Latest KFF Health News Stories
Lions and Tigers and Anteaters? US Scientists Scan the Menagerie for COVID
Thousands of animals in the U.S. have been tested for the coronavirus, as researchers work to understand its transmission and which other species might be at risk. So far, dozens have tested positive, mostly cats and dogs exposed to sick owners.
How Families Are Keeping Halloween From Turning Into a COVID Nightmare
Parents are turning to spooky scavenger hunts, pumpkin-carving and movie nights as alternatives to trick-or-treating. Health professionals have their own advice on how to safely celebrate Halloween during the pandemic.
Lack of Antigen Test Reporting Leaves Country ‘Blind to the Pandemic’
A KHN review found more than 20 states either don’t count or have incomplete data on the use of COVID-19 antigen tests, leaving the public in the dark about the true scope of the pandemic.
Making Gyms Safer: Why the Virus Is Less Likely to Spread There Than in a Bar
Gyms are reopening with fewer people and more protocols, and they want to rehabilitate their pandemic-battered image. Although there’s not much evidence, they say science is on their side.
Trabajadores agrícolas en alto riesgo de contraer coronavirus y sin protección federal
Viven hacinados, durmiendo en literas y compartiendo baños y cocinas. Y aunque son trabajadores esenciales, suelen no tener seguro médico o licencia paga por enfermedad.
Without Federal Protections, Farm Workers Risk Coronavirus Infection to Harvest Crops
Skeptics say the lack of enforceable federal safety standards geared toward the coronavirus allows these employers to prioritize the harvest over worker safety.
Hospital Merger in Washington State Stokes Fears About Catholic Limits on Care
Virginia Mason Health System and CHI Franciscan announced plans in July to merge 12 hospitals and more than 250 other treatment sites in the Puget Sound region and the Yakima area. Some patient advocacy groups warn the proposal would jeopardize access to needed services, such as emergency termination of pregnancies, contraception and physician aid in dying.
Scientists Want to Know More About Using UV Light to Fight COVID-19 Spread
‘Germicidal’ ultraviolet light technology has a proven track record against indoor transmission of tuberculosis and other airborne microbes. It’s now being used in some restaurants and on subways.
Hype Collides With Science As FDA Tries To Rein In ‘Wild West’ of COVID Blood Tests
Amid questions about the accuracy of the COVID-19 antibody tests flooding the market — and the usefulness of the results they provide — the FDA has belatedly stepped in to try to rein in the chaos.
‘We Miss Them All So Much’: Grandparents Ache As The COVID Exile Grinds On
The pandemic has forced millions of families to weigh the risks of vulnerable grandparents getting too close to their beloved grandchildren — against the heartache of staying away.
Hospital Workers Complain of Minimal Disclosure After COVID Exposures
From cafeteria staff to doctors and nurses, hospital workers around the country report frustrating failures by management to notify them when they have been exposed to co-workers or patients known to be infected with COVID-19.
Eerie Emptiness Of ERs Worries Doctors As Heart Attack And Stroke Patients Delay Care
Emergency department volumes are down 40 to 50 percent across the country. Doctors worry a new wave of cardiac patients is headed their way — people who have delayed care and will be sicker and more injured when they finally seek care.
‘You Pray That You Got The Drug.’ Ailing Couple Gambles On Trial For COVID-19 Cure
Josie and George Taylor of Everett, Washington, are two of the first people in the U.S. to recover from novel coronavirus infections after joining a clinical trial for the antiviral drug remdesivir.
Sheltered At Home, Families Broach End-Of-Life Planning
Barbara Dreyfuss died March 1 after contracting COVID-19 at a Seattle-area nursing home. Her earlier decision to document her final wishes may offer an example for families as the deadly virus spurs interest in end-of-life care.
En Seattle, enfermeras se vuelven creativas para cuidarse y trabajar en medio de la pandemia
Al aumentar el número de pacientes con coronavirus, escasean las máscaras y otros equipos de protección. Y las enfermeras de Washington recurren a métodos alternativos para cuidarse y cuidar a los pacientes.
Seattle Nurses Scrounge For Masks To Stay Safe On Pandemic’s Front Lines
As illness from the new coronavirus stresses the health care system, nurses said they are being forced to make do with less and learning to be good stewards of available equipment and protective gear.
Funerarias, y familias, reflexionan sobre las muertes en la era de COVID-19
Se están promoviendo los funerales en internet, tomando precauciones extra al atender los cuerpos, y pidiendo que los servicios sean breves y con pocas personas. Un luto distinto.
Funeral Homes, Families Ponder Deaths In The Age Of COVID-19
As the novel coronavirus marches across the country, it is upending how families and funeral homes honor the dead — and, ultimately, put them to rest.
Estos científicos crearon rápido una prueba eficaz mientras el coronavirus se acercaba
Los doctores Keith Jerome y Alex Greninger, de la Universidad de Washington, han supervisado la implementación de más de 4,000 pruebas de pacientes de todo el país.
How Intrepid Lab Sleuths Ramped Up Tests As Coronavirus Closed In
Drs. Keith Jerome and Alex Greninger fast-tracked a test for the deadly new coronavirus weeks before it began spreading in the U.S. Their work has been key to detecting community transmission and ramping up the nation’s testing capacity.
