Governors Become Generals Of Coronavirus Crisis As Federal Government Dawdled
March 18, 2020
Morning Briefing
While President Donald Trump downplayed the seriousness of the outbreak, governors were thrust into the spotlight as they tried to manage the crisis in their states. “Our leaders in the federal government at every level ought to be thinking of this moment as December 8, 1941,” said Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, whose state was one of the first hit by the pandemic. He said states should be calling for “the same federal response we had the morning after Pearl Harbor.” Meanwhile, about half of Americans support stringent measures to curb the outbreak, and New York City leaders warn that a “shelter in place” order may be coming eventually. Media outlets look at how other states are dealing with the crisis, as well.
Friends And Family Of Coronavirus Patients Have To Say Their Goodbyes Through Nurses, If They Get To At All
March 30, 2020
Morning Briefing
Visitors are banned from coronavirus wards in many hospitals, creating a situation where the patients are dying alone and friends and family don’t get to say proper goodbyes.
Trump Plays Down Health Impact Of Virus, Again Predicts It Will ‘Disappear’
July 20, 2020
Morning Briefing
In a wide-ranging Fox News interview, President Donald Trump continued to blame testing as to why the U.S. leads the world in coronavirus stats. “Many of those cases shouldn’t even be cases,” he said. He also said he’d leave the decision on mask mandates to state governors.
From California To Virginia, More States Confirm Coronavirus Cases As U.S. Total Surpasses 700
March 9, 2020
Morning Briefing
As of Tuesday morning, at least 729 people in 36 states and Washington, D.C. have tested positive for coronavirus.
A Look Inside Army’s Efforts To Create Coronavirus Strains To Support Vaccine Research
March 23, 2020
Morning Briefing
The work being done at Maryland’s Fort Detrick provides a glimpse at the administration’s vaccine-related research efforts. “This is the frontline of the battle against the coronavirus,” said Army Chief of Staff James McConville of the Fort Detrick scientists. “And I would suggest that some of the people here are going to be the heroes that are going to help us defeat it.”
Physical And Mental Complications Can Linger For Patients Who Recover From Coronavirus
April 7, 2020
Morning Briefing
While a life-saving tool, ventilators can cause long-term physical and emotional side effects. And physicians say they can’t offer recovered patients who aren’t retested any guarantees about whether they can still transmit the virus. Meanwhile, experts warn of a mental health crisis brewing. More public health news related to the outbreak report on a drop in heart attacks and strokes, fears of dying alone, loneliness, how the virus attacks the body, an anticipated surge in foster care placements, uncertainty for cancer patients, and more.
‘They Acted Late’: While Virus Spread Throughout This Prison, Actions Taken Were Scattershot, Too Slow
June 12, 2020
Morning Briefing
Stat reports on how a slow public health response led to spread of the coronavirus in an east of Los Angeles prison, which has reported 767 cases and 13 deaths so far. News on prisons is reported from Pennsylvania, as well.
Georgia’s Chaotic Primary Lays Bare Infrastructure, Logistical Challenges Awaiting Both Parties
June 11, 2020
Morning Briefing
States are trying to brace themselves for a chaotic election season that may come during another severe wave of the coronavirus. But even with months of warning, Georgia failed to hold its primary successfully, and officials worry about what that means for November.
In California’s Hardest Hit County, ‘Somehow Everybody Is Still Getting Sick’
July 1, 2020
Morning Briefing
Imperial County, a rural area along the Arizona and Mexico borders, has the state’s highest coronavirus infection rate. Meanwhile, California reports that more than 6,000 residents have died from the virus and the governor announces more stringent measures to battle the disease.
School Closures Are Part Of A Well-Established Playbook On Containing Epidemics. But Are They Worth It In This One?
March 6, 2020
Morning Briefing
Thirteen countries, with a total of nearly 291 million students, have closed schools nationwide because of the coronavirus, most notably in China. But it’s unclear what role children play in the spread of the coronavirus, and some question if the closures are necessary.
In Desperate Times, What’s A Fair Price For A Coronavirus Treatment? Answers Range From $12.50 To Sky’s-The-Limit
May 15, 2020
Morning Briefing
Gilead has a reputation for placing astronomical prices on breakthrough drugs. But with the whole world’s eyes on the drugmaker, what will it charge for remdesivir, the only drug that everyone wants right now? Stat talks to experts to get a sense of what to expect. In other pharmaceutical news: President Donald Trump wants essential drugs to be manufactured in U.S. instead of China; scientists eye a cocktail of medications to best treat COVID patients; and the search for an elusive cure has researchers thinking outside the box.
Drug Pricing Legislation Fades Into Background As Coronavirus Dominates Lawmakers’ Attention
March 24, 2020
Morning Briefing
Read about the biggest pharmaceutical development and pricing stories from the past week in KHN’s Prescription Drug Watch roundup.
Pandemic Accelerated Problems Of Economic Disparities, Stretching Racial Wealth Gap
June 30, 2020
Morning Briefing
The coronavirus pandemic “in some ways the extreme inequality was the preexisting condition,” said Chuck Collins, the co-author of an analysis of the disparities. News outlets also look at a variety of repercussions of the recent deaths of Black Americans in police custody and protests calling for a change in how police departments operate.
Purposefully Exposing Someone To Coronavirus Could Bring Criminal Charges, Justice Department Warns
March 25, 2020
Morning Briefing
“Because Coronavirus appears to meet the statutory definition of a ‘biological agent’… such acts potentially could implicate the Nation’s terrorism-related statutes,” said Deputy Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen.
Census Bureau Asks For Four-Month Delay In Delivering Data Because Of Coronavirus Disruptions
April 14, 2020
Morning Briefing
The move raised some red flags for Democrats and experts who worry about the secrecy surrounding the 2020 census, which stands in sharp contrast to previous ones, as well as limited support for the count that they’ve seen. A lengthy delay in reporting census figures to the states could throw a wrench into at least some states’ efforts to draw new political maps.
USS Theodore Roosevelt Sailor Dies From Coronavirus Complications, Four Others Hospitalized
April 14, 2020
Morning Briefing
Nearly 600 sailors from the aircraft carrier tested positive for COVID-19. The chief petty officer who died was in his 40s. Other news on the Navy reports on an outbreak among the crew of the hospital ship Mercy.
Coronavirus Highlights Humans’ Psychological Shortcomings In Assessing Danger
February 14, 2020
Morning Briefing
How the world is reacting to the outbreak of the coronavirus, which has killed far less people than the common flu, illustrates the unconscious biases in how human beings think about risk, as well as the impulses that often guide our responses — sometimes with serious consequences. “We’re hearing about the fatalities,” said said Paul Slovic, a University of Oregon psychologist. “We’re not hearing about the 98 or so percent of people who are recovering from it and may have had mild cases.” In other news: the “thermometer guns,” the infection rate, the symptoms and treatment for coronavirus, and more.
America Is Buying Time With Containment Strategy, CDC Director Says As 14th Coronavirus Case In U.S. Is Confirmed
February 13, 2020
Morning Briefing
CDC Director Robert Redfield says it’s likely the U.S. is going to see human-to-human transmission and thus more cases of the coronavirus. “We’re not going to be able to seal this virus from coming into this country,” Redfield said. Meanwhile, the CDC says that some coronavirus testing kits that have been sent to states are flawed. And a 14th person tests positive for coronavirus.
