Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Understanding COVID-19: Data Continues To Reveal Surprising Truths, Mysterious Clues And Comforting Facts About Virus
The New York Times: Obesity Linked To Severe Coronavirus Disease, Especially For Younger Patients
Obesity may be one of the most important predictors of severe coronavirus illness, new studies say. It’s an alarming finding for the United States, which has one of the highest obesity rates in the world. Though people with obesity frequently have other medical problems, the new studies point to the condition in and of itself as the most significant risk factor, after only older age, for being hospitalized with Covid-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus. Young adults with obesity appear to be at particular risk, studies show. (Rabin, 4/16)
The New York Times: Asthma Is Absent Among Top Covid-19 Risk Factors, Early Data Shows
For people with asthma, the outbreak of a pandemic that can lead to respiratory failure has not been a welcome event. Many health organizations have cautioned that asthmatics are most likely at higher risk for severe illness if they get the coronavirus. There’s been a run on inhalers, and coronavirus patients like the actor Idris Elba have openly worried about their asthma. But this month, when New York State, the epicenter of the outbreak in the United States, began releasing data on the top 10 chronic health problems suffered by people who died from coronavirus, asthma was notably absent from the list. (Hakim, 4/16)
Reuters: Coronavirus Clue? Most Cases Aboard U.S. Aircraft Carrier Are Symptom-Free
Sweeping testing of the entire crew of the coronavirus-stricken U.S. aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt may have revealed a clue about the pandemic: The majority of the positive cases so far are among sailors who are asymptomatic, officials say. The possibility that the coronavirus spreads in a mostly stealthy mode among a population of largely young, healthy people showing no symptoms could have major implications for U.S. policy-makers, who are considering how and when to reopen the economy. (Stewart and Ali, 4/16)
The Hill: Scientists Learning About Coronavirus At Unprecedented Speed
Just months after Chinese officials identified a small cluster of unexplained pneumonia cases in the city of Wuhan, scientists around the globe have broken down the coronavirus at unprecedented speed in an effort to save lives and stop its spread. The first global pandemic of the social media age and the first major outbreak of the internet era has created an explosion of learning. At the same time, studies published on a seemingly daily basis are raising just as many new questions as they’re answering about the deadly virus. (Wilson, 4/16)
CIDRAP: Researchers Report 21% COVID-19 Co-Infection Rate
A research letter published yesterday in JAMA found that rates of COVID-19 co-infections with other respiratory pathogens are 21%, higher than previously thought, suggesting that identification of another pathogen may not rule out the presence of the novel coronavirus. Also, a letter yesterday in the Annals of Internal Medicine detailing survey results on 272 primary care physicians in Lombardy, Italy, who cared for about 400,000 COVID-19 patients found that 40% had symptoms suggestive of the disease, and most had to buy their own personal protective equipment (PPE) and educate themselves on coronavirus management. (Van Beusekom, 4/16)
ABC News: An Ultraviolet Light May Help Fight Spread Of Novel Coronavirus
A researcher at Columbia University says he may have a "public health breakthrough" in the fight against the novel coronavirus. Dr. David Brenner has discovered that a certain kind of light can kill airborne viruses, including some types of coronavirus. (Temko, 4/16)
ABC News: Coronavirus’ Reach From Beyond The Grave: Deceased Body Transmits COVID-19
Hic locus est ubi mors gaudet vitae succurrere, is a phrase often inscribed on the walls of morgues and autopsy suites. Roughly translated from Latin it means, "This is the place where death rejoices in teaching the living." Indeed, researchers are learning new things about the novel coronavirus almost daily, the most recent lesson coming from beyond the grave. (Baldwin, 4/17)
WBUR: How Bacteria Could Affect Outcomes Of COVID-19 Patients
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, scientists are racing to unravel every aspect of how this novel virus behaves. The elderly, those with pre-existing conditions and members of disadvantaged communities with less access to health care have the worst outcomes. But what scientists don't understand is why some people who fall outside those groups are also being hospitalized — in some cases dying — while others are not. (Young and Raphelson, 4/16)
