Latest KFF Health News Stories
Trump’s Effusive Praise Of Malaria Drug Has Diminished In Recent Days
President Donald Trump had touted hydroxychloroquine as a “game-changer” in the fight against the virus, alarming scientists who have not run full-scale trials on the drug that can have dangerous side effects in patients. But in recent days, Trump has mostly stayed away from talking about it. In other news from the administration: a fact check on Trump’s claims that then-President Barack Obama’s Swine Flu response was a failure; a look at how the surgeon general has been sidelined; and more.
Daunting Number Of Health Care Workers Needed To Launch Contact Tracing Program Crucial To Reopening
The National Association of State and Territorial Health Organizations estimates that the country may need to hire as many as 100,000 such “disease intervention specialists,” at a cost of $3.6 billion. Other experts predict that number could be as high as 300,000.
An intense and chaotic scramble that involves cloak-and-dagger tactics continues to unfold as hospitals, cities and states go out on their own to compete for masks and gowns, with uneven and shifting coordination by the federal government. Meanwhile, to understand the medical shortage currently happening, experts look at what happened with the lithium battery. And nurses in New York sue hospital systems over a lack of protective gear.
In terms of political vulnerabilities, sometimes a simple statement can balloon into a defining issue of a campaign. For President Donald Trump, the administration’s missteps on testing in the early days of the outbreak may do just that. Meanwhile, as some governors and the president continue to trade accusations over testing, Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) announced that he has obtained 500,000 kits from South Korea, crediting his wife Yumi Hogan in helping lock down the deal.
Facebook says it is not only trying to combat misinformation about the coronavirus online but also trying to mitigate efforts for protesters to gather in large groups against public health experts’ guidance. But Republicans have been quick to call the company’s actions a “chilling and disturbing” infringement of free speech.
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp (R) put the state on an aggressive course toward reopening, saying that he was prioritizing his residents’ need to put food on the table for their kids. But health experts have been vocal about the dangers of lifting stay-at-home orders too quickly as states that do so will likely be overwhelmed with a second surge of cases. Tennessee and South Carolina announced similar steps to relax social distancing guidelines following Kemp’s announcement.
Administration officials said the order wouldn’t make substantial changes to current U.S. policy–even without an executive order, the administration has already all but ceased nearly every form of immigration. But some of President Donald Trump’s vocal supporters want assurances when it comes to job scarcity.
Opinion writers weigh in on these pandemic issues and others.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Editorial pages focus on these pandemic topics and others.
CMS Administrator Seema Verma released a plan that will help hospitals start to reopen, just like the rest of the country. Among other things, before a hospital can reopen for non-emergent, non-coronavirus care, their state or region will have to meet certain criteria in terms of residents’ symptoms and case loads. The American Hospital Association has also released readiness guidelines.
To Improve Health In Poor Inner-City Communities Some Hospitals Start Overlooking Criminal Records
Sinai Health System in Chicago is one of several around the country that have launched programs to hire ex-offenders for both licensed and non-professional positions, in part to help reach communities with low health outcomes. They report that these hires generally perform as well or better than people without records. In other public health news: colorectal cancer, cystic fibrosis, antibiotics, and climate change.
Global news is from Russia, North Korea, Germany, South Korea, India, Lebanon, and Iraq.
Tensions have been boiling up across the country over personal protective equipment for health workers and the hospitals that have been trying to control any negative messaging during this time of crisis. Some workers who have been forced to choose between safety and their jobs are distraught that they’re not able to help. Meanwhile, health systems look for ways to safely reuse N95 masks.
Media outlets report on news from Arizona, Utah, New Mexico, Michigan, New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, California, Washington, Rhode Island, District of Columbia, Georgia, Florida, Colorado, Nevada, Texas, Illinois, Oklahoma, Montana, and Louisiana.
While announcing positive news about infection rates,Gov. Andrew Cuomo also stressed that reopening must be done gradually so progress isn’t undone. Other news from New York reports on an uptick in people offering to foster animals, unwelcome mats displayed on summer islands, long hours at crematoriums, and more.
Bad Information, Confusion And Denials Lead To Fatal Outcome At Federal Louisiana Prison
The New York Times interviews employees and inmates at the Federal Correctional Complex in Oakdale, La., as well as family of the first prisoner at the facility who died from coronavirus. Six more have died since. Other prison news comes from California and Georgia.
Challenging Work Conditions At Smithfield Plant In South Dakota Display Meat Packers Vulnerability
A workplace comprised of a growing immigrant population that saw the jobs as a way to a better life became one of the nation’s largest clusters with more than 500 cases last week. In other news on the food industy, concerns about food safety grow.
Will The Economy Recover Swiftly? Some Economists Predict It Will Be A Slow Road
President Donald Trump predicts that, once the nation returns to work, economic health “comes back quickly.” Other economists are not forecasting as rosy a picture. “The more unemployment, the more workers lose their jobs, the harder and slower the recovery is going to be,” Claudia Sahm, director of macroeconomic policy at the Washington Center for Equitable Growth, a think tank, tells The Hill. Other stories on the pandemic’s economic toll report on rent negotiations, small business loan payouts and regional unemployment.
“Everybody is frightened to come to the ER,” doctors say. But that means people who do need care aren’t getting it. In other public health news: the increased risk for patients who are diabetic or obese; an uptick in hospitalizations among children; the fraying safety net for disabled Americans; and more.
