Reuters: Pandemic Preparedness Panel Slams Collective Failure To Heed Warnings
A collective failure by political leaders to heed warnings and prepare for an infectious disease pandemic has transformed “a world at risk” to a “world in disorder”, according to a report on international epidemic preparedness. “Financial and political investments in preparedness have been insufficient, and we are all paying the price,” said the report by The Global Preparedness Monitoring Board (GPMB). “It is not as if the world has lacked the opportunity to take these steps,” it added. “There have been numerous calls for action ... over the last decade, yet none has generated the changes needed.” (Kelland, 9/14)

Reuters: WHO Reports Record One-Day Increase In Global Coronavirus Cases, Up Over 307,000
The World Health Organization reported a record one-day increase in global coronavirus cases on Sunday, with the total rising by 307,930 in 24 hours. The biggest increases were from India, the United States and Brazil, according to the agency’s website. Deaths rose by 5,537 to a total of 917,417. (Shumaker, 9/13)

And Americans reflect on the pandemic after six months —

AP: Virus America, Six Months In: Disarray, Dismay, Disconnect
For years, Erin Whitehead has been a committed fan of the crisis-fueled medical drama “Grey’s Anatomy.” She has watched its doctors handle all manner of upheaval inside their put-upon hospital — terrifying diseases, destructive weather, bombs, mass shootings, mental illness, uncertainty, grief. Today, she turns to the emotionally draining show as a salve, something to take her mind off of … well, off of everything this jumbled year has delivered to her nation, to her society, to her front door. (Anthony, 9/13)

The New York Times: As Wildfires Burn Out Of Control, The West Coast Faces The Unimaginable 
Across a hellish landscape of smoke and ash, authorities in Oregon, California and Washington State battled to contain mega-wildfires on Sunday as shifting winds threatened to accelerate blazes that have burned an unimaginable swath of land across the West. The arrival of the stronger winds on Sunday tested the resolve of fire crews already exhausted by weeks of combating blazes that have consumed around 5 million acres of desiccated forests, incinerated numerous communities and created what in many places was measured as the worst air quality on the planet. (Fuller and Healy, 9/13)

AP: Groups Turn To Hotels To Shelter Fire Evacuees Amid Virus
Fearing one disaster will feed another, relief groups are putting some people who fled their homes during West Coast wildfires into hotels to reduce the spread of the coronavirus, stringing up shower curtains to separate people in group shelters and delivering box lunches instead of setting up buffets. Large disaster response organizations like the American Red Cross are still operating some traditional shelters in gyms and churches, where they require masks, clean and disinfect often and try to keep evacuees at least 6 feet (2 meters) apart. The groups say they can reduce the risk of COVID-19 in a shelter but can’t keep people safe if they don’t evacuate from the flames. (Boone and Cline, 9/13)

Also —

The New York Times: In Visiting A Charred California, Trump Confronts A Scientific Reality He Denies 
When President Trump flies to California on Monday to assess the state’s raging forest fires, he will come face to face with the grim consequences of a reality he has stubbornly refused to accept: the devastating effects of a warming planet. To the global scientific community, the acres of scorched earth and ash-filled skies across the American West are the tragic, but predictable, result of accelerating climate change. Nearly two years ago, federal government scientists concluded that greenhouse gas emissions from burning fossil fuels could triple the frequency of severe fires across the Western states. (Shear and Davenport, 9/13)

NPR: Scientist Who Denies Climate Change Hired At NOAA By Trump Administration 
David Legates, a University of Delaware professor of climatology who has spent much of his career questioning basic tenets of climate science, has been hired for a top position at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Legates has a long history of using his position as an academic scientist to publicly cast doubt on climate science. His appointment to NOAA comes as Americans face profound threats stoked by climate change, from the vast, deadly wildfires in the West to an unusually active hurricane season in the South and East. (Hersher and Palca, 9/12)

Los Angeles Times: Because Of Fire, West Coast Has Four Of The World’s 10 Most Polluted Cities
Smoke has suffused the sky for days, replacing a bright yellow sun with a hazy red orb and raining down flakes of ash on much of the West Coast, where four cities on Sunday were among the 10 most polluted places in the world. Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle ranked eighth, sixth and third, respectively, but the dubious honor of worst air of any big city on the globe went to Portland, Ore., where smoke was blowing in from more than 30 blazes burning across the state. (Vives, Gerber and Hennessy-Fiske, 9/13)

The Washington Post: Dense Smoke Smothers West Coast, Shutting Residents Indoors And Complicating Fire Response
Massive clouds of smoke from the Pacific Northwest wildfires lingered over the region Sunday, posing serious health risks for millions of people and complicating firefighting efforts even as crews reported progress in slowing some of the blazes. The air quality across Oregon was listed as “hazardous” or “very unhealthy” by state environmental officials, and a dense smoke advisory from the National Weather Service remained in effect for much of the state until late Sunday or at least noon local time on Monday. Oregon officials said Sunday evening that crews are struggling to contain more than 30 fires still raging across the state — one of them stretching more than 55 miles wide, part of a burned area larger than Rhode Island. (Hawkins, Schmidt and Mufson, 9/13)

CNBC: The West Coast Is Suffering From Some Of The Worst Air In The World — These Apps Show How Bad It Is
As record-breaking fires wreak havoc on the Western United States, they’re also releasing massive amounts of smoke and ash into the atmosphere, adding to the region’s health woes.  Portland, Oregon suffered from the worst air quality in the world for days. It’s currently second only to Vancouver, Canada, which is choking on smoke from the U.S. blazes. Seattle ranks third, San Francisco seventh and Los Angeles ninth, according to IQAir. To find out where and when it’s safe to go outside again, residents are flocking to air quality apps and websites like AirNow and PurpleAir in addition IQAir. (Kolodny, 9/12)

More details from Oregon, Washington and Idaho —

The Oregonian: Portland’s Air Quality Is Off The Charts Sunday, And Parts Of Oregon Are Just As Bad Due To Wildfires 
The breathability of Portland’s air significantly worsened overnight and into Sunday, reaching 516 on the air quality index in the hardest hit parts of the city, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. That measurement is off the charts, which top out at 300 to 500 and categorize those numbers as “hazardous.” (Green, 9/13)

The Spokesman-Review: Record-Breaking Poor Air Quality Continues To Affect Spokane On Sunday
After record-breaking smoke conditions Saturday, experts say hazardous conditions will continue through midweek, with a bit of relief Monday. As of Sunday afternoon, Spokane’s hourly Air Quality Index reading had reached 499, which is just below the upper extreme of the 500-point scale air agencies use to monitor quality. That followed a 24-hour period Saturday that saw the worst air quality since regulators began measuring particulates in 1999. (Epperly, 9/13)

Idaho Statesman: Smoke Made Boise Air ‘Very Unhealthy’ Sunday, And It Won’t Clear For Several Days
Wildfire smoke from blazes burning across the West settled into Boise this weekend, and the thick haze isn’t likely to lift for several days, according to the local weather experts. Parts of California, Oregon and Washington have experienced “hazardous” air quality — the worst possible air quality index rating — as multiple large fires burn there. Mild smoke made its way to Idaho last week, but on Sunday, the Treasure Valley crossed the threshold to the next-worst category, “very unhealthy.” (Blanchard, 9/13)

In related news —

KGW: More People Seeking Medical Care And Advice For Breathing Issues Amid Hazardous Air Quality
Hazardous air conditions stretch far beyond the flames all across the West Coast. California's governor made a grim comparison when it comes to the impact it's having on our lung health. “The air we're breathing right now is equivalent to smoking 20 packs of cigarettes. [It] is profound and consequential,” California Governor Gavin Newsom said. (Falkers, 9/13)

ABC7 San Francisco: Poor Air Quality Causing Headaches, Taking Toll On Bay Area Residents' Mental Health, Psychologist Says 
Doctor of clinical psychology Andrea Zorbas is seeing an increase in patients reporting headaches and signs of depression. The poor air quality is to blame. "In Seattle, Washington where it's raining all the time people get seasonal affective disorder and that is a form of depression caused by clouds, rain, fog and we are kind of experiencing that now," said Zorbas. (Pena, 9/13)

KATU: N95, KN95 Masks Are The Best To Wear When Air Quality Is Poor, Experts Say
With the hazardous air quality, people are asked to wear masks if they spend time outside. Brian Terrett with Legacy Health says N95 masks or KN95 masks are the most effected against smoke and coronavirus. However, he says any type of mask is better than no mask. (9/12)

NPR: Trump Signs New Executive Order On Prescription Drug Prices
President Trump signed an executive order Sunday that he says lowers prescription drug prices "by putting America first," but experts say the move is unlikely to have any immediate impact. The move comes nearly two months after the president signed a different executive order with the exact same name, but held it back to see if he could negotiate a better deal with drug companies. "If these talks are successful, we may not need to implement the fourth executive order, which is a very tough order for them," Trump said at the time. (Keith, 9/13)

Stat: With Election Looming, Trump Releases Major, Last-Ditch Drug Pricing Order
The policy vastly expands an older, controversial drug pricing policy that Trump has been teasing for months. Effectively, it will force drug makers to offer their medicines to Medicare at the same prices they do in other countries, as a so-called most favored nations policy. Where an earlier version would only have applied to Part B drugs, which are administered in doctors offices, the new version also applies to Part D drugs, which are sold in pharmacies. (Florko, 9/13)

Politico: Trump Unveils Plan To Slash Drug Costs Tied To What's Paid Abroad 
The order directs federal health officials to carry out demonstration projects for Medicare Part B, a move that would bypass the monthslong process of rulemaking and could start the price cuts before Election Day. It also would develop a similar rule for Medicare Part D, or those drugs that patients pick up at the pharmacy counter. The Part D rule would apply to drugs without much competition for which seniors pay prices higher than those in comparable OECD countries. (Owermohle, 9/13)

CNN: Trump Finally Releases Controversial Drug Price Executive Order 
Though Trump has slammed socialist health care systems that exist in other countries and attacked his Democratic rivals for seeking to implement such a setup here, he celebrated linking US prices to peer nations' lower costs. "Just signed a new Executive Order to LOWER DRUG PRICES! My Most Favored Nation order will ensure that our Country gets the same low price Big Pharma gives to other countries," he tweeted Sunday. "The days of global freeriding at America's expense are over ... and prices are coming down FAST! Also just ended all rebates to middlemen, further reducing prices." (Luhby, 9/13)

The Wall Street Journal: Trump Executive Order Takes New Aim At Drug Prices 
The order, part of Mr. Trump’s broader focus on prescription drugs ahead of the November election, is unlikely to have an immediate effect because it requires federal rulemakings that could take months to complete. But if Mr. Trump wins a second term and goes ahead with the rules with wide applications, the move could be significant, since most developed nations have far lower drug prices than the U.S. does. (Restuccia and Burton, 9/13)

Modern Healthcare: White House Expands International Reference Pricing To Pharmacy Drugs
The order revokes a similar order that only would have applied to outpatient drugs, which the White House refused to release for more than seven weeks as the administration tried to force drugmakers to the negotiating table. "Negotiations did not produce an acceptable alternative, so the President is moving forward," White House spokesman Judd Deere said. (Cohrs, 9/13)

In other drug pricing news —

Los Angeles Times: Vaccine Maker Got $1 Billion From Taxpayers. Now It’S Boosting Drug Prices
One of the world’s largest drug companies has been aggressively raising prices even as it received hundreds of millions of dollars of U.S. government aid to develop a COVID-19 vaccine. AstraZeneca, which the Trump administration has celebrated for its vaccine work, boosted prices despite renewed promises by President Trump this summer to keep drug costs in check. (Levey, 9/14)

Politico: Trump Officials Interfered With CDC Reports On Covid-19 
The health department’s politically appointed communications aides have demanded the right to review and seek changes to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s weekly scientific reports charting the progress of the coronavirus pandemic, in what officials characterized as an attempt to intimidate the reports’ authors and water down their communications to health professionals. In some cases, emails from communications aides to CDC Director Robert Redfield and other senior officials openly complained that the agency’s reports would undermine President Donald Trump's optimistic messages about the outbreak, according to emails reviewed by POLITICO and three people familiar with the situation. (Diamond, 9/11)

The Washington Post: Trump Officials Seek Greater Control Over CDC Reports On Coronavirus 
Michael Caputo, the top HHS spokesman, said in an interview Saturday that he and one of his advisers have been seeking greater scrutiny of the CDC’s weekly scientific dispatches, known as the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, for the past 3½ months. The adviser, Paul Alexander, has sent repeated emails to the CDC seeking changes and demanding that the reports be halted until he could make edits. The emails, first reported late Friday by Politico, describe the CDC documents, widely known as the MMWR, as being “hit pieces on the administration.” Caputo confirmed the authenticity of the emails. (Sun, 9/12)

USA Today: COVID-19: Scientists Decry White House Meddling In CDC Publication
Scientists and physicians reacted with words such as “aghast,” “despicable” and “outrageous” over the weekend as news spread that White House appointees interfered with a basic national public health report when it conflicted with President Donald Trump's coronavirus messaging. Michael Caputo, the Health and Human Services assistant secretary for public affairs, acknowledged Saturday that since June, he and an advisor have been scrutinizing and at times pushing for changes to a weekly health report distributed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Weise and Weintraub, 9/13)

The Hill: Scientists And Physicians Outraged Over Reports Trump Officials Meddled With Coronavirus Data 
Scientists and physicians are expressing frustration and outrage following reports that top politically appointed Trump administration officials have demanded the right to edit and change weekly Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) scientific reports on the coronavirus pandemic ahead of their public release. The CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Reports are developed by scientists at the department to inform medical officials and the general public about the spread of COVID-19 and who is most at risk. According to a report from Politico on Saturday, the CDC has increasingly agreed to allow politically-appointed officials to review mortality weekly reports and, in a few cases, alter the wording in the documents. (Seipel, 9/13)

Politico: Trump Team Says History Will Vindicate Him On Coronavirus 
President Donald Trump’s allies on Sunday blamed anybody but him for his handling of the deadly virus that has killed more than 193,000 Americans. In interviews across the morning political talk shows, Trump officials portrayed the president as a calm leader throughout the pandemic and singled out China, corporate media — including CNN and Jake Tapper, specifically — and Democrats for what they asserted was lying and politicizing the coronavirus. (McCaskill, 9/13)

The Hill: White House Adviser Says Trump Was 'Straightforward' On Coronavirus When Pressed On Woodward Interview 
White House trade adviser Peter Navarro dismissed concerns on Sunday that President Trump was purposely downplaying the threat of the coronavirus earlier this year in light of recently released recordings that show Trump privately acknowledged the threat to journalist Bob Woodward in February. CNN’s Jake Tapper asked Navarro during a heated interview on “State of the Union” about Trump’s comments in a Feb. 7 interview with Woodward for a forthcoming book that contradicted what the president said publicly about the coronavirus a couple of days later. (Klar, 9/13)

The Hill: Science Editor Says Trump 'Flat-Out Lied' About COVID-19, Demoralizing Scientific Community 
The editor of the leading academic journal Science wrote in an editorial published Friday that President Trump "flat-out lied" to the American people based on comments revealed this week to journalist Bob Woodward. "As he was playing down the virus to the public, Trump was not confused or inadequately briefed: He flat-out lied, repeatedly, about science to the American people," wrote the editor, H. Holden Thorp. "These lies demoralized the scientific community and cost countless lives in the United States." (Sullivan, 9/11)

AP: As Trump Played Down Virus, Health Experts' Alarm Grew
Public health officials were already warning Americans about the need to prepare for the coronavirus threat in early February when President Donald Trump called it “deadly stuff” in a private conversation that has only now has come to light. At the time, the virus was mostly a problem in China, with just 11 cases confirmed in the United States. (Freking, 9/13)

Author Bob Woodward tackles criticism that he should've spoken up sooner —

NPR: Woodward Addresses Criticism That He Should've Detailed Trump Interviews Earlier
Famed journalist Bob Woodward is addressing criticism he's received for not promptly sharing with the public what the president told him about the coronavirus and the government's response in a series of interviews earlier this year. "I've done this almost for 50 years, and I think I have a public health responsibility, like any citizen does — or maybe a journalist has more of a responsibility. If at any point I had thought there's something to tell the American people that they don't know, I would do it," [he said]. (Sprunt, 9/14)

In other news from the Trump administration —

The Hill: Fauci Disagrees With Trump That US Rounding 'Final Turn' On Pandemic 
Anthony Fauci on Friday said he disagrees with President Trump that the country has rounded "the final turn" on the COVID-19 pandemic, and warned Americans not to get complacent heading into the fall. Fauci, the federal government's leading infectious disease expert, was responding to comments made by Trump during a press conference on Thursday, where he defended his comments made to Bob Woodward about deliberately downplaying the severity of the pandemic. (Weixel, 9/11)

Politico: House Democrats Probing $250M Coronavirus Messaging Contract 
Senior House Democrats have launched an investigation into the Trump administration’s awarding of a $250 million communications contract to help “defeat despair and inspire hope” over the coronavirus pandemic, as they questioned the political motivations behind the taxpayer-funded messaging campaign. The lawmakers are also calling on the administration to halt the contract while it’s under investigation, according to a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar that was shared with POLITICO. (Lippman and Diamond, 9/11)

Politico: ‘A Huge Risk’: Trump’s Allies Can’t Sway Him On Mail-In Voting 
For a few weeks, Donald Trump’s advisers had seemingly gotten through to him — the president was finally encouraging his supporters to vote by mail, at least some of the time. On-message Trump didn’t last long. He recently appeared to suggest people vote twice — voting in person as a way to determine if their mail-in ballot had been counted — later warning Democrats would be “thieving and stealing and robbing” their way to an election win. Now, five Republicans close to the president’s campaign say that if Trump keeps up his vacillating mail-in voting rhetoric, they fear infrequent voters, especially older ones, will simply sit out the election. (Kumar, 9/12)

The Hill: Almost 2 In 3 Americans Disapprove Of Trump's Handling Of Pandemic: Poll 
Almost 2 in 3 Americans disapprove of President Trump’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic, according to a poll released Sunday. An ABC News-Ipsos poll determined that 65 percent of respondents said they disapprove of the president’s management of the COVID-19 crisis almost eight months after the first coronavirus case was confirmed in Washington state. (Coleman, 9/13)

AP: In Defiance Of Nevada Governor, Trump Holds Indoor Rally
Eager to project a sense of normalcy in imagery, Trump soaked up the raucous cheers inside a warehouse Sunday night. Relatively few in the crowd wore masks, with a clear exception: Those in the stands directly behind Trump, whose images would end up on TV, were mandated to wear face coverings. “We are not shutting the country again. A shutdown would destroy the lives and dreams of millions Americans,” said Trump, before using his inflammatory moniker for the coronavirus. “We will very easy defeat the China virus.” (Lemire and Ritter, 9/14)

Politico: Trump Fumes Over Biden Ad, Media Coverage At Nevada Rally
President Donald Trump set the tone early on at his rally in northern Nevada Saturday night, warning that he was prepared to "be really vicious" in the final weeks of the presidential campaign. Fuming over a new ad about his alleged disparagement of U.S. military personnel, Trump arrived here with a torrent of insults ready to go. “Pathetic Joe. He’s a pathetic human being to allow that to happen,” Trump said of Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and the ad Biden's campaign released last week, which seized on comments Trump reportedly made about America’s fallen soldiers. (Orr, 9/13)

USA Today: Donald Trump, Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak Clash Over Indoor Rally
President Donald Trump hosted a crowded indoor political rally Sunday in Nevada, ignoring objections by the governor and others that he might have spread COVID-19 to unknown numbers of people. "Tonight, President Donald Trump is taking reckless and selfish actions that are putting countless lives in danger here in Nevada," said Gov. Steve Sisolak, a Democrat. "The president appears to have forgotten that this country is still in the middle of a global pandemic." (Jackson, 9/13)

The Washington Post: Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak Slams Trump For Holding Indoor Rally, Defying State’s Covid-19 Rules 
Shortly before President Trump took the stage on Sunday night in Henderson, Nev., for his first indoor rally in months, Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak blasted the president for flouting the state’s coronavirus restrictions by packing hundreds of supporters, many without masks, into a building. The Democratic governor noted that Trump and his campaign were violating Nevada’s ban on gatherings of 50 people or more, tweeting that the president’s rally at Xtreme Manufacturing was “shameful, dangerous and irresponsible.” (Bella, 9/14)

The Hill: Trump Campaign Defends First All-Indoor Rally In Months 
The Trump campaign defended its plans to hold an indoor rally in Nevada on Sunday amid criticism from city officials and others on social media. The president is set to appear Sunday in Henderson, Nev., at a facility owned by Xtreme Manufacturing for an event that is expected to violate the city's rules against indoor gatherings of more than 50 people. City officials have already warned the company, according to CNN, that the event could result in a fine of $500 or a suspension of the business license. (Bowden, 9/13)

Also —

The Hill: Doctor Warns Trump's Nevada Rally Is 'Negligent Homicide': 'People Will Die'
Dr. Jonathan Reiner, a professor of medicine and surgery at George Washington University and medical analyst for CNN, said on Sunday that President Trump's indoor rally in Nevada is "negligent homicide." "What else could you call an act that because of its negligence results in the death of others?" he said. "If you have a mass gathering now in the United States in a place like Nevada or just about any other place with hundreds of thousands of people, people will get infected and some of those people will die." (Seipel, 9/13)

The Hill: Biden Leans Into COVID-19 To Argue Trump Mishandled Economy 
Joe Biden is seeking to force President Trump to play defense on the one issue where he’s had a consistent polling advantage: the economy. The Biden campaign is increasingly using the coronavirus pandemic to make the case that Trump has failed voters on economic issues. In recent days, it has sought to connect COVID-19’s economic fallout, from record-high unemployment to the closures of businesses and schools, directly to Trump. (Parnes, 9/13)

The Hill: Biden Marks Anniversary Of The Violence Against Women Act, Knocks Trump And McConnell 
Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden on Sunday slammed President Trump and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) for standing in the way of the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). Biden and Democratic lawmakers on Sunday marked the 26th anniversary of the law's passage by hailing the measure and calling on Republican leadership to pass a reauthorization. Biden called the VAWA one of the legislative accomplishments he is "most proud" of. (Klar, 9/13)

Fox News: Biden Argues He's In Better Shape Than Trump: 'Just Look At Us' 
Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden went on the offensive on Sunday in the war of words between him and President Trump over who the fittest man – both mentally and physically – to lead the country. As the fitness feud between the two septuagenarians heats up as Election Day quickly approaches, Biden asked the American public to take a good look at him and Trump, and decide who’s in better shape.“When it comes to Donald Trump versus me: Just look at us. Okay? Just look at us,” Biden said during an interview on CNN. “Who seems to be in shape? Who’s able to move around?” (O'Reilly, 9/13)

Also —

Politico: Inside Joe’s Bubble: How Biden’s Campaign Is Trying To Avoid The Virus
Joe Biden’s chartered airplanes and SUVs are meticulously sprayed with disinfectant and scrubbed. The microphones, lecterns and folders he uses are wiped down in the moments before his arrival. News reporters covering the campaign have their temperature taken. People he meets are scanned in advance with thermometer wands and guests at his events are cordoned off in precise locations mapped out with a tape measure. The former vice president is seldom without a mask when in public or around anyone other than his wife, Dr. Jill Biden. Access to their home is limited to only a few staffers — and when they’re inside, each wears a mask, including Biden. (Cadelago and Korecki, 9/14)

NPR: Republicans Are Knocking On Doors. Democrats Aren't. Biden's Campaign Says That's OK
President Trump's campaign says it knocks on a million doors a week. Joe Biden's campaign hasn't knocked on any doors to talk to voters for months. In lieu of in-person meetings, Democrats are focused on conversations they can have virtually. ... Democrats say they're not door knocking because safety is their main priority, and they don't want to put people at risk of contracting COVID-19. (Khalid, 9/13)

The Washington Post: Coronavirus Vaccine Trial Resumes In U.K. After Week-Long Pause 
A coronavirus vaccine trial resumed Saturday in the United Kingdom after the study was paused for a week because of an unexplained illness in a trial participant. The recommendation to resume human testing of the vaccine candidate being developed by the University of Oxford and pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca was made by an independent safety review committee and by the U.K. health regulator. Authorities made no further information available about the nature of the participant’s illness, citing privacy protections. (Johnson, 9/12)

Stat: AstraZeneca Resumes Covid-19 Vaccine Trials In The U.K.
The illness that triggered the international pause, which occurred in a woman who was in the vaccine arm of the U.K. trial, has not been officially disclosed, though AstraZeneca CEO Pascal Soriot told a group of investors on Wednesday that her symptoms were consistent with transverse myelitis, a serious condition involving inflammation of the spinal cord that can cause muscle weakness, paralysis, pain and bladder problems. ...It’s not uncommon for clinical trials to be paused. This is the second known hold of studies of the AstraZeneca vaccine. A woman in the U.K. trial was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in July, but that event, which triggered the first pause, was deemed not to be related to the vaccine.(Branswell, 9/12)

AP: Oxford And AstraZeneca Resume Coronavirus Vaccine Trial
British Health Secretary Matt Hancock welcomed the restart, saying in a tweet that it was “good news for everyone” that the trial is “back up and running.” The university said in large trials such as this “it is expected that some participants will become unwell and every case must be carefully evaluated to ensure careful assessment of safety.” (Pylas, 9/13)

In related news —

The New York Times: Vaccine Makers Keep Safety Details Quiet, Alarming Scientists 
The morning after the world learned that a closely watched clinical trial of a coronavirus vaccine had been halted last week over safety concerns, the company’s chief executive disclosed that a person given the vaccine had experienced serious neurological symptoms. But the remarks weren’t public. Instead, the chief executive, Pascal Soriot of AstraZeneca, spoke at a closed meeting organized by J.P. Morgan, the investment bank. (Thomas, 9/13)

Fox News: WHO Scientist Calls AstraZeneca Coronavirus Trial Pause 'Good Wake-Up Call'
A top scientist at the World Health Organization (WHO) on Thursday said the pause in pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca’s coronavirus vaccine study is a “good wake up call,” given “ups and downs in research.” The company suspended its Phase III trial this week after a participant in the United Kingdom experienced a serious adverse reaction. Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, WHO chief scientist, on Thursday said clinical trial protocols have an operating procedure for managing any side effects among participants. (Rivas, 9/12)

Stat: The Ethics Of Pausing A Vaccine Trial In The Midst Of A Pandemic 
The revelation that AstraZeneca paused its clinical trials for a Covid-19 vaccine has focused attention on the company and the clinical trial process. The hold occurred after a participant in the trial developed symptoms consistent with a rare but serious spinal inflammatory disorder called transverse myelitis. To better understand the ethics of vaccine trials in the time of coronavirus, I talked with Ruth Faden, a Johns Hopkins bioethicist with a special interest in vaccine development. (Skerrett, 9/11)

Stat: Pfizer And BioNTech Announce Plan To Expand Covid-19 Vaccine Trial
Pfizer and BioNTech are moving to enlarge the Phase 3 trial of their Covid-19 vaccine by 50%, which could allow the companies to collect more safety and efficacy data and to increase the diversity of the study’s participants. The companies said in a press release that they would increase the size of the study to 44,000 participants, up from an initial recruitment goal of 30,000 individuals.The U.S. Food and Drug Administration will have to approve the change before it goes into effect. (Herper, 9/12)

Fox Business: Pfizer CEO Says Coronavirus Vaccine Could Be Distributed To Americans Before Year's End
Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said on Sunday that it is a “likely scenario” that the company’s coronavirus vaccine could be distributed to Americans before the new year if it’s proven by federal regulators to be safe and effective. "I cannot say what the FDA will do, but I think is a likely scenario and we are preparing for it," Bourla said in an interview on CBS’ “Face the Nation.” “We started already manufacturing and we have already manufactured hundreds of thousands of doses, so just in case we have a good study readout, conclusive and FDA, plus the advisory committee feels comfortable, that we will be ready." (Manfredi, 9/13)

In other vaccine news —

The Washington Post: GWU Recruits Blacks For Covid Clinical Trial 
Mark M. Spradley searched online for a vaccine clinical trial the way most people go shopping. Spradley, heeding an inner call to public duty, combed through the National Institutes of Health’s website and signed up for a trial underway at George Washington University because he was eager to become part of a massive, accelerated effort to develop a vaccine for the novel coronavirus that causes the disease covid-19. (Kunkle, 9/13)

NPR: Why A COVID-19 Vaccine That's Only 50% Effective Could Still Help Stop The Pandemic
As we get closer to a COVID-19 vaccine, it's exciting to imagine a day when the virus is gone. But a vaccine will not be a magic bullet. In fact, it may be only about 50% effective. Dr. Anthony Fauci, chief of the National Institute of Health and Infectious Disease, has tried to set realistic expectations when discussing the importance of a vaccine. "We don't know yet what the efficacy might be. We don't know if it will be 50% or 60%," Fauci said during a Brown University event in August."I'd like it to be 75% or more," Fauci said, but he acknowledged that may not be realistic. (Aubrey, 9/12)

NPR: Why Are So Many Americans Hesitant To Get A COVID-19 Vaccine?
Part of this concern comes from those who feel politics are influencing the processes vaccines must go through. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have told states a potential vaccine may be ready for distribution as soon as late October — right before Election Day. But when speaking with NPR's Mary Louise Kelly, Dr. Moncef Slaoui, chief scientific adviser to Operation Warp Speed, said there is a "very low chance" a vaccine will be ready by then. (9/10)

In vaccine news from China —

The Hill: China Starts Testing Nasal Spray Coronavirus Vaccine 
China on Wednesday approved the first phase of human testing for a nasal spray vaccine, the first trial vaccine for the coronavirus that does not require a needle injection. The spray vaccine was co-developed by researchers at Xiamen University and Hong Kong University with the aid of vaccine maker Beijing Wantai Biological Pharmacy Enterprise, Bloomberg reported. (Deese, 9/11)

CNN: China Says No Need To Vaccinate Entire Population Against Covid-19 At This Stage, Only Frontline Workers 
Not everyone in China will need to get vaccinated against Covid-19, according to the country's top medical official, as Beijing looks to prioritize frontline workers and high-risk populations in a move that underscores rising confidence among policy-makers of their ability to contain the virus. "Since the first wave of Covid-19 appeared in Wuhan, China has already survived the impact of Covid-19 several times," Gao Fu, director of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), said at a vaccine summit in the city of Shenzhen on Saturday, according to state-run news agency China News Service. (Yeung, 9/14)

The Wall Street Journal: Gilead Reaches Deal To Buy Immunomedics For $21 Billion 
Gilead Sciences Inc. will pay $21 billion to buy biotech Immunomedics Inc. and its prized breast-cancer drug, the company said Sunday, a sign of the value of the cancer-drugs business. Immunomedics has a market value of roughly $10 billion following a recent surge in its stock, meaning that Gilead is paying up to secure ownership of the company. Gilead agreed to pay $88 a share in cash for Immunomedics, whose shares closed at $42.25 Friday. That represents a 108% premium. (Lombardo and Rockoff, 9/13)

Reuters: Gilead To Buy Cancer Drugmaker Immunomedics For $21 Billion 
Gilead Sciences Inc. will acquire biopharmaceutical company Immunomedics Inc IMMU.O for $21 billion, a move that will strengthen its cancer portfolio by gaining access to a promising drug, the two companies said in a joint statement on Sunday. The deal provides Gilead access to Immunomedics’ breast cancer treatment drug, Trodelvy, which was granted an accelerated FDA approval in April. (9/13)

Stat: Inside Gilead’s $21 Billion Purchase Of Immunomedics
Key negotiations that helped seal Gilead Science’s $21 billion purchase of Immunomedics, announced Sunday, took place on the makeshift patio of a suburban New Jersey restaurant during a socially distanced dinner two weeks ago, separated from a highway by some hedges. Immunomedics’ Executive Chairman Behzad Aghazadeh, eating at a restaurant for the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic struck, ordered lamb chops. Gilead CEO Daniel O’Day had steak. They requested a table away from other diners in order to be discrete. But the main thing on the menu, from Gilead’s perspective, was Trodelvy, Immunomedics’ recently approved drug to treat women with triple-negative breast cancer, a particularly aggressive form of the disease with few treatment options. (Feuerstein and Herper, 9/14)

Yahoo Finance: Gilead To Explore Trodelvy Drug Against Different Cancers After $21B Merger With Immunomedics
The merger deal will give Gilead access to Trodelvy – a drug for breast cancer, which received accelerated approval from the Food and Drug Administration in April. Although additional compliances for Trodelvy are underway, the company expects full approval in the U.S. sometime in the next quarter. According to the statement, Immunomedics would file for approvals with the European regulators in the first half of next year. (Raghunath Benzinga, 9/14)

AP: Experts: Revamped OxyContin Hasn't Curbed Abuse, Overdoses
A panel of government health advisers said Friday there’s no clear evidence that a harder-to-crush version of the painkiller OxyContin designed to discourage abuse actually resulted in fewer overdoses or deaths. The conclusion from the Food and Drug Administration advisory panel comes more than a decade after Purdue Pharma revamped its blockbuster opioid, which has long been blamed for sparking a surge in painkiller abuse beginning in the 1990s. (Perrone, 9/12)

In biotech news —

Boston Globe: BrainGate, Brain-Machine Interface Company, Donated To Tufts University
For more than a decade, scientist and entrepreneur Jeff Stibel’s company BrainGate has been developing ways to connect the human brain directly to computers. But Stibel doesn’t think the world is ready for his technology, because of the potential for abuse. So he’s giving away the company. (Bray, 9/11)

Stat: How Much Is A Startup Worth? In Biotech, The Answer Is Rarely Public
Valuations are fundamental information about any startup. Not only can high valuations give a company bragging rights, it can also affect how much its stock could eventually be worth or how much another company will be willing to pay to acquire it. (Sheridan, 9/14)

The Washington Post: Weight Loss Can Lead To Big Health Improvement 
If you’re obese, losing just 5 percent of your weight starts you on the path to better health, but new research finds that losing 13 percent of your weight may make a good-size dent in your chances of developing several unhealthy conditions. For instance, the odds of developing Type 2 diabetes were at least 42 percent lower among obese people who lost that much weight than for those who did not lose weight, according to a report from the European and International Congress on Obesity. (Searing, 9/13)

Fox News: Uncontrolled Blood Pressure On Rise In US: Study 
A recent study representative of the U.S. population found that uncontrolled blood pressure rose by 10% in 2017-18 compared to several years prior. Researchers from the University of Alabama published their findings on Wednesday in the JAMA Network. Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is a common, but dangerous condition, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It increases the risk of heart disease and stroke, and the CDC says those with hypertension “might be at an increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19," though the study authors said it's uncertain. (Rivas, 9/12)

In other research news —

The New York Times: Are Fever Checks A Good Gatekeeper For Covid? 
In recent weeks, a new cadre of gatekeepers armed with thermometer guns has appeared at the entrances of hospitals, office buildings and manufacturing plants to screen out feverish individuals who may carry the coronavirus. Employees at some companies must report their temperature on apps to get clearance to come in. And when indoor dining resumes at restaurants in New York City later this month, temperature checks will be done at the door. (Caryn Rabin, 9/13)

CIDRAP: Swiss Study Finds Lower Aerobic Capacity In Soldiers With COVID-19
A study of Swiss Army personnel found reduced aerobic capacity in recruits with symptomatic COVID-19 1 to 2 months after diagnosis, Swiss and British researchers reported yesterday in Eurosurveillance. The study looked at 199 recruits (median age 21 years) belonging to two companies heavily affected by a COVID-19 outbreak at a Swiss Army base in March and April. The participants were sorted by infection status into three groups: convalescent recruits with symptomatic COVID-19 (n = 68), asymptomatic recruits with evidence of viral infection (n = 77), and a naïve group without clinical symptoms or evidence of infection (n = 54). The researchers then compared the results of a fitness test—which included an endurance run—conducted a median of 45 days after COVID-19 diagnosis with the results of the same test conducted 3 months before the outbreak. (9/11)

The New York Times: The Doctor Tackling A Coronavirus Mystery In Children 
When the coronavirus arrived in the United States, it took many doctors and medical professionals by surprise. Alberto Paniz-Mondolfi was not one of them. He also wasn’t shocked when, a few months later, small numbers of infected children began exhibiting strange, widespread inflammatory symptoms. As someone who spent years fighting epidemics in South America, he learned how pathogens spread and what they can do. “When you deal with these guys, you kind of develop an instinct,” he said. “It’s like you can smell them.” (Wenner Moyer, 9/9)

Modern Healthcare: Are Hospitals Making Money Treating COVID-19 Patients?
On HCA Healthcare’s second-quarter investor call, an analyst asked the for-profit chain’s chief financial officer an intriguing question: What’s the profitability of COVID-19 patients? Posed to most other health systems, such a query would have sounded absurd. But the Nashville-based hospital giant had just posted $1.1 billion in profit, up 38% from the prior-year period, even as elective procedures were largely shut down. (Bannow, 9/12)

Modern Healthcare: How Hospital Administrators Were Implicated In A Right-Wing COVID-19 Conspiracy
At a campaign stop in rural Waterloo, Iowa in late August, Republican Sen. Joni Ernst told a crowd of nearly 100 people that she believed healthcare providers were inflating COVID-19 death counts for profit. "These healthcare providers and others are reimbursed at a higher rate if COVID is tied to it, so what do you think they're doing?" she said, according to a report by the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier. Ernst is fighting to keep her seat in one of a handful of competitive races that will determine control of the Senate in November. (Cohrs, 9/11)

Also —

Stat: When Private Equity Firms Invest In Women's Health Clinics, Who Benefits?
As the Covid-19 pandemic continues to surge in the United States, Americans are becoming more aware of the deficits in their health care delivery system. Invisible to many, however, is the rapidly expanding role that private equity is playing in health care — especially for women. (Borsa, Bruch and Richardson, 9/14)

Modern Healthcare: COVID-19 Chills Private Equity Investment In Healthcare
Private equity spending in healthcare in the second quarter of 2020 was roughly one-third its total in the prior-year period as the COVID-19 pandemic gives some investors pause, according to a new PitchBook report. U.S. private equity deals in the healthcare sector totaled $8.5 billion in the quarter ended June 30, compared with about $24.2 billion in the second quarter of 2019, per the new report from PitchBook, a Seattle-based data and research firm focused on private capital markets. (Bannow, 9/11)

Kaiser Health News: With No Legal Guardrails For Patients, Ambulances Drive Surprise Medical Billing 
School librarian Amanda Brasfield bent over to grab her lunch from a small refrigerator and felt her heart begin to race. Even after lying on her office floor and closing her eyes, her heart kept pounding and fluttering in her chest. The school nurse checked Brasfield’s pulse, found it too fast to count and called 911 for an ambulance. Soon after the May 2018 incident, Brasfield, now 39, got a $1,206 bill for the 4-mile ambulance ride across the northwestern Ohio city of Findlay — more than $300 a mile. And she was on the hook for $859 of it because the only emergency medical service in the city has no contract with the insurance plan she has through her government job. (Ungar, 9/14)

AP: Study: Kids Infected At Day Care Spread Coronavirus At Home
Children who caught the coronavirus at day cares and a day camp spread it to their relatives, according to a new report that underscores that kids can bring the germ home and infect others. Scientists already know children can spread the virus. But the study published Friday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention “definitively indicates — in a way that previous studies have struggled to do — the potential for transmission to family members,” said William Hanage, a Harvard University infectious diseases researcher. (Stobbe, 9/11)

Boston Globe: Families Asking Why Paid Child Care Is Allowed In Closed Schools 
Continuing concerns about the coronavirus are leading Quincy Public School officials to start the school year remotely for most students, allowing only the youngest and those with special needs into the classrooms on alternating days. So many families were surprised to learn last week that some students shut out of the classrooms will spend their “remote learning” days in the school gym — at a cost to their parents of $346 a week. (Ebbert, 9/11)

Also —

AP: Teacher Departures Leave Schools Scrambling For Substitutes
With many teachers opting out of returning to the classroom because of the coronavirus, schools around the U.S. are scrambling to find replacements and in some places lowering certification requirements to help get substitutes in the door. Several states have seen surges in educators filing for retirement or taking leaves of absence. The departures are straining staff in places that were dealing with shortages of teachers and substitutes even before the pandemic created an education crisis. (Smith, 9/13)

The Wall Street Journal: Remote Schooling Out Of Reach For Many Students In West Virginia Without Internet 
Just before 9 a.m., Hollee Blair sat in her boyfriend’s Toyota Tacoma in the parking lot of Chapmanville Regional High School and waited for attendance to be taken. With no broadband internet at home, Ms. Blair, a 17-year-old honors student who plans to study nursing after high school, used her boyfriend’s iPhone to connect to the school’s Wi-Fi for an hour-long orientation over Zoom. (Maher, 9/13)

Fox News: New York Officials 'Looking At' Mandatory Flu Vaccine For Public School Students: Report 
New York officials are "looking at" the possibility of a mandatory flu vaccine for all public school students, according to a report. The question was raised on Thursday during a conference call with Gov. Andrew Cuomo, reporters and other state officials, an outlet wrote. Cuomo deferred the question about mandatory flu vaccines to state Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker, WGRZ reported. (Rivas, 9/12)

Modern Healthcare: Hospitals Stay Committed To Investing In School Health Clinics
For stakeholders like Robert Boyd, the economic fallout for hospitals from the COVID-19 pandemic is causing him to brace for the possibility that providers who sponsor school-based health centers may look at reducing their investments in such programs as a means of cutting costs. "In the short term are we going to lose some school-based health centers, probably," said Boyd, who serves as president of the not-for-profit advocacy and consulting organization, School-Based Health Alliance. "That's just an economic reality."But many healthcare providers say they remain committed to sponsoring school-based health clinics in spite of the economic downturn. (Johnson, 9/11)

In global school news —

CIDRAP: Child-To-Child SARS-CoV-2 Spread Rare In German Schools, Study Finds
In another study yesterday in Eurosurveillance, German researchers report that child-to-child transmission of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, appeared very uncommon after schools and childcare facilities in the state of Baden-Wurttemberg reopened. To gain a better understanding of SARS-CoV-2 transmission in schools and childcare facilities in Baden-Wurttemberg after they reopened in May, the researchers compiled and analyzed data from infected children (ages 0 to 19 years) who had been to those schools and childcare facilities from May 25 to Aug 5. (9/11)

The Washington Post: Teachers Unions Clash With Governments Over Coronavirus School Reopening Plans 
South Africa’s teachers were at an all-too-familiar impasse. In July, coronavirus cases were on the rise, as was government pressure to reopen schools. Educators concerned about safety pushed back. As negotiations faltered, the country’s largest teachers union threatened to strike unless the start date was delayed. (Berger, 9/12)

The Washington Post: Dozens Of National Airport Workers May Have Been Exposed To Coronavirus 
Dozens of workers at Reagan National Airport may have been exposed to the novel coronavirus after attending services at an Alexandria church last month. The possible exposures took place at the Kidane Mehret Church in Alexandria between Aug. 14 and Aug. 17, but it wasn’t until a week later, on Aug. 21, that city health officials were notified of a confirmed case of the virus linked to the church. (Aratani, 9/12)

Detroit Free Press: Metro Airport Delta Flight Delayed After Passenger Refuses To Wear Mask
A Metro Airport flight to Los Angeles returned to the gate Saturday night after a passenger refused to comply with Delta Air Lines's face mask requirement, according to the airline.“We apologize to customers on Flight 201 from DTW to LAX that returned to the gate when a customer did not comply with Delta’s mask-wearing requirement onboard," a Delta spokesperson said in a statement to the Free Press Sunday. "After a short delay, the flight departed to Los Angeles.” (Marini, 9/13)

USA Today: Southwest Airlines Escorts Mother, 2-Year-Old From Flight Over Mask
A woman traveling from Fort Myers, Florida, to Chicago said she was escorted off her Southwest Airline flight on Saturday because her 2-year-old son was snacking prior to takeoff and wasn't wearing his mask. Jodi Degyansky, 34, wants airlines to have more compassion for parents who have toddlers that might have difficulty donning their masks for a long time. "We are trying to get used to it, but he's 2," Degyansky said. (Montoya, 9/13)

In other travel news —

Politico: United CEO Sees Low Air Travel Until A Widely Available Vaccine 
United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby said on Sunday that, while he believes it’s safe to fly now, he doesn't see air travel returning to prepandemic levels until a coronavirus vaccine is developed and widely distributed. “Our view is, demand is not coming back, people are not going to get back and travel like they did before until there is a vaccine that’s been widely distributed and available to a large portion of the population,” Kirby said on CBS’ “Face the Nation.” “I hope that happens sooner, but our guess is that's the end of next year.” (Naranjo, 9/13)

MSN.com: Survey Reveals Disparities Between How Men And Women Perceive Travel Safety
The study showed that women are much more likely than men to follow CDC precautions as they travel. While close to 60 percent of women said they would wash their hands or use hand sanitizer more, as well as wear a mask or other protective gear, only 39 percent of men said they would do the same, according to [Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection's] state of Travel Insurance research survey, which was conducted over a span of several months during the pandemic. (Christoff, 9/12)

The Hill: Preventive Care Use Has Declined Significantly Amid COVID-19 Without Major Rebound 
The use of preventive care early in the coronavirus pandemic declined significantly and has not resumed despite the reopening of medical offices, according to a new analysis. Childhood vaccinations dropped 60 percent in April at the height of the pandemic compared to 2019 levels and by June were still down close to 30 percent, according to the nonprofit Health Care Cost Institute (HCCI). Mammograms and Pap smears were down nearly 80 percent in April and by June were down nearly a quarter from 2019. (Weixel, 9/11)

AP: Poll: Pandemic Takes Toll On Mental Health Of Young Adults
The coronavirus pandemic has taken a harsh toll on the mental health of young Americans, according to a new poll that finds adults under 35 especially likely to report negative feelings or experience physical or emotional symptoms associated with stress and anxiety. A majority of Americans ages 18 through 34 — 56% — say they have at least sometimes felt isolated in the past month, compared with about 4 in 10 older Americans, according to the latest COVID Response Tracking Study conducted by NORC at the University of Chicago. Twenty-five percent of young adults rate their mental health as fair or poor, compared with 13% of older adults, while 56% of older adults say their mental health is excellent or very good, compared with just 39% of young adults. (Mumphrey and Sincol Kelleher, 9/11)

The Wall Street Journal: Is It OK To Reveal Your Anxiety Or Depression To Your Boss? 
Workers everywhere are having a tough time. Should they ask for help on the job? The share of adults reporting symptoms of anxiety or depression ballooned during the pandemic, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau, rising to 40.9% by mid-July. A similar national survey from the first half of 2019 put that number at 11%. For many, 2020 has ushered in fears of falling sick and losing a job, tension over the coming election and racial inequality, and a feeling of being overwhelmed by an untenable work-life juggle. (Feintzeig, 9/13)

CNN: Sex Gets Complicated During The Pandemic 
When the pandemic hit, couples found themselves worrying about getting sick, losing income, teaching their children at home while working full time (or worrying full time about sending them to school). It hardly makes a perfect recipe for sex. (Ward, 9/14)

NPR: Redesigning The Office To Maximize Health
Office designers are scrambling now to try to get more members of the workforce safely back to their desks. Clear plastic sneeze guards have become familiar, as have floors taped off at 6-foot increments. But by 2025 or so, after the immediate threat of the coronavirus has likely passed, which short-term fixes will be part of the new normal? And what other design changes could be coming our way? While the scale of the current pandemic is new, the need for architects to prioritize human health is not, says Kevin Van Den Wymelenberg, director of the Institute for Health in the Built Environment. "We've designed buildings for 100-year floods," he says. "Now we have to learn to design for the 100-year flu." (Vaughn, 9/14)

In other public health news —

Yahoo News: Hilary Swank Sues After She's Denied Coverage For Ovarian Cysts
Hilary Swank is suing the SAG-AFTRA health plan after she was denied coverage for the treatment of ovarian cysts. The Oscar-winning actress spoke out about her decision, slamming the “antiquated” policies that view “the role of women’s organs solely as a means for procreation.”“I’m truly exhausted by the way women’s ovarian and cyclical health issues continue to be treated by healthcare insurance companies,” the 46-year-old actress began. “I have experienced it in my own life, and I continually read about it across social media and in the press.” (Ryder, 9/10)

PBS NewsHour: 1 In 10 Americans Don’t Have Enough Food. The Pandemic Is Making Things Worse
Tens of millions of Americans were already wrestling with having enough food to eat before the coronavirus came along. Enter a pandemic that launched an historic recession and experts say that need has only grown. (Santhanam, 9/11)

AP: Dakotas Lead US In Virus Growth As Both Reject Mask Rules
Coronavirus infections in the Dakotas are growing faster than anywhere else in the nation, fueling impassioned debates over masks and personal freedom after months in which the two states avoided the worst of the pandemic. The argument over masks raged this week in Brookings, South Dakota, as the city council considered requiring face coverings in businesses. The city was forced to move its meeting to a local arena to accommodate intense interest, with many citizens speaking against it, before the mask requirement ultimately passed. (Groves and Kolpack, 9/13)

USA Today: Cases Surge In Dakotas; Schools Back Off Classroom Learning
A month after the controversial Sturgis Motorcycle Rally drew hundreds of thousands of bikers to South Dakota, COVID-19 infections are growing faster in North Dakota and South Dakota than anywhere in the nation. The rally is not the only likely culprit: Many schools in the states recently began in-class learning, and mandates or requests to wear masks have sparked pushback from people who believe that infringes on their freedom. (Shannon and Bacon, 9/13)

In news from California —

Los Angeles Times: L.A. County Coronavirus Numbers Fall Back To Pre-Surge Levels 
The L.A. County Department of Public Health reported 11 new coronavirus deaths Sunday, as daily hospitalizations continued to decline over the weekend. About 800 people were hospitalized with the virus countywide, 35% of them in an ICU, marking a significant decline from just a few weeks earlier. The new numbers are similar to April, before the summer surge. Hospitalization is an important metric for charting the course of the pandemic, because it captures how many people are seriously ill with the virus, health officials wrote in a statement. (Sharp, 9/13)

Kaiser Health News: ‘Terrible Role-Modeling’: California Lawmakers Flout Pandemic Etiquette
In California, the cradle of renowned tech startups and the Silicon Valley, elementary school students have had to figure out how to work remotely, but lawmakers have not. Since March, Californians have scrambled to comply with public health orders that required most office and school work to occur at home. But in one of the most iconic office spaces in the state — the Capitol building in Sacramento — most lawmakers and their staffers have gathered in large numbers for months (except when COVID-19 infections forced them to take unplanned recesses). (Young and Bluth, 9/14)

The Hill: LA Mayor Condemns Protesters Shouting 'Death To Police' Outside Hospital Treating Ambushed Officers 
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti (D) on Sunday condemned protesters who reportedly yelled "death to police" outside the hospital where two Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department deputies are being treated and in critical condition after being shot. Fox News reports that video showed protesters blocking a hospital entrance and shouting "death to police," "I hope they f---ing die," and "kill the police." (Seipel, 9/13)

In news from Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania and Maryland —

State House News Service: Baker Nursing Home Package Includes $140M Investment 
Up to $140 million in investments and restructured Medicaid rates are at the center of a new package of nursing home reforms and supports announced Thursday by the Baker administration. Health and human services officials said the package will supplement changes announced in April to hold facilities to higher standards of care and infection control. Nursing homes this year were at the center of the state's deadly COVID-19 surge. (Norton, 9/11)

AP: 4 Communities Labeled As High Risk For West Nile Virus
Four communities in Middlesex County are now considered high risk for the West Nile virus, health officials said. The Massachusetts Department of Public Health announced four more human cases of the West Nile virus, bringing the total number in the state this year to seven. All four people were exposed in Middlesex County, officials said. (9/13)

Modern Healthcare: Unionized New York Nursing Homes Had Fewer COVID-19 Deaths
A new study finds that having a unionized workforce at a nursing home greatly reduces the likelihood that someone will die from COVID-19. There was a 30% relative decrease in the COVID-19 mortality rate for residents in nursing homes with unionized workers than in other nursing homes, according to the study, which examined data from more than 300 nursing homes in New York from March 1 through May 31. (Christ, 9/11)

Stat: A Pennsylvania Lawmaker Wants To Tie Prescription Drug Prices To What Canada Pays 
In the latest gambit by a state lawmaker to lower prescription drug costs, a Pennsylvania legislator has introduced a bill that would tie prices paid by residents to what Canadians are charged for medicines. Specifically, the legislation would require the state to create a list of the 250 costliest drugs every year. From there, the Pennsylvania Insurance Department would set a maximum rate paid by health insurers for each medicine on the list based on pricing in Canada’s four largest provinces. And health insurers would have to pass along lower premiums resulting from any reduced medication costs, or pay a fine. (Silverman, 9/11)

AP: Maryland Crabmeat Pickers Hit Hard By COVID-19 This Summer
Health officials say 50 crabmeat pickers on Maryland’s Eastern Shore contracted COVID-19 this summer. The Daily Times of Salisbury reports that the outbreaks recorded by the Dorchester Department of Health sent one worker to the hospital, but did not result in any fatalities. (9/13)

In news from Michigan, Georgia and Texas —

The Hill: Michigan Lieutenant Governor Blasts Trump Coronavirus Response: He 'is A Liar Who Has Killed People' 
Michigan's lieutenant governor blasted President Trump on Sunday over his handling of the coronavirus pandemic, blaming him for tens of thousands of lives lost across the country due to the pandemic. Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II (D) made the comments during a virtual event for progressive voters called "Fighting for Justice in Michigan," according to local news affiliate WDIV 4. (Bowden, 9/13)

Atlanta Journal-Constitution: COVID-19 Takes Toll On Transit Workers As MARTA Approaches 200th Case
MARTA is approaching a grim milestone this week, when its 200th employee likely will test positive for COVID-19 — a mark that underscores the risks endured by transit employees and other essential workers during the pandemic. Workers at other metro Atlanta transit agencies also have tested positive for the disease. Three local transit workers have died from COVID-19, as have scores of others across the country. (Wickert, 9/11)

The New York Times: Conflicting Virus Data In Texas Raises Distrust Of The Government 
Inconsistencies and problems with Covid-19 data collection in Texas have clouded the picture of the pandemic’s trajectory in the state, to the point that some residents and officials say they cannot rely on the numbers to tell them what is really going on. The state has overlooked thousands of cases, only to report them weeks after infection. It has made major adjustments to its case and death counts, defining them one way and then another, suddenly reporting figures for some counties that were vastly different from those posted by the local health department. (Schoenfeld Walker and Waananen Jones, 9/13)

AP: First US Spring Flight To Antarctica Aims To Keep Out Virus
The first U.S. flight into Antarctica following months of winter darkness arrived Monday with crews taking extra precautions to keep out the coronavirus. Antarctica is the only continent without the virus, and there is a global effort to make sure incoming scientists and workers don’t bring it with them. (Perry, 9/14)

The Wall Street Journal: Israel To Shut Down Again As Second Coronavirus Wave Hits 
Israel on Friday is to become the first developed country to impose a second nationwide lockdown, as its government struggles to contain a fresh coronavirus outbreak that has hammered the economy and divided the nation. The lockdown, which will last at least through early October, aims to prevent mass gatherings during the Jewish holidays that begin at sundown Friday. It will extend through Rosh Hashana, Yom Kippur and Sukkot—holidays that typically involve millions of Jewish worshipers attending synagogues and gathering for prayer services. If deemed effective, Israel will later move to localized lockdowns of coronavirus hot spots. (Schwartz and Lieber, 9/13)

AP: Austria's Leader: 2nd Wave Of Virus Has Begun, Use Caution
Austria is seeing the start of a “second wave” of coronavirus infections, the country’s leader said Sunday, urging citizens to comply with reinforced rules to keep down new cases and suggesting that companies keep employees working from home if possible. Austria had a relatively successful first phase of the pandemic but has joined other European countries in seeing a rise in infections in recent weeks. It recorded 869 new infections on Friday, the highest daily figure since late March. Chancellor Sebastian Kurz announced that day that the government would reimpose measures such as mandatory mask-wearing in shops. (9/13)

The Wall Street Journal: Covid-19 Batters Brazil, But Its Leader Is More Popular Than Ever 
Covid-19 has killed more than 130,000 in Brazil, second only to the U.S., and hammered the economy. Still, the administration of President Jair Bolsonaro, who has lashed out at governors who ordered businesses to close and clashed with health experts over social-distancing measures, is more popular than ever. (Sreeharsha, 9/13)

The Wall Street Journal: For Doctor In India, Coronavirus Waves Just Keep Coming 
For many countries, battling the coronavirus has been a sprint to bring infections under control, then a struggle to keep it that way. In India, it has turned out to be a marathon. No one knows that better than Dr. Santhosh Kumar, a 48-year-old infectious disease specialist who treated some of the country’s first infections back in February. He is still fighting the virus, these days building a 10,000-strong corps of health-care workers and volunteers in southern India to tackle yet another wave of infections. (Agarwal, 9/13)

Los Angeles Times: How To Get Through To Your Coronavirus Risk-Taking Friends 
A good friend says no to an outdoor barbecue. Your uncle doesn’t stop by when he passes your town en route to a vacation. A friend fails to mask up in your car. These are a few examples of how COVID-19 can spur misunderstanding and even conflict. Such tensions in families and among friends add to the stress of managing life in a pandemic. In many ways, these kinds of conflicts boil down to differences between how scared we are or how safe we feel. (George Loewenstein and Elke U. Weber, 9/14)

CNN: Trump Ignores Science At Dangerous Indoor Rally In Nevada
President Donald Trump offered a glaring new example of his refusal to put medical science before politics with a large indoor rally Sunday night that made a mockery of social distancing, while the pandemic he mismanaged has now claimed more than 194,000 American lives. The event in Nevada -- his second rally in the state in as many days -- did not only risk the health of those present, thousands of whom were packed together inside a manufacturing facility in defiance of the state's ban on local gatherings of 50 people or more. It also has the potential to turn into a super spreader event that could seed Covid-19 outbreaks in the wider community. Trump hadn't held an indoor rally in nearly three months, since his last one, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, after which the city saw a surge in cases and multiple campaign staffers along with Secret Service agents tested positive for the virus. (Stephen Collinson, 9/14)

CNN: Trump's Risky Rallies Are Straight Out Of 'Hunger Games'
Welcome to Donald Trump's "Covid Hunger Games: Campaign edition." That's the only way to describe Trump's continued flouting at his campaign rallies of measures enacted to keep people safe from the coronavirus. We saw another example Saturday night when Trump held a rally in Nevada that violated the state's rules on limiting events to 50 people, ignored the state's mask mandate and jammed people on top of each other. (Dean Obeidallah, 9/13)

Bloomberg: Covid Is Clobbering America’s Farm Workers
As many as 3 million migratory and seasonal laborers work on American farms. By one count, more than 100,000 of them have now been infected by the coronavirus. Yet the federal government has made no effort to test, trace or even document these cases. Instead, state and local officials have once again been asked to manage a pandemic that flows across their borders, damaging lives, communities and potentially the nation’s food supply. The toll has been rising since spring. In Wasco, California, more than 150 workers were infected at a pistachio processing plant; in Ventura County, 188 others tested positive at a berry farm. Similar outbreaks have been reported in Michigan, New Jersey, North Carolina, Tennessee and elsewhere in recent weeks. (Adam Minter, 9/12)

Los Angeles Times: I Got Coronavirus While Working For Ralph's 
After spending seven weeks isolated in my bedroom sick with COVID-19, I stood in front of the Ralphs grocery store where I work, bracing to return. It took me about five minutes to make the decision to cross the threshold and go back to work. I wasn’t sure I could do it. For 20 years I have been a Ralphs employee, working at different stores throughout Los Angeles. I work the night shift, cleaning, stocking and preparing the store for the next day. I believe I caught COVID-19 at work. (Maria Hernandez, 9/14)

The Washington Post: Trump Could Still Save Thousands Of Lives. All It Would Take Is An Ability To Learn From The Woodward Book. 
As I listened to the recording of President Trump telling Post associate editor Bob Woodward that he deliberately misled Americans about the severity of covid-19, I alternated between anger and sadness. I thought of all those who have lost their lives and all the pain and suffering that could have been prevented. I also thought about what can be done now. Because a responsible leader could still turn things around. (Leana S. Wen, 9/12)

Fox News: How Would Liberal Media Report On Coronavirus Deaths Under President Hillary Clinton?
Let's put aside the nagging question of why Republican presidents grant interviews to this liberal Watergate warhorse. Let's focus instead on the nastiness of blaming hundreds of thousands of deaths on the president. Imagine, for a minute, if Hillary Clinton had been president when the coronavirus arrived from China. Would the press place a single death at the White House door? That's a rhetorical question. (Tim Graham, 9/12)

ABC News: Trump Says He Didn't Want To 'Create Panic' Over The Pandemic, But Stoking Fear Has Been His Trademark: ANALYSIS 
While President Donald Trump said he downplayed the threat of the novel coronavirus earlier this year because he did not "want to create panic," there's a glaring contradiction: He has run a reelection campaign -- and based much of his presidency -- on promoting fear. From dire warnings about undocumented immigrants during his run in 2016, and issuing a Muslim ban shortly after taking office, to now warning the suburbs would be "destroyed" under a Biden administration, Trump has used fear -- often laced with racist undertones -- to fire up his base and turn out voters. (Elizabeth Thomas and Ben Gittleson, 9/10)

Houston Chronicle: Sens. John Cornyn And Ted Cruz Are All Hat, No Cattle When It Comes To Texans With Disabilities 
In Texas, we lead and we take care of each other. And when the Texans we elect to represent us go to Washington, D.C., they bring every Texan with them along with our time-honored Texas ideals. Sens. John Cornyn and Ted Cruz left our Texas values behind, along with their 500,000 constituents with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and their families. (Jennifer Martinez, 9/11)

Stat: The Key To Efficient Vaccine Distribution: Start Preparing Early
Over the last few months, much has been learned about how Covid-19 spreads and ways to slow that transmission. Vaccine development is also progressing, but the news that AstraZeneca paused its Covid-19 vaccine trial to investigate the possibility of an adverse reaction is a reminder of the importance of conducting these trials with the utmost care. Attention is also needed on creating a national strategy to distribute a Covid-19 vaccine. As former state health officers in Massachusetts and Texas, we saw firsthand how the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention led efforts during the H1N1 flu outbreak in 2010-2011 to efficiently distribute a vaccine against it to residents. (John Auerbach and David Lakey, 9/14)

The Wall Street Journal: How ‘Emergency Use’ Can Help Roll Out A Covid Vaccine
A vaccine for Covid-19 could emerge in the next several months. But first, clinical trials need to reach completion showing that the vaccines reduce Covid. The data must undergo multiple layers of scientific review to weigh risks against benefits. This includes careful analysis by career experts at the Food and Drug Administration, independent safety monitors, scientists who work for the vaccine manufacturer, and outside experts who advise the FDA. In a highly politicized environment, many Americans are understandably concerned about cutting corners. But the FDA’s career experts have publicly and clearly affirmed their commitment to the gold standard for review. As former FDA commissioners, we are confident in the FDA’s career scientists to oversee vaccine development rigorously. (Scott Gottlieb and Mark McClellan, 9/13)

The Washington Post: No, A Vaccine Won’t Be Ready By Election Day
The decision by AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford to pause a large-scale, Phase 3 clinical trial of a coronavirus vaccine candidate is a predictable speed bump in such research. Sky-high expectations for quick results against the coronavirus are quite understandable — everyone would like this nightmare to end soon. But it is dangerous and unreasonable to rush the research and development, and simply wrong to exaggerate the possibilities. All previous experience suggests this may take a while. President Trump recklessly pumps up the prospects for a vaccine to gain political advantage. (9/11)

Stat: Real-Time Gene Sequencing Can Help Control Pandemics 
As the novel coronavirus continues to infect people around the world, scientists have scrambled to understand its origins and evolution and learn how and where it is spreading. As a developer of gene-sequencing technology, I look to the virus’ genes for answers. (Josh Quick, 9/11)