Latest KFF Health News Stories
Amendments, CBO Scoring Push Key Infrastructure Vote To Weekend
Plans for a Thursday vote were scuttled as debate over amendments extended late into the night. Earlier in the day, the Congressional Budget Office confirmed Republican complaints that the bill is not paid for and would add to the deficit. The CBO score also noted that payments to Medicare providers would take a hit.
Covid Overwhelms Houston Hospitals — Some Send Patients Out Of State
Smaller facilities in Houston are reportedly having to send covid patients to other hospitals after being overwhelmed. Separately, Arkansas hospitals are battling staff burnout and shortages, and Stateline reports on how the mental health of health workers has been “devastated” by the pandemic.
CDC Advises Masks In Substantial- And High-Risk Counties — That’s 8 In 10
Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, noted in a briefing that over 80% of U.S. counties already meet the community covid spread criteria to require indoor masking. News outlets also cover mask rules in Maryland and Connecticut.
NJ Governor Plans School Mask Rule, Snipes At ‘Knucklehead’ Protesters
Gov. Phil Murphy plans to announce today that students in New Jersey will have to wear masks when public schools open, due to covid surges. In a speech Wednesday, he angrily lashed out at anti-mandate protesters, pointing out that 80% of recent positive tests were among the unvaccinated.
Milwaukee NBA Celebrations Linked To 500-Case Covid Surge
The Deer District in Milwaukee, where “massive” celebrations happened as the NBA championship played out, is now linked to nearly 500 covid infections. Separately, the south Texas city of Mission is setting up tents to quarantine positive-testing migrants crossing the Mexican border.
Delta Covid ‘Tsunami’ Hits Mississippi; Florida Only Has ‘So Many Beds’
The AP reports on Mississippi’s State Health Officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs describing the wave of covid infections hitting his state, and on words from Dr. Marc Napp, chief medical officer for Memorial Healthcare System in Hollywood, Florida, on how resources are badly stretched by new cases.
Study Shows Covid Rate Nearly Doubled For US Children Last Week
A study from the American Academy of Pediatrics shows covid cases rose 84% for the last week of July compared with the previous week — close to doubling the infection rate. News outlets cover the recent “chickenpox” infectiousness analogy, delta covid’s risks for kids and parental transmission.
Where Covid Hit Hardest, Vaccinations Now Surge
Biden administration covid response coordinator Jeff Zients noted that states like Alabama, Arkansas and Oklahoma are now rapidly administering covid shots. News outlets note some states in the South have been among the worst hit by recent surges in covid, driven by the delta variant.
More States Mandate Shots For Health Workers, Government Employees
In the most comprehensive state requirement yet, California will mandate workers in most health care settings to be fully vaccinated by the end of next month. Hospitals and long-term care facilities must also verify that indoor visitors have been vaccinated. Maryland also announced new requirements for health care workers, as well as those employed at jails.
White House Could Use Funding To Press Businesses On Vaccinations
The Washington Post reports that Biden administration officials are having preliminary conversations about using regulatory powers to withhold funds from institutions like long-term-care facilities, cruise ships and universities that aren’t doing enough to encourage employee or customer vaccinations. The White House is also eyeing opportunities to spur youth shots.
Moderna Vaccine Maintains 93% Efficacy Through First Six Months
The final analysis of Moderna’s Phase 3 trial shows that its shot offers “durable efficacy” against symptomatic covid through six months. The drugmaker is planning to apply for full Food and Drug Administration approval this month.
FDA To Soon Roll Out Booster Plan For Immunocompromised People
As early as next month, the Food and Drug Administration is expected to recommend that Americans with compromised immune systems receive an additional dose of the covid vaccine.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Viewpoints: Insurance Shouldn’t Decide What’s An Emergency; Vaccines Never Used To Be Political
Editorial writers weigh in on these various public health topics.
Opinion writers delve into covid, vaccines, booster shots and future pandemics.
Japan Says People With Mild Covid Should Recover At Home, Not Hospital
The policy is stirring controversy in Japan, even as the nation is hit with record levels of new covid cases as the Olympic Games continue. Reports say China is being hit by a huge surge of delta covid, reaching nearly half the country, and other southeast Asia nations are also suffering.
Research Roundup: Covid; Seizures; Diabetes; Memory Loss; Menopause
Each week, KHN compiles a selection of recently released health policy studies and briefs.
Michigan’s Suicide Rate Dropped More Than 12% During Pandemic
Suicides were down to 1,284 in 2020 from 2019’s 1,471 figure in Michigan. Meanwhile, a Maine project to prevent youth suicide is getting a nearly $850,000 boost from the federal government. And in other news across the states, wildfires, drought, equal pay matters and more.
HHS Watchdog To Review FDA’s Approval Of Aduhelm
The Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General is set to review the process by which the Food and Drug Administration approved Biogen’s Alzheimer’s drug. Separately, Congress is set to try to fix medical waste and cost issues caused by distributing drugs in over-large vials.
Ransomware Attack Forces Ambulances To Divert In Indianapolis
After an attempted ransomware attack Wednesday, Eskenazi Health was forced into diversion — sending all incoming ambulances to other hospitals. Higher medical claims from covid, One Medical, Aetna Medicare, JP Morgan, HumanCo and more are also in the news.
