Latest KFF Health News Stories
Many US Health Experts Underestimated the Coronavirus … Until It Was Too Late
Scientists learned the wrong lesson from past outbreaks, but Dr. Anthony Fauci doesn’t cast blame.
With Vaccine Delivery Imminent, Nursing Homes Must Make a Strong Pitch to Residents
More than half of long-term care residents have cognitive impairment or dementia, raising questions about whether they will understand the details about the fastest and most extensive vaccination effort in U.S. history.
Lie of the Year: The Downplay and Denial of the Coronavirus
It’s no worse than the flu, and other deadly disinformation about the coronavirus
Desafío en hospitales: a qué trabajadores de salud vacunar primero contra COVID
Se aconseja a los hospitales que cubran a los miembros de su fuerza laboral con mayor riesgo, pero deben decidir exactamente quiénes serán mientras no haya dosis suficientes.
Hospitals Scramble to Prioritize Which Workers Are First for COVID Shots
Even as the federal Food and Drug Administration engaged in intense deliberations ahead of Friday’s authorization of the nation’s first COVID vaccine, and days before the initial doses were to be released, hospitals have been grappling with how to distribute the first scarce shots. Their plans vary broadly.
¿Viajas por las Fiestas? Para muchos es una decisión arriesgada
Muchos estadounidenses todavía piensan en viajar para las Fiestas en diciembre, a pesar de que las cifras de casos de COVID-19 y muertes en el país empeoran día a día.
Going Home for the Holidays? For Many Americans, That’s a Risky Decision
Public health officials have urged Americans to hunker down, but people are still planning trips and contemplating ways to mitigate the risk of catching or spreading the coronavirus.
Demand for COVID Vaccines Expected to Get Heated — And Fast
With two vaccines against coronavirus disease poised for release within weeks, experts say they expect attitudes to shift dramatically from hesitancy to “Beanie Baby”-level urgency.
Cómo COVID-19 resalta la incertidumbre de las pruebas médicas
Según estimaciones, estas pruebas tienen una tasa de falsos negativos de hasta el 30%, es decir que 3 de cada 10 personas que realmente tienen la infección darán negativo.
How COVID-19 Highlights the Uncertainty of Medical Testing
Widespread COVID testing has revealed uncomfortable truths about medical tests: A test result is rarely a definitive answer, but instead a single clue. A result may be falsely positive or negative, or it may show an abnormality that doesn’t matter. And as COVID testing has made too clear, even an accurate, meaningful result is useless unless it’s acted on appropriately.
Fear of Flying Is a COVID-Era Conundrum
As coronavirus cases take off across the U.S., airlines promote holiday deals and encourage travel. But are flyers throwing caution to the wind?
As Nation Awaits Vaccine, Biden Is Under Pressure to Name New FDA Chief ASAP
It typically takes months to install new leadership, but with COVID deaths set to surge through the winter, many Democrats say Biden doesn’t have that sort of time.
How COVID Death Counts Become the Stuff of Conspiracy Theories
Experts say President Trump’s claim that COVID deaths are being overcounted is inaccurate. Most agree they are undercounted. Here’s what we know about COVID death numbers so far.
COVID Takes Challenge of Tracking Infectious College Students to New Level
Amid a surge of college coronavirus cases, some local and state health departments have been scrambling to properly trace contacts and assign cases across state and county lines.
Evictions Damage Public Health. The CDC Aims to Curb Them ― For Now.
A survey of 17 cities found more than 50,000 pandemic-related eviction filings. Housing advocates worry that increased housing instability will lead to more COVID-19 and other illnesses.
Thousands of Minks Dead as COVID Outbreak Escalates on Utah Farms
COVID-19 is killing minks. So far, it appears infections likely spread from people to minks, not from minks to people.
The Mask Hypocrisy: How COVID Memos Contradict the White House’s Public Face
When in public, President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence join crowded rallies where many do not wear masks. Behind the scenes, the White House is recommending states adopt mask mandates and even fines — leaving it up to local officials to handle the consequences.
Lo que sabemos sobre la transmisión aérea del coronavirus
Aunque los CDC removieron la información de su sitio web, muchos incidentes y estudios apuntan hacia la idea de que las partículas en el aire juegan un papel más importante de lo que se pensaba.
What We Know About the Airborne Spread of the Coronavirus
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has gone back-and-forth on this issue. One thing remains clear: Though science is evolving, indications do point toward the potential for airborne transmission.
KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: ACA in Peril With Ginsburg’s Seat in Play
The death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is giving new life to the latest constitutional challenge to the Affordable Care Act. It also places anti-abortion activists on the cusp of a court majority large enough to ensure the rollback of the right to abortion and, possibly, some types of birth control. Meanwhile, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar tries to centralize power at the sprawling department plagued by miscommunications and scandals. Anna Edney of Bloomberg News, Kimberly Leonard of Business Insider and Mary Ellen McIntire of CQ Roll Call join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more. Plus, Rovner interviews KHN’s Sarah Jane Tribble about her new podcast, “Where It Hurts,” debuting Sept. 29.
