Podcast

KHN’s ‘What The Health?’: Trump Twists on Virus Response


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President Donald Trump — who has spent the past six months trying to play down the coronavirus pandemic — seems to have pivoted. In back-to-back briefings on July 21 and 22, Trump cautioned that the U.S. is in a dangerous place vis-a-vis the pandemic. He urged the public to wear masks — although he has rarely worn one in public.

Meanwhile, Republicans in the Senate are scrambling to put together a package for the next COVID-19 relief bill, facing a July 31 deadline, when some of the benefits passed in the spring expire. House Democrats passed their bill in May.

This week’s panelists are Julie Rovner of Kaiser Health News, Joanne Kenen of Politico, Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times and Tami Luhby of CNN.

Among the takeaways from this week’s podcast:

Also this week, Rovner interviews Pam Fessler of NPR about her new book, “Carville’s Cure.” It’s a history of the United States’ only federal leprosarium, on an abandoned sugar plantation along the Mississippi River in Louisiana.

Plus, for extra credit, the panelists recommend their favorite health policy stories of the week they think you should read too:

Julie Rovner: The Washington Post’s “Keep an Eye on Your Coronavirus Budget,” by Leana Wen

Tami Luhby: The New York Times’ “This Hospital Cost $52 Million. It Treated 79 Virus Patients,” by Brian M. Rosenthal

Joanne Kenen: The Washington Post’s “Trump Keeps Boasting About Passing a Cognitive Test — But It Doesn’t Mean What He Thinks It Does,” by Ashley Parker and William Wan

Margot Sanger-Katz: The New York Times’ “During Coronavirus Lockdowns, Some Doctors Wondered: Where Are the Preemies?” by Elizabeth Preston


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