- KFF Health News Original Stories 2
- ICUs Are Filled With Covid — And Regret
- Under Pressure, Montana Hospital Considers Adding Psych Beds Amid a Shortage
- Political Cartoon: 'Need a Ride Home?
- Pandemic Policymaking 4
- Some Inmates On Home Confinement Now Allowed To Apply For Clemency
- Covid Rages In School-Age Kids As Officials Wrangle Over Mask Mandates
- Will Politicization Of Covid Vaccine Mandates Extend To Other Shots?
- DeSantis Threatens $5,000 Fine For Each Employee Facing Vax Mandates
From KFF Health News - Latest Stories:
KFF Health News Original Stories
ICUs Are Filled With Covid — And Regret
Unvaccinated people are filling intensive care beds and dying of covid in record numbers in Tennessee and other Southern states. Many tell their nurses and doctors they regret the decision not to get the vaccine when they could. (Blake Farmer, Nashville Public Radio, 9/14)
Under Pressure, Montana Hospital Considers Adding Psych Beds Amid a Shortage
A hospital in Bozeman, Montana, is considering whether to add inpatient psychiatric care after a concerted push from mental health advocates. But even if it adds beds, hospitals across Montana provide a cautionary tale: finding enough workers to staff such beds is its own challenge, and some behavioral health units routinely reach capacity. (Katheryn Houghton, 9/14)
Political Cartoon: 'Need a Ride Home?
KFF Health News provides a fresh take on health policy developments with "Political Cartoon: 'Need a Ride Home?" by Tom Campbell.
Here's today's health policy haiku:
USE CRITICAL THINKING, SCHOOL BOARDS
“I know my child best,”
says Mom. But her decision
affects MY child, too.
- Barbara Armstrong
If you have a health policy haiku to share, please Contact Us and let us know if we can include your name. Haikus follow the format of 5-7-5 syllables. We give extra brownie points if you link back to an original story.
Opinions expressed in haikus and cartoons are solely the author's and do not reflect the opinions of KFF Health News or KFF.
Summaries Of The News:
Supreme Court Asked To Uphold Roe V. Wade In Another Major Abortion Case
In a court brief, a Mississippi abortion clinic and doctor urged the Supreme Court justices to strike down a Mississippi state law that effectively bans the procedure after 15 weeks of pregnancy and warned of national "chaos" if Roe v. Wade is overturned.
The New York Times:
Supreme Court Urged To Reject Mississippi’s Attack On Roe V. Wade
Abortion providers in Mississippi urged the Supreme Court on Monday to reaffirm Roe v. Wade, the 1973 decision that established a constitutional right to abortion. The filing came in the most important abortion case in decades, in which officials in Mississippi have asked the court’s newly expanded conservative majority to overrule Roe and to sustain a state law that largely bans abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy. (Liptak, 9/13)
The Hill:
Abortion Providers Warn Of 'Chaos' If Supreme Court Overrules Roe V Wade
Abortion rights advocates on Monday warned that “chaos would ensue” if the Supreme Court were to overrule long-standing precedent protecting the constitutional right to abortion. The assertion came in a court filing by abortion providers in Mississippi who are challenging the state’s ban on virtually all abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy. (Kruzel, 9/13)
The Washington Post:
Mississippi Abortion Law Would Invite Widespread Bans, Providers Tell Supreme Court
Abortion providers told the Supreme Court on Monday that approving a Mississippi law that bans most abortions after 15 weeks would “scuttle a half-century of precedent and invite states to ban abortion entirely.” They said in their brief that Mississippi’s request that the court overturn its 1973 decision in Roe v. Wade was based on the state’s hope that a “changed composition” of the court would reject years of legal precedent. (Barnes, 9/13)
In news about Texas' abortion law —
CNN:
Texas Judge Issues Injunction Against Anti-Abortion Group On Enforcing New Law
A Texas state judge issued an injunction against anti-abortion group Texas Right to Life, blocking it from trying to enforce the new six-week abortion ban against Planned Parenthood in Texas. The injunction, issued by Judge Karin Crump of the Travis County court, applies to anyone affiliated with the group and stops them from filing a lawsuit against Planned Parenthood for any potential violation of SB8, the law that effectively bans most abortions in Texas. The law gives private citizens the power to enforce it. (Schneider and de Vogue, 9/13)
WTOP:
Abortion-Rights Advocates March On Kavanaugh’s Chevy Chase Home
Local activists took their demands for abortion access to Brett Kavanaugh’s suburban Maryland home late Monday, two weeks after the Supreme Court justice joined four of his colleagues in refusing to block a wide-reaching Texas law banning most abortions in the state. About 50 people gathered in a Chevy Chase park around dusk for an abortion-rights march demanding Kavanaugh resign, and that President Joe Biden respond by expanding the number of seats on the court. (Alvarez, 9/14)
The Washington Post:
Abortion Pills Are Booming Worldwide. Will Their Use Grown In Texas?
In the 1980s, women in Brazil began spreading the word about a pill used to treat ulcers. Sold over the counter, the drug carried a warning: Don’t use during pregnancy; risk of miscarriage. It flew off the shelves. Hundreds of thousands of women, desperate for abortions in a country where the procedure was criminalized, now had an option. In the decades since, medical professionals say, medication abortion has become one of the safest and most common ways to terminate a pregnancy up to 10 weeks of gestation, including in countries where the procedure is illegal. In the United States, where the abortifacients misoprostol and mifepristone have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration, abortions by pill made up more than a third of all abortions in 2017. (Schmidt and Westfall, 9/14)
Scientists Resist Booster Push, Say Shots Not Needed For Most Right Now
Experts suggest government vaccine efforts would be better spent on reaching the unvaxxed until more data are available. Other reports across the country point to how some people are already seeking boosters, even if they're healthy.
Bloomberg:
Most People Don’t Need Covid Vaccine Booster, Scientists Say
Covid-19 vaccines work so well that most people don’t yet need a booster, an all-star panel of scientists from around the world said in a review that’s likely to fuel debate over whether to use them. Governments would be better served to focus on immunizing the unvaccinated and to wait for more data on which boosters would be most effective and at what doses, the authors, who included two prominent U.S. Food and Drug Administration experts, argued in the medical journal The Lancet. They based their assessment on a wide range of real-world observational studies as well as data from clinical trials. (Kresge, 9/13)
CNBC:
Covid Booster: Data Shows Third Shots 'Not Appropriate' At This Time, Scientists Say
An expert review of scientific evidence to date has concluded that Covid-19 vaccine booster shots are not needed at this time for the general public, a group of leading U.S. and international scientists said Monday in the peer-reviewed journal The Lancet. The conclusion by scientists, including two senior Food and Drug Administration officials and the World Health Organization, came as studies continue to show the authorized Covid vaccines in the U.S. remain highly effective against severe disease and hospitalization caused by the fast-spreading delta variant. (Lovelace Jr., 9/13)
The New York Times:
In Review, Top F.D.A. Scientists Question Imminent Need For Booster Shots
Two departing Food and Drug Administration regulators argued in a review published Monday that none of the data on coronavirus vaccines so far provided credible evidence in support of booster shots for the general population. Their assertion revealed significant disagreement between career scientists at the agency and top Biden health officials, who have already started planning a broad booster campaign for this fall. The review, published in The Lancet, was written by an international group of vaccine experts including Dr. Philip Krause and Marion Gruber, longtime F.D.A. scientists who recently announced that they would leave the agency. It comes days before an advisory committee is to publicly discuss and vote on whether the F.D.A. should approve additional doses of Pfizer-BioNTech’s vaccine for people 16 and up. (Weiland and Mandavilli, 9/13)
In related news about booster shots —
CBS Denver:
COVID In Colorado: Gov. Jared Polis Announces Vaccine Booster Program
Gov. Jared Polis announced the COVID-19 vaccine booster shot program for Colorado on Monday afternoon. He said that the boosters would be here by Sept. 20 for Pfizer recipients and Moderna a few weeks later. There is no timeline for a Johnson & Johnson booster. Polis said that boosters are especially important for Pfizer recipients and those who have weaker immune systems. “The benefits outweigh the costs overwhelmingly and the FDA needs to get out of their ivory tower and realize there’s a real-life pandemic with over 900 hospitalizations in Colorado, tens of thousands across the country… We have the ability to end it,” said Polis. (McRae, 9/13)
The New York Times:
Some Healthy Americans Seek Coronavirus Booster Shots Before Approval
Amy Piccioni is not a doctor or a scientist, but as word of breakthrough coronavirus infections in vaccinated people started spreading this summer, she waded through an array of technical and often contradictory information about the need for coronavirus booster shots. Then she decided for herself: She would not wait for federal regulators to clear them before finding one. “It takes a long time for scientists to admit that some people need a booster,” said Ms. Piccioni, 55, who received the one-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine last November through a clinical trial and timed her booster around a visit to her father in July, thinking it would protect her on the plane. She walked into her local Walgreens, asked for a Pfizer shot and got it, no questions asked. (Steinhauer, 9/14)
USA Today:
COVID Vaccine Booster Shots: Who Can Get Them When Is Still Uncertain
In just a week, COVID-19 vaccine boosters could begin to be available to all fully vaccinated Americans. But exactly who will be eligible and when won't be decided until two key scientific advisory committees meet days before the Biden administration's Sept. 20 start date. That leaves little reaction time for health care system administrators like Dr. Tammy Lundstrom, chief medical officer for Michigan-based Trinity Health, which operates 91 hospitals and 120 continuing care facilities in 22 states. "We have our data team poised, ready to hit the button to help us identify all our patients who are ready for a booster," Lundstrom said. "We're anxiously waiting for guidance, as is everybody." (Weise, 9/13)
The Washington Post:
Yes, You Can Get A Covid Booster And A Flu Shot Together. Here’s What You Need To Know
With flu season swiftly approaching in a country already battling a resurgence of the coronavirus, experts are urging Americans to avail themselves of any and all vaccines they are eligible for — whether it’s their first coronavirus vaccination, a booster vaccine dose to combat waning immunity or a flu shot. “It’s terribly important” to get both the flu and coronavirus vaccines, said William Schaffner, medical director of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases. “They are both very nasty respiratory viruses that can make many people very, very sick.” (Chiu, 9/13)
Some Inmates On Home Confinement Now Allowed To Apply For Clemency
Politico reports that those prisoners fall into a specific category: drug offenders released to home under the pandemic relief bill known as the CARES Act with four years or less on their sentences.
Politico:
Biden Starts Clemency Process For Inmates Released Due To Covid Conditions
The Biden administration has begun asking former inmates confined at home because of the pandemic to formally submit commutation applications, criminal justice reform advocates and one inmate herself tell POLITICO. Those who have been asked for the applications fall into a specific category: drug offenders released to home under the pandemic relief bill known as the CARES Act with four years or less on their sentences. Neither the White House nor the Department of Justice clarified how many individuals have been asked for commutation applications or whether it would be expanding the universe of those it reached out to beyond that subset. But it did confirm that the president was beginning to take action. (Stein, 9/13)
CNN:
Administration To Start Clemency Process For Some Federal Inmates On Home Confinement Due To Covid Conditions
The Bureau of Prisons' website says that "the BOP has 7,569 inmates on home confinement. The total number of inmates placed in home confinement from March 26, 2020 to the present (including inmates who have completed service of their sentence) is 31,503." The Biden administration is calling on those 7,569 to submit clemency applications to have their sentences commuted to time served if the individuals have less than four years left on their sentences. (Hoffman and Carrega, 9/13)
In related news about prisons —
The Washington Post:
He Lost One-Third Of His Life To A Wrongful Conviction. Then He Died Of Covid-19
A death row exoneree who lost more than a third of his life in prison because of a wrongful conviction has died of covid-19 just weeks shy of his nine-year exoneration anniversary. Damon Thibodeaux, the 142nd person to be freed from death row in the United States, died Aug. 31, according to an obituary in his hometown newspaper, the Times-Picayune/New Orleans Advocate. Although Thibodeaux was the rare prisoner to be exonerated, his death places him among more than 660,000 individuals in the United States who have died of covid-19 since the start of the pandemic. (Bellware, 9/13)
CBS News:
"They Said They Were Vitamins": Inmates In Arkansas Jail Say They Were Unknowingly Given Ivermectin To Treat COVID-19
An Arkansas doctor under investigation for prescribing an anti-parasite drug called ivermectin to jail detainees with COVID-19, even though federal health officials specifically warn against it, has said that those patients took the drug willingly. But several inmates at the Washington County jail say that is not the case — that they were given the pills with no indication of what they really were. CBS News spoke with 29-year-old Edrick Floreal-Wooten over a video call from the jail on Friday. After testing positive for COVID-19 in August, he said he and other inmates went to "pill call" and were given several pills with the explanation that it would help them "get better." He said he and others asked repeatedly what the pills were. (Cohen, 9/3)
AP:
Pennsylvania Prison Guards Union Asks Court To Review Wolf's COVID-19 Vaccine-Or-Test Mandate
The union that represents corrections officers in Pennsylvania prisons wants a state court to intervene over the governor’s recent mandate that they all get COVID-19 vaccines or submit to weekly testing. The six-page Commonwealth Court complaint over a rule Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf announced last month requests that the court issue a preliminary injunction to end mandatory testing unless inmates, visitors and outside vendors are also subject to the requirement. (Scolforo and Rubinkam, 9/13)
Arizona Republic:
Study: Arizona Prisons Get An F For COVID-19 Response
Arizona gets an F for its response to the COVID-19 pandemic in state prisons. That’s according to a recent nationwide review conducted by the Prison Policy Initiative, a nonpartisan advocacy group. Prison Policy Initiative spokesperson Wanda Bertram says they used 30 different metrics to grade prison systems, giving the most weight to what states did or did not do to reduce their prison populations. (Jenkins, 9/9)
In other covid news from the Biden administration —
The Wall Street Journal:
After Covid-19 Data Is Deleted, NIH Reviews How Its Gene Archive Is Handled
The National Institutes of Health said it was reviewing the removal of genetic data about the Covid-19 virus from an agency-run archive after a scientist raised concerns about the episode earlier this summer. The data—a series of gene sequences from coronavirus samples obtained from Covid-19 patients in Wuhan in January and February 2020—could hold clues about the origin of the pandemic. The sequences were deleted from the Sequence Read Archive (SRA) last year at the request of one of the Wuhan University researchers who had originally provided them—a move that three Republican U.S. senators questioned in June in a sternly worded letter to NIH Director Francis Collins. (Marcus and Hinshaw, 9/13)
The Washington Post:
Biden Wants 70 Percent Of The World To Get Vaccinated. It’s Not Even Close
President Biden plans to call on global leaders to make new commitments to fight the coronavirus pandemic, including fully vaccinating 70 percent of the world’s population by next September, according to a list of targets obtained by The Washington Post. While many rich countries have reached or will soon reach that target, the rest of the world is very far behind. Roughly one-third of people globally are fully vaccinated, according to Our World In Data. Covax, the World Health Organization’s campaign to distribute vaccines to the world, said last week that "only 20% of people in low- and lower-middle-income countries have received a first dose of vaccine compared to 80% in high- and upper-middle income countries.” (Pietsch and Timsit, 9/14)
Covid Rages In School-Age Kids As Officials Wrangle Over Mask Mandates
A federal judge issued a temporary order blocking a law banning Iowa schools from requiring masks. In Kentucky, the governor noted school-age children are catching covid faster than any other group and urged schools to mask-up. And a battle in a Florida county over mask rules also covers stimulus money.
Stateline:
Lawmakers Rethink Mask Policies As More Kids Quarantine
Months after conservative politicians across the country instituted bans on school mask mandates, the surging delta variant has school districts and even some state lawmakers and governors rethinking policies. Over the past month or so, the governors of New York, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island imposed new school mask mandates; lawmakers and governors in at least three states, North Carolina, South Carolina and West Virginia, are reconsidering their bans. Seventeen states and the District of Columbia require everyone to wear masks in K-12 schools. Six states prohibit any such requirement, and 24 states leave the decision up to local school districts. Two states have had mask mandate bans overturned, and Florida had an overturned ban reinstated. (Wright, 9/13)
Axios:
Federal Judge Temporarily Blocks Iowa's Ban On School Mask Mandates
A federal judge issued a temporary restraining order on Monday blocking Iowa from enforcing a recent law that bars schools from requiring masks. The move, effective immediately, allows school districts to enforce mask mandates as kids are returning to the classroom. The lawsuit represents the interest of students who are ineligible for COVID-19 vaccines or are at risk of severe complications from the virus. (Garfinkel, 9/13)
AP:
Governor Urges School Boards To Continue Mask Requirements
School-age children are contracting COVID-19 at a higher rate than any other age group in Kentucky, Gov. Andy Beshear said Monday while exhorting newly empowered school districts to maintain mask requirements in schools. The statewide vaccination rate among youngsters ages 12 to 17 is the lowest of any group, with 45% having received at least one dose. That combination had the governor using his bully pulpit to plead with local school boards and superintendents to continue mandating mask-wearing in schools. (Schreiner and Blackburn, 9/13)
In other school news —
The New York Times:
N.Y.C. Schools Reopen With Joy And Anxiety On ‘Game Changer’ First Day
New York City’s schools reopened on Monday to scenes of joy, relief and anxiety, as roughly a million children returned to their classrooms, most of them for the first time since the country’s largest school system closed in March 2020 because of the pandemic. The day, always chaotic even in normal times, began with many families and educators nervous about the next few months, as the spread of the highly contagious Delta variant has complicated the city’s push to fully reopen schools. (Shapiro, 9/13)
The Baltimore Sun:
More Than Half Of Maryland School Systems Considering Regular COVID Testing
More than half of Maryland school systems soon may institute routine testing for unvaccinated students or staff in an effort to tamp down the spread of the coronavirus among schoolchildren and the surrounding communities. But the expensive testing, paid for with up to $189 million in federal funds, would saddle already overburdened school leaders and nurses with another task as they try to give students a normal school year. (Bowie, 9/14)
The Baltimore Sun:
Baltimore-Area School Districts Are Publicizing COVID Cases And Quarantines Differently. Here’s Why It May Look Uneven
For the first time since the coronavirus pandemic hit Maryland, most Baltimore-area schoolchildren are back in classrooms full time. And with the delta variant of the virus continuing to surge, COVID-19 cases are top of mind. But each jurisdiction is publicizing different information about COVID-19 cases they discover. Experts say the data may paint a confusing picture for parents and community members trying to assess the dangers associated with the return to the classroom. (Condon, 9/13)
WLRN 91.3 FM:
In Escalating Battle, Broward School District Accuses State Of Withholding COVID Stimulus
Masks aren’t the only thing the Broward County school district and state education leaders can’t agree on. The second-largest school district in the state, which is among the largest in the nation, is also fighting with the Florida Department of Education over federal stimulus money designed to help schools beat back COVID-19. (Bakeman, 9/13)
Will Politicization Of Covid Vaccine Mandates Extend To Other Shots?
Some public health experts worry that the fiery rhetoric over the new federal covid vaccine requirements will threaten other common school and military mandates for inoculation against other viruses.
The Washington Post:
GOP Condemnation Of Biden Coronavirus Mandate Fuels Concern Other Vaccine Requirements Could Be Targeted
Republicans’ sweeping denunciations of President Biden’s plan to force more people to get vaccinated against the coronavirus are raising concerns among public health experts that this heated criticism could help fuel a broader rejection of other vaccine requirements, including those put in place by schools and the military, as the issue of inoculations becomes increasingly political. (Sonmez, Stotomayor and Alfaro, 9/13)
In related news about President Biden's vaccine mandates —
Axios:
Axios-Ipsos Poll: 60% Voters Back Biden COVID Vaccine Mandates
A majority of Americans — including suburban voters — support vaccine mandates for federal workers as well as private companies, according to the latest installment of the Axios/Ipsos Coronavirus Index. The findings, on the heels of President Biden's mandates announcement last week, suggest that while his move was divisive, it may be politically safer than his opponents hope. (Talev, 9/14)
The Hill:
Biden Vaccine Mandate Puts McConnell, GOP Leaders In A Tough Spot
Republican leaders in Congress are trying to figure out how to play the politics of President Biden’s sweeping new COVID-19 vaccine mandate, which has majority support in recent polls but has sparked a revolt from GOP governors and the base of the party. Biden’s aggressive move puts a spotlight on Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), a childhood polio survivor who has been outspoken in urging fellow Republicans to get vaccinated against COVID-19. (Bolton, 9/14)
Fox News:
Congress Exempt From Biden’s COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate
President Biden’s executive order mandating COVID-19 vaccines among all federal workers does not apply to members of Congress, the federal court system or their staffers. Biden’s order Thursday mandating COVID-19 vaccinations among federal workers and contractors drops the option of regular testing and allows only some religious and disability exemptions. The order applies only to employees of the executive branch and does not apply to the legislative or judicial branches of government, the White House confirmed to Fox News. (Chasmar, 9/13)
Politico:
Biden’s Workplace Vaccine Mandate Faces Headwinds
President Joe Biden’s surprise order for the Labor Department to issue mandatory vaccine rules for large companies is already facing headwinds from businesses, conservative governors and even his union allies. Management-side attorneys say they are fielding frenzied calls from companies with questions over what the rules requiring them to verify that their workers are vaccinated or tested weekly for Covid-19 will actually entail and whether the business or unvaccinated employees will have to pay for the testing. (Rainey, 9/13)
The Wall Street Journal:
Vaccine Mandates Are Coming To Offices, But The Honor System Now Rules
The Biden administration’s announcement that it will mandate vaccines for workers or require weekly testing could help standardize protocols in workplaces. For now, many workplaces operate on the honor system—one in which health information is often given voluntarily, and employees have few ways to be sure their co-workers are following the rules. For workers, living with honor-system-based Covid-19 rules has meant confusion in some cases and, among certain vaccinated employees, fresh anxieties. (Smith, 9/13)
CNBC:
Many Workers Are Facing Compulsory Covid Vaccination Or No Job
As more and more people return to the workplace following months of working from home, the question of one’s vaccination status is becoming increasingly relevant and, in an increasing number of cases, a condition of employment. In both the U.S. and Europe there are a growing number of jobs and sectors which are now requiring people to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 — not only in the more obvious public-facing roles like healthcare and education but also in the technology, hospitality, travel and finance sectors. (Ellyatt, 9/14)
AP:
About 1,000 Protest President Joe Biden's Visit To Idaho
More than 1,000 protesters gathered Monday in Boise during a visit by President Joe Biden to rail against his plan to bring the coronavirus pandemic under control, last year’s presidential election and a host of other issues. Biden visited Boise as part of a swing through three Western states to promote his administration’s use of a wartime law to aid in wildfire preparedness, survey wildfire damage and push his economic agenda. He arrived at the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise late Monday morning to meet with fire officials and Idaho Gov. Brad Little, a Republican. (Ridler and Boone, 9/13)
Also —
The Washington Post:
Trump And His Allies Really Really Really Want To Blame Black Americans And Democrats For Vaccine Hesitancy
A good sign that the political right recognizes that the shaky state of the coronavirus pandemic is a function of the unvaccinated is that it is energetically trying to cast that group as largely composed of members of the political left. Former president Donald Trump, for example, told Fox News Digital on Monday that it was President Biden and Democrats who were the problem. “If you remember, when I was president, there were literally lines of people wanting to take it,” he said. “Now, you have a different situation, and it’s very bad.” (Bump, 9/13)
DeSantis Threatens $5,000 Fine For Each Employee Facing Vax Mandates
Reports say "millions" of dollars in fines could be levied against local governments in Florida under Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis' plan to oppose efforts to mandate protection for staff. Separately, two Florida hospitals are worried over staffing for President Joe Biden's vaccine push.
Tampa Bay Times:
DeSantis Threatens ‘Millions’ In Fines For Cities And Counties For Vaccine Mandates
Gov. Ron DeSantis said Florida will fine local governments $5,000 for each employee who is required to be vaccinated, threatening some cities and counties with millions of dollars in penalties for adopting strict vaccine “mandates.” During a Monday news conference in Alachua County, DeSantis vowed to fight that city’s requirement that employees be vaccinated by the end of the month or be fired. (Mower, 9/13)
Health News Florida:
Biden Vaccination Requirement Spurs Hospital Staffing Worries
Two major Florida hospital systems say they will carry out a plan announced Thursday by the Biden administration to require hospital workers to be vaccinated against COVID-19 --- but concerns remain about how it could affect staffing. Tampa General Hospital and the Tampa Bay region’s BayCare system said they will take steps to comply, but BayCare CEO Tommy Inzina issued a “letter to the community” that described a “conundrum” that hospitals have faced because of severe staffing shortages during the pandemic. (Saunders, 9/13)
In updates on vaccine mandates in New York —
The Wall Street Journal:
NYC’s Covid-19 Vaccination Proof Mandate For Restaurants And Dining: What To Know
Starting this week, a Covid-19 vaccination may determine where you can go out to eat. New York City on Monday began enforcing its vaccination requirements for restaurant patrons and employees. While other cities such as San Francisco are also requiring shots to eat indoors, some states, including Florida and Texas, are banning vaccine passports. Some restaurateurs say the vaccination proof issue creates new challenges as the industry works to move beyond the pandemic. (Haddon, 9/13)
CNN:
17 Healthcare Professionals, Citing Religious Reasons, Seek To Prevent New York State From Enforcing Vaccine Mandate
Seventeen Catholic and Baptist medical professionals who say they oppose getting the Covid-19 vaccine for religious reasons are seeking to prevent New York State from enforcing its vaccine mandate, according to a federal complaint filed in New York on Monday. The professionals -- nine doctors, five nurses, a nuclear medicine technologist, a physician liaison and a rehabilitation therapist -- are seeking a judgment declaring the mandate "unconstitutional, unlawful, and unenforceable," according to the lawsuit. (Moshtaghian and Holcombe, 9/14)
Also —
Capital Gazette:
Navy Football Assistant Billy Ray Stutzmann Fired For Refusing To Be Vaccinated Against COVID
Navy football assistant coach Billy Ray Stutzmann was fired Monday for failing to comply with an athletic department mandate that all employees get vaccinated against COVID-19. Stutzmann posted the news to his Twitter account Monday and thanked Navy head coach Ken Niumatalolo for the opportunity. Stutzmann, who was in his third season with the program, cited religious reasons for declining the coronavirus vaccine. (Wagner, 9/13)
CNN:
Sylvain Lefebvre: The Columbus Blue Jackets Fires Newly Appointed Assistant Coach
The Columbus Blue Jackets have fired recently hired assistant coach Sylvain Lefebvre after he decided to not get vaccinated against Covid-19. The NHL team said on Monday that the decision to let Lefebvre go was because he would not be able to "perform the duties required of him given current NHL protocols." According to the current National Hockey League's Covid-19 protocols, every club's coaching staff and operations staff are required to be fully vaccinated. Players are not mandated to be vaccinated but those that are not face much stricter protocols than those that are. (Close, 9/14)
In Vote Today, Californians Will Have Their Say On Newsom's Covid Policies
At a rally Monday in support of Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, President Joe Biden said, “The decision you’re going to make isn’t just going to have a huge impact on California, it’s going to reverberate around the nation, and quite frankly, not a joke, around the world."
NBC News:
California Recall Election Day: Will Voters Kick Gov. Gavin Newsom Out Of Office?
Californians are heading to the polls Tuesday to decide whether or not to remove Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom from office, or at least those voters who haven’t already cast a ballot by mail. California's unusual recall election, triggered when anti-Newsom organizers collected the roughly 1.5 million signatures needed to put him on the ballot again, will ask voters to decide if Newsom should be fired and, if so, to pick a replacement governor from a list of 46 hopefuls alternatives, with firebrand conservative radio host Larry Elder leading in polls. (Seitz-Wald, 9/14)
AP:
Biden: Results Of California Recall Will Be Felt Nationally
President Joe Biden put Democrats’ approach to the coronavirus pandemic on the line Monday, casting the California recall that could remove Gov. Gavin Newsom from office as an opportunity for voters to show the nation that “leadership matters, science matters.” “The eyes of the nation are on California because the decision you’re going to make isn’t just going to have a huge impact on California, it’s going to reverberate around the nation, and quite frankly, not a joke, around the world,” the Democratic president said at a rally in the Southern California city of Long Beach. (Ronayne and Blood, 9/14)
CNN:
How The Newsom Recall Could Strengthen The Push For Covid Mandates
The closely watched California gubernatorial recall election on Tuesday is poised to send precisely the opposite political message that its proponents initially intended. It was a strong gust of discontent in the state's most conservative regions last year over Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom's stringent measures to fight the Covid-19 pandemic that allowed the recall to qualify for the ballot at all. But now a swell of support in the broader statewide electorate for the more recent steps Newsom has taken to combat the Delta variant outbreak -- particularly the vaccine mandates he's imposed for educators, health care workers and state employees -- has positioned him for a potentially resounding victory, according to the latest polls. (Brownstein, 9/14)
Yahoo News:
With Newsom Poised To Win California Recall, Another Indication COVID Politics May Be Starting To Favor Democrats Over Republicans
The verdict could have national implications for both Democrats and Republicans heading into the 2022 midterm elections. “No Republican running for governor could possibly have defeated Gavin Newsom in the recall election, but COVID could have,” Dan Schnur, a former spokesman for Republican former California Gov. Pete Wilson and the late GOP Sen. John McCain who teaches politics at several leading California universities, recently said on Yahoo News’ "Skullduggery" podcast. “The reason it’s not is because voters here have come to conclude that he is doing a much better job on it than they’d thought last spring and last winter.” (Romano, 9/13)
Summer Covid Surge May Be Waning, But Worries Over Kids Remain High
In the U.S. the seven-day average number of infections, as well as hospitalizations, are starting to fall. Yet groups like the American Academy of Pediatrics are very concerned by the 240% jump in cases of children getting covid since July, especially as more return to school.
CIDRAP:
COVID Cases Drop A Bit In US As Country Torn Over Vaccines, Masks
The summer surge of COVID-19 cases, which began shortly after the Fourth of July and was instigated by the highly transmissible Delta (B1617.2) variant, is showing signs of waning. Yesterday, the nation reported 33,807 new COVID-19 cases yesterday and 279 deaths, according to the Johns Hopkins COVID-19 tracker. (Soucheray, 9/13)
KHN:
ICUs Are Filled With Covid — And Regret
It’s a struggle for Joe Gammon to talk. Lying in his bed in the intensive care unit at Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital in Nashville, Tennessee, this month, he described himself as “naive.” “If I would have known six months ago that this could be possible, this would have been a no-brainer,” said the 45-year-old father of six, who has been in critical condition with covid-19 for weeks. He paused to use a suction tube to dislodge some phlegm from his throat. “But I honestly didn’t think I was at any risk.” (Farmer, 9/14)
But cases among kids are much higher than in July or this time last year —
CNN:
Child Covid-19 Cases Increased Nearly 240% Since July, Pediatricians' Group Says
Covid-19 infections have risen "exponentially" among children in the US since July, according to data published Monday by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). The group reported 243,373 new cases among kids over the past week. While this is a decline from last week, when 251,781 cases were reported, it's about a 240% increase since early July, when kids accounted for 71,726 cases. "After declining in early summer, child cases have increased exponentially with nearly 500,000 cases in the past two weeks," AAP said in a statement. (Christensen and Vera, 9/13)
Philadelphia Inquirer:
COVID-19 Cases Among Pa. School-Age Children Are 10 Times Higher Than They Were Last Year
Coronavirus cases among school-age children in Pennsylvania were nearly 10 times greater last week than during the same period in 2020, state health officials said Monday, with local officials saying the rise could be due to a variety of factors, including the highly transmissible delta variant, the return of in-person school, and an increase in testing. Between Sept. 2 and Sept. 8, nearly 5,400 Pennsylvania children between ages 5 and 18 had confirmed infections, according to the state Department of Health, compared to 574 children who were infected during the same week in 2020, when most children were in virtual school and delta was not circulating. (McCarthy and McDaniel, 9/13)
San Francisco Chronicle:
COVID In California: More Than 243,000 Children Were Infected With COVID-19 Last Week
Bay Area school districts aren’t following L.A.’s lead on requiring coronavirus vaccinations and testing for students and staff. More Bay Area restaurants are closing for mental health breaks. And with rapid at-home COVID tests hard to find in the Bay Area, here’s what to look for, and where. Resources on COVID-19 and California’s reopening: For detailed maps and new city-by-city Bay Area data, check out The Chronicle’s Coronavirus Tracker. To get regular updates on our coverage, sign up for our coronavirus newsletter. (Vaziri, Buchmann, Beamish and Fracassa, 9/13)
In related news about the spread of the coronavirus —
The Washington Post:
Southern California Parents Die Of Covid-19, Leaving Behind Five Children — Including A Newborn
Davy Macias, 37, was intubated and dying of complications from covid-19 when doctors helped her give birth to her daughter. She would never see her baby. Her husband, Daniel Macias, 39, would only get a brief glimpse of their child because he, too, was hospitalized after contracting the virus. According to Davy’s sister-in-law, Terri Serey, Daniel waited to name the baby girl because he believed he and his wife would walk out of the hospital alive to introduce the newborn to their four other children, the eldest age 7 and the youngest, 2.But about a week after the baby was born, Davy died. Two weeks later, so did Daniel. (Mark, 9/13)
CNN:
Jeff Bridges Details Battle With Covid And Cancer
Jeff Bridges says his cancer is in remission, and he's making progress in his fight against the long-term effects of Covid after a tough battle. In a new post to his website, the actor says his cancerous mass is now the "size of a marble" and his Covid "in the rear view mirror" after a struggle that began earlier this year. Bridges believes he caught the virus after being exposed at the facility where he was receiving chemotherapy treatment. He spent five weeks in the hospital, he said, because "my immune system is shot from the chemo." (Gonzalez, 9/13)
And on misinformation purveyed by trusted sources —
NPR:
COVID Misinformation Pushed By Some Doctors Without Penalty
Last month, Dr. Simone Gold stood before a crowd at a conservative church in Thousand Oaks, Calif., and delivered a talk riddled with misinformation. She told people to avoid vaccination against the coronavirus. As an alternative, she pushed drugs that have not been proven effective at treating COVID-19 — drugs that she also offered to prescribe to the audience in exchange for $90 telehealth appointments. "Don't text me when you've gotten a positive test, I don't want to hear it," she said to the gathering. "I've told you ahead of time to get the medicines. It can take a week because we're so swamped." (Brumfiel, 9/14)
The Washington Post:
Yoga, Organic Food And Misinformation: Wellness Influencers Are Taking The Anti-Vaccine Movement Mainstream
Glance at Jessica Alix Hesser’s Instagram page and you may feel a little like you’ve just opened up a pamphlet for a meditation retreat. Amid photos of lagoons and a waterfall, Hesser (eyes closed, one hand touching the side of her face) is awash in rainbow-hued lens glare, or soaking in a bath with flowers floating on top. Her website contains blog posts recommending natural cardamom floss and Gregorian chants. Sprinkled throughout, however, are posts where Hesser urges her nearly 37,000 followers to question the safety of the vaccines. “Would you sign your children up to be part of a pharmaceutical trial and take them into a lab to get shot up with some experimental drug created by a criminal company?” she asks in one June post. In another one from April, she writes that “many of you have heard about the large number of poke-free women” experiencing changes in their menstrual cycles “after spending time with people who got the jab.” Medical experts say that’s impossible. Hesser did not respond to requests for comment. (Fetters and De Vynck, 9/12)
Houston Hospitals Near Capacity With Unvaxxed As Tropical Storm Loomed
Nicholas, which made landfall about 1:30 a.m. Tuesday along the Texas coast as a Category 1 hurricane, was downgraded to a tropical storm just hours later. The Houston Chronicle reports on how local hospitals braced for Nicholas despite being close to capacity with covid patients.
Houston Chronicle:
Houston Hospitals Brace For Tropical Storm Nicholas Amid The City's Largest COVID Surge
Local hospitals and clinics, many of which are close to capacity largely due to unvaccinated COVID-19 patients, [braced] for Tropical Storm Nicholas as it [neared] Houston Monday. Texas Children’s Hospital is no stranger to inclement weather, said Dr. Brent Kaziny, the medical director of emergency management for Texas Children's Hospital. However, the hospital faces a new set of challenges as the storm rolls in during the highest levels of pediatric COVID cases since he pandemic’s beginning. (Carballo and Gill, 9/13)
Hospitals across the U.S. have staffing shortages —
AP:
Kentucky National Guard Sending 300 Members To Hospitals
The Kentucky National Guard is expanding its role in assisting hospitals during a surge of COVID-19 cases that has stressed the state’s health care infrastructure. The guard is activating 310 additional members in logistical roles to 21 hospitals across the state, the guard said in a media release. The effort began on Monday. (9/14)
AP:
Washington Hospital Execs: Little Capacity To Help Idaho
Washington is facing its own COVID-19 crisis and has little capacity to help neighboring Idaho deal with an overwhelming surge of cases driven by unvaccinated people, state hospital executives and doctors said Monday. Taya Briley, executive vice president of the Washington State Hospital Association, called the situation “very sobering” during a media briefing, saying Washington faces its worst COVID wave since the pandemic began — even before big recent events like fall fairs and a return to school. (Johnson, 9/13)
Billings Gazette:
Hospitals 'In A Crisis' With COVID Patients In Overflow Rooms, More Young People Hospitalized
“It’s gotten to the point that we are in a crisis,” said Billings Clinic CEO Dr. Scott Ellner. “The patients we're seeing are not only sicker, they’re younger, we’re being depleted with our workforce, and we’ve lost several people across health care. People are tired and incredibly frustrated. We’re worried that the public doesn’t understand.” This time last year, Montana was averaging 101 new cases per day and marked the beginning of the state’s initial wave. From September to November 2020, cases increased 1,085%. From July to September 2021, cases have increased 1,514%, according to data from COVID Act Now. (Schabacker, 9/13)
Crain's Detroit Business:
Shortage Of Workers Causes Henry Ford Health To Eliminate 120 Patient Beds
Henry Ford Health System has reduced the number of patient beds due to a shortage of workers. The system cut about 7 percent, or 120 patient beds, from its five hospitals. The bulk of those lost beds are in Detroit and Jackson, Adnan Munkarah, the system's chief clinical officer, said Monday in a call with reporters. The loss of beds is a blow to the system as its hospitalization rate continues to rise while the nation battles the dangerous delta variant of COVID-19. (9/13)
WBALTV:
Maryland Hospital Postponing Some Surgeries Amid COVID-19 Spike
Anne Arundel Medical Center has started putting off some non-emergency, elective surgeries until COVID-19 admissions start to decline. COVID-19 patients are currently occupying about 10% of all the hospital beds at AAMC, and more than 70% of them are unvaccinated. "This was a very difficult decision. This was a multi-disciplinary decision made over a period of time where we were watching our numbers," said Dr. Stephen Selinger, the hospital's chief medical officer. (9/13)
Axios:
Surgeries Are Getting Delayed Again
The COVID-19 vaccination rollout led to influxes of patients returning to doctors this summer, but many surgeries are getting postponed again as the Delta variant spreads throughout unvaccinated areas. Medical providers are postponing orthopedic and less-severe outpatient procedures, and device companies are forecasting lower sales in the short term. (Herman, 9/14)
CMS Moves To Roll Back Medicare Coverage Of 'Breakthrough' Devices
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services proposes to repeal a regulation enacted during the Trump administration that requires Medicare to pay for any medical device classified as "breakthrough" technology by the Food and Drug Administration.
Modern Healthcare:
Biden To Toss Medicare Coverage For "Breakthrough" Technology
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services wants to repeal a Trump-era rule allowing Medicare to cover medical devices designated as "breakthrough" technology by the Food and Drug Administration, according to a proposed rule on Monday. Former President Donald Trump's administration had said the original rule was necessary because the existing Medicare coverage determination process is too slow and could delay beneficiaries' access to the latest medical technology. Medical device companies lauded the plan when CMS first announced it last year. But patient-safety groups like ECRI worried it could threaten the safety of Medicare patients. Other experts agreed, and now CMS does too. (Brady, 9/13)
Axios:
Medicare To Repeal Medical Device Rule Pushed By Trump Administration
The rule would have been a gift to the medical device industry, which supported the rule. It would have guaranteed four years of Medicare coverage for all devices designated as "breakthroughs" — i.e., new technologies that attempt to improve care for people with life-threatening conditions. However, these kinds of devices often do not prove any clinical benefit and have safety risks. The rule also did not require device manufacturers to conduct follow-up studies to show their devices specifically helped Medicare patients — that was completely voluntary. (Herman, 9/14)
In news about the Affordable Care Act —
Modern Healthcare:
House Democrats Propose Permanent Expansion Of ACA Subsidies
House Democrats are proposing a permanent extension of enhanced Affordable Care Act tax credits to middle-income earners that would mark the largest expansion of the healthcare law's benefits since its passage in 2010. Under the House Ways and Means Committee's portion of a $3.5 trillion domestic policy bill Democrats are advancing, people with incomes at or above 400% of the federal poverty level—about $52,000 for an individual—would be eligible for subsidies to buy insurance on the ACA marketplaces. The bill would also make ACA subsidies more generous for people making between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level. (Hellmann, 9/13)
Lawsuit Alleges Aetna's Infertility Coverage Biased Against LGBTQ People
A lawsuit filed in the Southern District of New York claims Aetna's infertility treatment coverage rules lead to LGBTQ patients paying tens of thousands of dollars, while heterosexual couples face no cost. Other health care industry news is from Maryland, Vermont, Montana, Louisiana and elsewhere.
Modern Healthcare:
Aetna Hit With Lawsuit Alleging Discrimination Against LGBTQ Patients
Aetna's coverage rules for infertility treatment are biased against LGBTQ patients, who are required to pay tens of thousands of dollars out of pocket even though heterosexual people face no cost sharing for the same care, the National Women's Law Center alleges in a federal lawsuit filed Monday. The suit, filed in the Southern District of New York, arises from a series of coverage denials faced by Emma Goidel, a 31-year-old woman covered under a Columbia University student plan administered by Aetna, which is owned by CVS Health. (Tepper, 9/13)
In other health care industry news —
The Baltimore Sun:
University Of Maryland Medical Center To Shift Outpatient Services To New Midtown Campus Building
Starting this fall, the University of Maryland Medical Center plans to funnel patients with chronic conditions who need outpatient care to a new $70 million, 10-story building that will house specialists in pods designed to address diseases from diabetes to heart problems. The outpatient center is across the street from the UMMC Midtown hospital in central Baltimore, and officials plan to cut the ribbon Tuesday and begin moving in medical staffs and patients. (Cohn, 9/14)
VTDigger:
Vermont Regulators Put Cash-Strapped Springfield Hospital On Ice
Access and the cost of health care services in Vermont were front and center Monday as the Green Mountain Care Board finalized growth targets for four of Vermont’s 14 hospitals in fiscal year 2022. The four hospital budgets in front of the board Monday were a study in contrasts when it came to their financial outlook. Springfield Hospital, a rural facility that just concluded bankruptcy proceedings, has been short on cash and has too few patients coming through its doors. The University of Vermont Health Network, the largest and most financially secure provider in the state, has the opposite problem. Its three hospitals in Vermont have the backing of a much larger network, but staffing issues have caused significant delays for patients needing to see specialists. (Engel-Smith, 9/13)
KHN:
Under Pressure, Montana Hospital Considers Adding Psych Beds Amid A Shortage
Gary Popiel had to drive more than 200 miles round trip to visit his adult daughters in separate behavioral health facilities as they received psychiatric and medical treatment. It was 2000, and the family’s only options for inpatient psychiatric beds were in Helena and Missoula — far from their Bozeman, Montana, home and from each other. Fast-forward 21 years, and Montana’s fourth-largest city still lacks a hospital behavioral health unit. (Houghton, 9/14)
Modern Healthcare:
Google, ProMedica Invest In Hot Virtual Market
Google and ProMedica Health System are entering the growing digital physical therapy market, as value-based relationships grow and providers look for ways to keep patients' $213 billion annual spend on the service within their systems. The companies have partnered with Cincinnati-based IncludeHealth to launch an operating system that any provider can use to offer virtual physical therapy through any device, helping patients adhere to their treatment plans and keeping them from straying outside their health systems' networks. (Tepper, 9/14)
Modern Healthcare:
Willis-Knighton Health System Gets A New CEO
Willis-Knighton Health System has named Jaf Fielder II as its next CEO, succeeding James Elrod, the Shreveport, Louisiana-based provider announced Saturday. Elrod will retire at the end of September, after which Fielder will take the helm. Fielder currently is chief operating officer and has been with the health system since 1990. "His dedication to the health system, the medical staff, the employees and our community is unquestionable and, I believe, unshakable. He will have the support of a strong executive team, just as I have had, and they have a solid foundation on which to build," Elrod said in a news release. (Brady, 9/13)
AP:
Legionella Bacteria Resurfaces At West Virginia Hospital
Tests show bacteria that causes the severe form of pneumonia known as Legionnaires’ disease has resurfaced at a West Virginia-run hospital, health officials said. Routine screening found Legionella bacteria at the Mildred Mitchell-Bateman Hospital in Huntington. The hospital is operated by the state Department of Health and Human Resources. The building where the bacteria was detected did not house patients. (9/14)
The Aegis:
Harford County Neurosurgeon’s Medical License Suspended Following Sexual Harassment Investigation
A Harford County neurosurgeon had his medical license suspended after a board of physicians discovered a pattern of sexual harassment that endured for several years, according to documents. The Maryland Board of Physicians suspended Hugo Benalcazar’s medical license in July after it became aware of behavior including unwanted touching, lewd comments and smacking an anesthetized patient’s butt in an operating room, among other acts, according to documents filed with the board. (Whitlow, 9/13)
Also —
AP:
Holocaust Survivor, Scholar Awarded $815,000 Balzan Prize
An Israeli-French-American Holocaust survivor and historian and a U.S. scientist specializing in gut bacteria were among the recipients this year’s Balzan Prizes, recognizing scholarly and scientific achievements, announced on Monday. Saul Friedlander, who has taught at both the University of California, Los Angeles and Tel Aviv University, was awarded the prize for Holocaust and Genocide Studies for his work broadening the perspective on the history of the Holocaust. (Barry, 9/13)
West Nile Virus Alerts Now In 8 States; Rain, Heat Spur Mosquito Swarms
Case reports in animals and humans have seen residents in at least eight states warned over West Nile Virus over the last week. CBS news reports recent high temperatures and storms have created a "breeding ground" for mosquitos. Mental health, anxiety and marijuana use are also in the news.
Fox News:
Multiple States Warn On West Nile Virus Risk Amid Peak Period
At least eight state health departments have cautioned residents over West Nile virus risk in the last week amid a seasonal peak and cases reported in humans and animals, on the rare occasion resulting in death. State health officials from Connecticut, Idaho, Massachusetts, Utah, North Dakota, Louisiana, Delaware and New Hampshire released preventive guidance on West Nile virus, the leading cause of mosquito-borne disease in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The virus is often spread through the bite of an infected mosquito, with cases typically occurring from summer through fall. There are no medications or vaccines for West Nile virus and officials say the best way to avoid infection is by preventing mosquito bites. (Rivas, 9/13)
CBS News:
Heavy Rain And Heat Bring Out Billions Of Mosquitoes In U.S.: "A Lot Of Biting Going On"
Sizzling temperatures and devastating storms in parts of the U.S. created a breeding ground for billions of pesky mosquitoes this summer. "When temperatures are in the 90s and we have standing water, we're going to have … billions of mosquitoes breeding," Michael Raupp, an entomologist and a professor emeritus at the University of Maryland, said on "CBSN AM" on Monday. "There's going to be a lot of biting going on." (Sundby, 9/13)
In other public health news —
ABC News:
Young People Experiencing 'Widespread' Psychological Distress Over Government Handling Of Looming Climate Crisis, Researchers Say
Children and young people around the world are experiencing increasing anxiety over the fate of the planet -- specifically climate change and how lawmakers are handling the looming crisis, according to new research. Scientists who surveyed 10,000 young people, ages 16 to 25, across 10 countries, found "widespread psychological distress" among them, and, for the first time, discovered that the anxiety was significantly related to perceived government inaction, according to a study published Tuesday in Lancet Planetary Health. (Jacobo, 9/14)
The Oregonian:
College Student Marijuana Use Was Record-High In 2020 While Drinking Dropped, Study Says
College is an experience where young adults may well find themselves as adults. This not only includes gaining an education and professional experience that’ll help them start successful careers but also thinking and making decisions for themselves. A college is also a set of experiences of fun, adventure, freedom, and hence, even partying for many. Enter drinking hopefully responsibly. Though drinking reportedly wasn’t a top priority for college students in 2020. Instead, weed use went to record-high, according to a new study called “Monitoring the Future.” (Dalton, 9/13)
Fox News:
Exercise Reduces Long-Term Risk Of Anxiety Disorders In Men And Women, Study Finds
A physically active lifestyle was associated with a 62% lower risk of anxiety disorder diagnoses among men and women in a study with the largest population size to date, researchers said. While exercise is known to lower disease risk, boost aerobic fitness and improve sleep, cognition and mental health, among other benefits, per the CDC, researchers at hand said the impact of exercise intensity, dose and fitness level on the development of anxiety disorders was otherwise unknown. Findings published in the Frontiers in Psychiatry journal on Sept. 10 drew from 197,685 skiers participating in a long-distance cross-country ski race, Vasaloppet, compared to matched non-skiers. (Rivas, 9/13)
The Washington Post:
Four Smart Ways To Keep Your Brain In Tiptop Shape
The isolation and inactivity of the pandemic took a mental toll on some people, both those with dementia and those with a healthy brain. “We saw a clear decline in people who already had dementia, but the effects were also felt in otherwise healthy older adults without any preexisting cognitive issues,” says dementia specialist Joel Salinas of the NYU Grossman School of Medicine in New York. As social activity revs up, however, many seniors — including some with cognitive problems — are reporting improvements in memory and thinking, he adds. And you can do plenty in your own life to see similar improvements, he and other experts say. (Levine, 9/13)
Report Says Racism, Trauma, Covid Affected Opioid Deaths In Philadelphia
The Philadelphia Inquirer covers efforts to combat opioid deaths in Philadelphia, noting new advice that racism, childhood trauma and the pandemic must factor into city Health Department plans. Separately, reports say Seattle police have intervened in fewer mental health calls under a new approach.
Philadelphia Inquirer:
New Report Seeks To Explore Role Of Race And Trauma In Opioid Overdose Deaths In Philadelphia
Racism, childhood trauma, and the COVID-19 pandemic have dramatically affected opioid overdose deaths in Philadelphia, and must be considered as part of the city Health Department’s efforts to curtail rising overdose deaths, according to a new city report. The inaugural OD Stat report summarizes findings of a panel of public health experts who reviewed in depth 22 individual overdose death cases in an effort to identify and address gaps in services. Though a small sample of the 1,214 people who died of an overdose in Philadelphia in 2020, the findings provide valuable insight to the experience of individuals in active addiction. (Gantz, 9/13)
In mental health news from Washington state and Montana —
Crosscut:
Seattle Police Intervening In Fewer Mental Health Calls, Data Show
In the month since new police accountability laws took effect in Washington state, the Seattle Police Department’s approach toward people in mental health crisis has become notably more hands off, according to a Crosscut analysis of publicly available data. The result, say service providers, is that individuals in deep crisis lack access to an imperfect, but essential, safety valve to keep them from hurting themselves or others. Officials with the Seattle Police Department, meanwhile, said the decline reflects uncertainty within the department about what type of force is allowed and what’s not under the state’s new laws. That has led to a reluctance among officers to engage, they said. (Kroman, 9/13)
Montana.edu:
Montana State University, University Of Montana Receive $1.9 Million To Address Mental Health Care Needs In Western Montana
A new four-year, $1.9 million grant will enable a team of collaborators at Montana State University and the University of Montana to continue a program that trains students to better serve individuals with mental health care needs. The grant, from the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration, will continue funding the Behavioral Health Workforce Education and Training Program. Known as BHWET-West, the program is administered by both MSU and UM and focuses on meeting mental health care needs in western Montana, particularly those of children, adolescents and youth. (Cantrell, 9/13)
In other news from Rhode Island, Texas and South Dakota —
The Providence Journal:
RI Closes South Kingstown Pond To Shellfishing After Seven People Sickened
A South Kingstown pond has been closed to shellfishing after seven people got sick from eating raw shellfish. Potters Pond will be closed until further notice, the Rhode Island Department of Health and the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management said Saturday. The Health Department has contacted all commercial shellfishermen who harvested from the pond to ensure that shellfish harvested from the area isn’t sold at restaurants and markets. (Perry, 9/13)
Houston Chronicle:
Cleanup On Hazardous San Jacinto Waste Pits Could Finally Start Next Year
A plan is moving ahead for cleaning up the toxic waste buried on a peninsula in the San Jacinto River, marking a step forward in one of the most closely watched federal hazardous waste cleanup efforts in the region. Decades ago, a paper mill dumped its waste along the river east of Houston. Then land sank and the path of the river moved. Some of the waste is now under water, on the north side of the Interstate 10 bridge. Another portion is south of the bridge and still buried on dry land. The material under water is of particular concern because of the potential threats it poses. The waste contains dioxins, which can cause cancer, and furans. It’s covered by a temporary cap, but that cap could be damaged and potentially release the toxic waste into the river. (Foxhall, 9/13)
Keloland.com:
South Dakota’s Medical Cannabis Rules OK’d
“I just want to say, on the whole, the work that the department has done here is exceptional,” Representative Jon Hansen, the panel’s chair, said. “For them to come in and with just a flair of expertise present this rules package in a way that undoubtedly took hours and hours and hours of work and expertise behind the scenes to get to this point, I just really commend the department for their work on this.” Senate Democrat leader Troy Heinert cast the vote against. “As I talk to people across the state they wanted it legalized, taxed and done. I think we’ve made it more difficult than we had to,” he said. He added, “From our side of the aisle, we’re all about freedom.” (Mercer, 9/13)
Pandemic Put 31 Million More People In Poverty, Gates Foundation Says
The foundation's fifth annual Goalkeeper report notes the covid pandemic reversed efforts to eliminate poverty globally. Separately, The New York Times reports that a million Afghan children are at risk of starvation. In other news, the U.K. will offer vaccines to kids ages 12 and up.
CNBC:
Gates Foundation Annual Report Says 31 Million Pushed Into Dire Poverty, Child Vaccine Rates Fell
The ongoing Covid-19 pandemic has pushed an additional 31 million people worldwide into dire poverty, reversing global progress on eliminating poverty by four years, according to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation’s fifth-annual Goalkeeper report published Monday. The report — which examines global progress on vaccine access, reducing poverty and other health issues — also found the pandemic led to a major backsliding in routine childhood vaccination rates, widened the education gap between poor and rich nations and increased health inequities. (Lovelace Jr., 9/13)
The New York Times:
A Million Afghan Children Could Die In ‘Most Perilous Hour,’ U.N. Warns
Millions of Afghans could run out of food before the arrival of winter and one million children are at risk of starvation and death if their immediate needs are not met, top United Nations officials warned on Monday, putting the country’s plight into stark relief. Secretary General António Guterres, speaking at a high-level U.N. conference in Geneva convened to address the crisis, said that since the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan last month, the nation’s poverty rate has soared and basic public services have neared collapse and, in the past year, hundreds of thousands of people have been made homeless after being forced to flee fighting. (Santora, Cumming-Bruce and Goldbaum, 9/13)
In other global developments —
Bloomberg:
U.K. Will Offer Covid Vaccines To Children Aged 12 And Up
The U.K. will offer Covid vaccines to all children as young as 12 starting next week as the government seeks to reduce disruption in schools and follows countries such as the U.S. The decision follows a recommendation Monday from the U.K.’s chief medical officers to give a first dose of the Pfizer Inc.-BioNTech SE vaccine to children ages 12 to 15. They called for the committee that advises the government to recommend whether and how to give second doses once more data is available. That wouldn’t happen before the spring term, they said. (Paton, 9/13)
Bloomberg:
U.K.’s Johnson To Give Green Light To Covid Booster Shots
Boris Johnson will confirm Tuesday that booster vaccinations against coronavirus will be rolled out to the most vulnerable people this fall, as he sets out the U.K.’s new approach to tackling the virus. The British prime minister will hold a press conference outlining who will be eligible for the booster shot, soon after Health Secretary Sajid Javid gives a statement on the issue to the House of Commons. More details are also expected on which vaccines will be used for the booster program. The government said Monday that 12- to 15-year-olds in England would be offered a single shot of the Pfizer Inc.-BioNTech SE vaccine in schools from next week, in a bid to reduce transmission and keep pupils in classrooms. (Ashton, 9/13)
Axios:
Israel Preparing For Potential Second Round Of COVID Booster Shots
Israel is moving to ensure that it will have enough coronavirus vaccines for a potential second round of booster shots, which would be a fourth dose, Israel's Health Ministry director general Nachman Ash said Sunday, according to Bloomberg. Booster shots have so far been strongly opposed by the World Health Organization, which believes that the doses would be better used to inoculate people in poorer countries that currently lack access to large quantities of COVID-19 vaccines. (Knutson, 9/13)
Fox News:
Putin To Self-Isolate After COVID-19 Cases Detected In Entourage: Report
Russian President Vladimir Putin will self-isolate after cases of COVID-19 were detected in his entourage, according to a report. The Kremlin on Tuesday said that Putin will not travel to Tajikistan this week for planned regional security meetings, Reuters reported. Putin called Tajikistan's President Emomali Rahmon and told him he could not travel because he was self-isolating and would instead take part in meetings via a video link. (Aaro, 9/14)
The Washington Post:
India Under Pressure To Resume Coronavirus Vaccine Exports With Cases Down
India is facing growing pressure to lift its ban on exporting coronavirus vaccines, months after curbs were imposed to tackle a massive domestic outbreak that has since relented. The world’s second most populous country — and also one of its biggest vaccine manufacturers — imposed the ban this spring as India raced to raise its immunization rate. Now officials in the United States and with Covax, the United Nations-backed vaccine distribution initiative that had counted on India to supply around a billion shots this year, hope a more stable health situation will persuade the country to resume exports. (Jeong, 9/14)
Viewpoints: Is Quarantining Kids In Kansas Illegal?; Mandates May Backfire In Rural Communities
Opinion writers discuss covid, vaccines and vaccine mandates.
Kansas City Star:
COVID-19 Mask Mandates, Quarantines Not Necessarily Tyranny
Is it reasonable to quarantine unvaccinated and unmasked students who’ve been exposed to the COVID-19 virus? You would think so. Is it legal? It may not be, at least in Kansas. And that would be weird, not to mention foolhardy. Yet an Olathe law firm’s cease-and-desist letter warns the Gardner Edgerton school district that it’s illegal under state law to single out unvaccinated students for quarantine. (Michael Ryan, 9/13)
The Washington Post:
In My Community, Biden’s Vaccine Mandates Could Put More Lives At Risk
In rural Tillamook County, Ore., the coronavirus pandemic rages out of control. We would welcome more help from the state and federal governments. Unfortunately, sweeping policies such as those announced Thursday by President Biden could make our situation worse. As in so many areas of American life, the response to covid-19 has exposed a rural-urban divide. On one side are policymakers, experts and journalists living mostly in large cities and dense suburbs. The debate around covid tends to reflect their experiences. But what works for Portland or Washington or New York doesn’t necessarily work for the rest of us. (David Yamamoto, 9/13)
The New York Times:
Some States Fell Far Behind In Vaccinating Against Covid-19. How Many Lives Could Have Been Saved If They Had Caught Up?
The Covid-19 vaccines save lives. Unlike much of the world, the United States has an overabundant supply. And yet many areas and groups of people in the United States are undervaccinated. This has led to preventable deaths throughout the country. To quantify just how many deaths, we set out to estimate how many lives might have been saved if all states had managed to vaccinate their residents as quickly as the state with the highest vaccination rate (usually Vermont in the period we looked at). This provides a benchmark for what would have been possible with vaccination rates that we know are, under at least some circumstances, achievable. (Emma Pierson, Jaline Gerardin and Nathaniel Lash, 9/14)
Los Angeles Times:
Biden Was At His Best And Boldest On Vaccine Mandates
Faced with a surge of Delta-variant COVID-19 cases, especially in areas with low vaccination rates, President Biden spoke and moved with great clarity of purpose in mandating vaccines for federal employees and contractors, and imposing a vaccination-or-testing requirement on employers with staffs of 100 or more. The nation is in near-crisis as we try to avoid a return to packed ICUs and closed businesses. The intransigence of the ill-informed or simply stubborn cannot be allowed to override the actions of those doing the right thing. (9/13)
Editorial writers tackle these public health issues.
The Atlantic:
The World Needs A Pandemic Plan B
There is never a good time for a pandemic, but the coronavirus may have hit the world at the worst possible moment. In the decade before the virus, China had grown more dictatorial and assertive; populist nationalists held power in the United States, India, and Brazil; geopolitical tensions were heightened, not just between Beijing and Washington but within the West itself; and the very notion of objective truth was being called into question. (Thomas Wright, 9/13)
The New York Times:
Texas’ Abortion Law Traps Desperate Teenagers
In Texas, teenagers who need abortions must get their parents’ consent, but for many young people, that’s not an option. Maybe they’re in foster care, or they’re unaccompanied minors in immigration detention, in which case the government has legal authority over them. Maybe their parents are abusive, or adamantly opposed to abortion. (Michelle Goldberg, 9/13)
The Washington Post:
In Texas, Women Are Being Sentenced To Continue Their Pregnancies
At the Whole Woman’s Health clinic in McAllen, near the southernmost tip of Texas, not a single patient arrived in time to obtain an abortion during the first week that the state’s draconian new ban was in effect. In Fort Worth, only five of 55 patients made it, according to Whole Woman’s Health founder Amy Hagstrom Miller. The rest came too late — after about six weeks into pregnancy, when a sonogram detected the electrical impulses that are the first glimmerings of a fetal heartbeat. (Ruth Marcus, 9/13)
The Star Tribune:
Congress Must Codify The Tenets Of Roe V. Wade
For nearly half a century, the federal courts could be counted on to protect women and their constitutional right to a safe and legal abortion. The U.S. Supreme Court affirmed in four major rulings — starting with Roe v. Wade — that women have a right to an abortion up to the point of viability of the fetus at about 24 weeks and could not be hindered by onerous requirements. (9/12)
USA Today:
On Elizabeth Holmes, I Hope Theranos Founder Isn't Lying About Abuse
I believe women – and men. Why would they lie about enduring any form of domestic violence or intimate partner psychological abuse? It’s not a claim that is glamorous, one that will gather them Instagram influencer status or endorsements from their favorite sneaker brand. It’s a claim that is shrouded in shame, fear and lifelong trauma. It is why millions of people hide this secret and have found #MeToo a liberating tool that is changing the power dynamics of abuse and offering support when they are ready to claim their truth. When it’s real. (Michele Weldon, 9/14)
Bloomberg:
Democrats And Health Care: Moderates Are The Real Progressives
One-point-five trillion dollars is a lot of money. But by reportedly saying that’s the most he is willing to have the federal government spend on a package of social, climate and infrastructure programs, Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia is forcing his fellow Democrats to make choices they avoid in their $3.5 trillion plan. Some of the most difficult for them involve health care. (Ramesh Ponnuru, 9/13)
Newsweek:
Mental Health Doesn't Evolve In A Vacuum. Can Mental Illness Be Prevented?
any psychiatrists are now seeing an increase in mental illness. Not only in isolated individuals, but in populations, rates are increasing. Brought about by longstanding disparities in income, employment, access to health care, education, nutrition and safe housing the destructive effects of discrimination on mental health may be permanent. According to the World Health Organization, "depression is one of the leading causes of disability. Suicide is the second leading cause of death among 15-29-year-olds. People with severe mental health conditions die prematurely – as much as two decades early – due to preventable physical conditions." Effective treatment remains elusive. (Vivian Pender, 9/13)