Covid-19 diagnosis can be serious for older adults. Roughly eight out of 10 U.S. deaths from the illness are people 65 and older, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But the majority of those diagnosed with the virus survive. We spoke with a number of older adults who all were diagnosed with Covid-19 but experienced very different recoveries. Some were hospitalized, others stayed home. Recounting their ordeals brought up strong emotions. After regaining their health, some resumed their daily routines and others made landmark changes. (Dizik, 6/1)
Kaiser Health News: Pandemic Presents New Hurdles, And Hope, For People Struggling With Addiction
Before Philadelphia shut down to slow the spread of the coronavirus, Ed had a routine: most mornings he would head to a nearby McDonald’s to brush his teeth, wash his face and — when he had the money — buy a cup of coffee. He would bounce between homeless shelters and try to get a shower. But since businesses closed and many shelters stopped taking new admissions, Ed has been mostly shut off from that routine.He’s still living on the streets. “I’ll be honest, I don’t really sleep too much,” said Ed, who’s 51 and struggling with addiction. “Every four or five days I get a couple hours.” (Feldman, 6/2)
KQED: Blood Bank Now Testing All Donated Blood For COVID-19 Antibodies
Vitalant, formerly known as Blood Centers of the Pacific, announced Monday that it will begin testing all blood donations for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. The nonprofit blood collection organization serves hospital patients throughout the Bay Area and has a critical need for blood donations. (6/1)
Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Is It Safe To Have Play Dates During Coronavirus Pandemic
As the coronavirus pandemic continues into the warmer months, some parents have been looking for new ways to occupy their children’s time. While time spent with family has increased with social distancing being encouraged by health officials, the lifting of restrictions in Georgia and around the country has led some parents to wonder if play dates can resume. (Willis, 6/1)
