Weekly Edition: February 5, 2021

The State of Vaccine Supply: ‘Opaque.’ Unpredictable. ‘Hard to Pin Down.’
By Julie Appleby Americans’ frustrations surrounding the amount of available covid vaccine hinges on several factors — not the least of which is that demand far exceeds supply.

‘Cruel’ Digital Race For Vaccines Leaves Many Seniors Behind
By Will Stone Glitchy websites, jammed phone lines and long lines outside clinics are commonplace as states expand who’s eligible to be vaccinated. The oldest Americans and those without caregivers and computer skills are at a distinct disadvantage.

100 Million Covid Shots in 100 Days Doesn’t Get Us Back to Normal
By Victoria Knight President Joe Biden’s promise to reach this milestone is an important step forward in vaccine rollout. But it is only the beginning of the sweeping vaccination effort required.

Dispelling Vaccine Misinformation and Myths in California’s Breadbasket
By Heidi de Marco Even though farmworkers are vulnerable to covid, many hesitate to get the vaccine, worried the shot could have severe side effects or signal their whereabouts to immigration officials. Immigrant advocates in the Coachella Valley and other farming regions are visiting workers to try to allay their fears.

In Austin, Some Try to Address Vaccine Inequity, but a Broad Plan Is Elusive
By Ashley Lopez, KUT The east side of Austin has few of the chain stores key to the Texas vaccination plan. But local officials have done pop-up vaccination events in the community to get more shots to Blacks and Latinos.

In Philadelphia, a Scandal Erupts Over Vaccination Startup Led by 22-Year-Old
By Nina Feldman, WHYY and Max Marin, WHYY and Alan Yu, WHYY City officials gave coronavirus vaccines to Philly Fighting Covid, whose brash CEO had no health care experience. After a WHYY investigation, the city cut ties with the group over alleged mismanagement.

Head-Scratching Over Newsom’s Choice of Blue Shield to Lead Vaccination Push
By Bernard J. Wolfson Gov. Gavin Newsom’s surprising choice of Blue Shield to lead the state’s covid vaccination effort raised questions about the role politics played in the decision — and whether the insurer is up to the task.

When Your Chance for a Covid Shot Comes, Don’t Worry About the Numbers
By Arthur Allen and Liz Szabo The Johnson & Johnson vaccine that the FDA cleared Saturday was 66% effective overall in preventing moderate to severe covid, while the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines were more than 90% effective. But the numbers aren’t exactly comparable. And all three shots prevent hospitalization and death.

How a Bounty of Vaccines Flooded a Small Hospital and Its Nearby College
By Julie Appleby An ad hoc, chaotic distribution system is leading to a bizarre mix of vaccine haves and have-nots.

Older Adults Without Family or Friends Lag in Race to Get Vaccines
By Judith Graham Public health officials have singled out seniors as key candidates for the covid-19 vaccines but too many of these seniors are not able to get shots because they don’t use computers, don’t have internet services or transportation, or don’t have someone to help them with the process.

With Demand Far Exceeding Supply, It Matters That People Are Jumping the Vaccine Line
By Elisabeth Rosenthal When hospital administrators and politicians’ spouses get immunized before people more at risk, it undermines confidence in the system.

California’s Rural Counties Endure a Deadly Covid Winter
By Phillip Reese In the past two months, covid-related infection and death rates have jumped exponentially in California’s least populated counties. The winter surge has scarred corners of the state that went largely unscathed for much of 2020.

Comparing Death Tolls From Covid to Past Wars Is Fraught
By Will Stone and Carrie Feibel, NPR News Covid-19 has now killed more Americans than World War II did. That fact helps some people put the viral death toll in perspective, while others find it offensive.

KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: Covid and Kids
Can schools safely reopen before all teachers and staffers are vaccinated against covid? And what’s the best way to communicate that science — and scientific recommendations — change and evolve? Also, get ready for a redo of open enrollment for Affordable Care Act coverage, this time with help and outreach to find those eligible. Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times, Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico and Anna Edney of Bloomberg News join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more.

Hard Bargain: Biden and Congress Agree on Basic Relief, but Chasms Remain on Covid Plan
By Emmarie Huetteman Agreement between the president and Republican senators on funding for basic public health matters such as vaccine distribution and covid testing was an easy target. That money can’t move out, though, until accord is reached on some of the president’s big-ticket economic plans.

A Recipe for Trouble? Reversal of California Outdoor Dining Ban Has Heads Spinning
By Anna Almendrala Who knows whether banning outdoor dining was a good idea in the first place. But even the experts aren’t sure it was smart to bring it back.

Covid-Certified Businesses Try to Woo Leery Patrons
By Christie Aschwanden Public health officials in Colorado have joined forces with local businesses in a new program meant to encourage people to shop and dine in a covid-crippled economy.

Long-Haul Covid Cases Cast New Light on Chronic Fatigue Sufferers
By Kevin Cool Both conditions are linked to viral infections in ways that are poorly understood. But the outpouring of sympathy — and research dollars — produced by “long covid” has given hope to those who struggled in the past to gain sympathy for their symptoms.

Tampa’s Mayor vs. a Covid-Era Super Bowl
By Phil Galewitz Tampa Mayor Jane Castor — an outspoken former cop — has clashed repeatedly with Gov. Ron DeSantis, who has limited what local officials can do to confront the pandemic. But she reached an uneasy peace with the state and is convinced that safeguards instituted by the NFL will help keep crowds safe at the NFL championship game.

As Demand for Mental Health Care Spikes, Budget Ax Set to Strike
By Matt Volz Legislators in statehouses across the U.S. face the dual challenge of budgeting in a covid-crippled economy while planning for the pandemic’s long-term effects on mental health and substance abuse services.

Food Guidelines Change but Fail to Take Cultures Into Account
By Chaseedaw Giles For decades, the federal government has tried to guide our eating habits. They once again revised recommendations, but they didn’t incorporate ethnic and cultural differences of the American diet. Here’s why.

‘An Arm and a Leg’: Tips for Fighting Medical Bills From a Former ‘Bad Guy’ Lawyer
By Dan Weissmann Jeff Bloom, a lawyer who used to represent medical-bill collectors in court, is sharing what he knows. “I was a bad guy, for sure,” he said. Then, a few years ago, he switched sides.

Journalists Explore Inefficiency and Inequities of Vaccine Rollout
KHN and California Healthline staff made the rounds on national and local media this week to discuss their stories. Here’s a collection of their appearances.