Latest KFF Health News Stories
Science Shows Mask-Wearing Is Largely Safe for Children
Scientists have found little evidence that the kind of masks worn by students negatively affect oxygen or carbon dioxide levels.
DeSantis’ Executive Order Is Misleading About Lack of Scientific Support for Masking in Schools
The Florida governor’s order said schools couldn’t mandate that students wear masks and that the state could deny funding to school districts that didn’t comply.
Claims That CDC’s PCR Test Can’t Tell Covid From Flu Are Wrong
Posts circulating on Facebook and Instagram incorrectly claim that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is withdrawing its covid test because it can’t differentiate between that virus and flu viruses. These statements could be an attempt to blur the high cumulative numbers of covid cases.
Biden’s July Executive Order Includes Drug Pricing Provisions. But Will They Do Enough?
The July 9 directive addresses the importation of prescription drugs and broader efforts to reduce the high cost of medicines.
The WHO Didn’t Reverse Its Position on Kids and Covid Vaccines
The World Health Organization this week updated its guidance on children and covid vaccinations — but in a different way than alleged in a viral social media post.
Is Rand Paul Mixing Up the Vaccine Message for Covid Survivors?
The scientific literature shows that natural immunity does provide protection against covid-19, but experts say getting vaccinated can provide additional protection against variants.
Biden Kept His Promise to Increase Covid-Testing Capacity, Even as Demand for Testing Drops
Experts told us that the system’s capacity has improved and people now have access to different testing options.
What Does Approval of the Pfizer Vaccine for Teens and Preteens Mean for My Child?
The federal government has extended the emergency use of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine to preteens and young adolescents, adding nearly 17 million more Americans to the pool of those eligible to be immunized against covid-19.
Biden Boasts About Equitable Senior Vaccination Rate by Race Without Data to Back It Up
There is no public national data source that tracks vaccination rates based on a combination of race or ethnicity as well as age. Most state-level data shows that disparities exist in vaccine rates between white people and people of color.
Despite All the Talk, Covid Vaccination Does Not Infect People With Shingles
Covid-19 vaccinations do not infect recipients with shingles or any form of herpes virus, despite some misleading headlines.
A ‘Dose of Hope’? Fact-Checking President Joe Biden’s First Speech to Congress
In his first speech before a joint session of Congress, President Joe Biden argued it was time to turn the coronavirus pandemic into a historic opportunity to expand government for the benefit of a wider range of Americans, urging investments in jobs, climate change, child care, infrastructure and more.
Evaluating President Joe Biden’s First 100 Days in Office
Presidential historians say that Joe Biden’s first 100 days in office — a somewhat arbitrary but frequently cited milestone — have included an above-average number of major accomplishments.
Censorship or Misinformation? DeSantis and YouTube Spar Over Covid Roundtable Takedown.
The Florida governor considers the pushback he received from the online video platform to be “Orwellian.” But the scientists featured at the event made specific statements YouTube deemed as “misinformation,” at odds with current public health recommendations for controlling the spread of the covid virus.
Ask KHN-PolitiFact: I’ve Recovered From Covid. Why Do I Still Have to Mask Up?
The simple answer is that enough remains unknown about covid transmission, post-infection immunity and the threat of emerging variants that masks are still advisable.
Ask KHN-PolitiFact: How Can Covid Vaccines Be Safe When They Were Developed So Fast?
Experts say there’s nothing new about the research underpinning the covid vaccines and that they were tested in more participants than many other approved vaccines.
In His Continued Sparring With Fauci, Sen. Rand Paul Oversimplified the Science
The Kentucky lawmaker was right that a recent study offered evidence that vaccination and previous infection appear to neutralize covid-19. But experts say that doesn’t mean people should be complacent.
Can Vaccination and Infection Rates Add Up to Reach Covid Herd Immunity?
A financial research firm offered its take on when states might be reaching the sought-after status of herd immunity. But some experts say the analysis is oversimplified.
One Year In: How Covid’s Toll Compares With Other Causes of Death
Covid-19 has become the country’s third-leading cause of death, and isn’t far behind cancer.
Biden’s Criticism of Trump Team’s Vaccine Contracts Is a Stretch
Under the Trump administration, the U.S. had agreed to buy at least 1 billion doses of covid vaccine, enough to vaccinate 550 million people. Those agreements, though, applied to vaccines that were authorized as well as those still in development. And the Biden team had the advantage of 20/20, experts say.
Sorting Out How Politics, Policies Figure in Flap Over New York Nursing Home Covid Death Rates
The debate begins with the covid death tallies. But the issues go beyond basic numbers.
