Virus Wreaks Havoc On Undocumented Immigrants Without Health Insurance

WBUR: Undocumented With COVID-19: Many Face A Long Recovery, Largely On Their Own 
Latinos are more likely to deal with a more severe illness from COVID-19 — and when they're undocumented, they're less likely to be able to get the medical care they need to address it. It's hard to track how many undocumented immigrants get COVID-19. But they are high risk, says David Hayes-Bautista, who directs the Center for the Study of Latino Health and Culture at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. Not only do they often lack health insurance, many live in crowded homes with multiple generations of families. (Shapiro, 9/1)

WBUR: Undocumented People With No Health Insurance Struggle Especially Hard From COVID-19 
People who contract COVID-19 can spend months in recovery and end up with long-term disabilities. It's especially hard for undocumented immigrants who are at high risk an don't have health insurance. (Shapiro, 8/31)

In other public health news —

The New York Times: Does My Kid Have A Cold Or Is It Covid-19? 
It’s inevitable. In the fall and winter your child is likely to develop a fever, runny nose or cough. Maybe even all three. In past years, that probably wouldn’t have been so worrisome. Usually children are sent back to school as soon as they are well enough to attend. But now parents are bound to wonder: Are those symptoms a sign of Covid-19? Should my child stay home? Does she need to be tested? If so, how often? The rules at different schools may vary. (Caron, 8/28)

The New York Times: Helping Children With Pandemic Grief 
Between travel restrictions and limits on visitors to hospitals, parents may get the news of a loved one’s death over the phone and find themselves having to tell children who may be unprepared. At the end of March, doctors in the child and adolescent psychiatry group at Oxford University, led by Alan Stein, published an editorial in the journal The Lancet: Child and Adolescent Health, arguing that honest and effective communication with children about the pandemic, including about death and dying, and about parental stress and sadness, was vital for children’s psychological health and well-being. (8/31)

AP: A Zoom Thanksgiving? Summer Could Give Way To A Bleaker Fall
As the Summer of COVID draws to a close, many experts fear an even bleaker fall and suggest that American families should start planning for Thanksgiving by Zoom. Because of the many uncertainties, public health scientists say it’s easier to forecast the weather on Thanksgiving Day than to predict how the U.S. coronavirus crisis will play out this autumn. But school reopenings, holiday travel and more indoor activity because of colder weather could all separately increase transmission of the virus and combine in ways that could multiply the threat, they say. (Johnson, 8/31)

AP: Can I Use A Face Shield Instead Of A Mask?
Can I use a face shield instead of a mask? No. Health officials don’t recommend the clear plastic barriers as a substitute for masks because of the lack of research on whether they keep an infected person from spreading viral droplets to others. However, those who want extra protection may want to wear a face shield in addition to a mask. (9/1)

Kaiser Health News: Tourists Tote Dollars — And COVID — To U.S. Caribbean Islands 
“What activities are open to do next week? Zip-lining? Jet ski? Anyone have recommendations on things still open?” a Facebook user asks. “Stay home!” another user replies. The Facebook group called “What’s Going on St. Thomas?” has been flooded with pointed, exasperated comments urging travelers to stay away. This is a marked change. Before the pandemic, the exchanges between vacationers and island residents resonated with promises of excitement and fun. Now, tour operators from the mainland who administer the Facebook page quickly try to delete any expressions of anger. (Giles and Heredia Rodriguez, 9/1)