Pharma Stocks Skyrocket Along With Coronavirus Fears
January 21, 2020
Morning Briefing
Read about the biggest pharmaceutical development and pricing stories from the past week in KHN’s Prescription Drug Watch roundup.
Despite The Narrative, Young People Can Get Severely Ill From Coronavirus
March 18, 2020
Morning Briefing
A new study looks at how age plays a role in the outbreak. While the study shows that the illness is less severe in kids, there are nuances that aren’t considered in the broader narrative around the illness. Meanwhile, the older generations struggle to cope with the outbreak.
China, South Korea Report A Spike In Coronavirus Cases; Mexican Government Isn’t Tracking Wave Of Deaths
May 8, 2020
Morning Briefing
Media outlets report on news out of China, South Korea, Mexico, India, Argentina, New Zealand, Taiwan, Pakistan, Ecuador, Russia, Brazil and other nations.
Trump Requests Mail-In Ballot At Same Time He Blocks Postal System Funds To Stop Such Voting
August 14, 2020
Morning Briefing
President Donald Trump admits he is withholding money from the U.S. Postal Service to impede efforts to expand mail-in ballots for voters concerned about polling place safety during the pandemic. The funds are also tied to the coronavirus relief bill negotiations. The day before that statement, Donald and Melania Trump requested just such ballots from Florida.
Are Kids Innocent Bystanders Along With Adults, Or Are They Stealthily Helping Drive The Coronavirus Outbreak?
February 27, 2020
Morning Briefing
Though the evidence to date suggests this virus doesn’t inflict severe disease on children, there’s reason to think kids may be helping to amplify transmission–just like they do during the regular flu season. Experts say that figuring out how the coronavirus interacts with children might be crucial in containing its spread.
Beijing Is Tapping Its Traditional Propaganda Playbook, But Coronavirus Is Cracking Party’s Stronghold
February 26, 2020
Morning Briefing
The official messaging from China’s government is struggling to overcome the anger that’s been boiling up on social media about how the party’s leaders failed to handle the coronavirus outbreak. In other news out of China: new cases continue to drop, telemedicine comes in handy, medical workers are burning out, and more.
Experts Try To Predict Unpredictable Future: ‘October 2020 Won’t Look Nothing Like October 2019’
May 4, 2020
Morning Briefing
The world has changed because of the coronavirus, but what does that mean for the months and years to come? Will there be a massive wave of new cases in the fall or a series of small outbreaks? Will a vaccine change the course of the pandemic?
Trump Warns That ‘Hard Days Lie Ahead’ As Task Force Projects Grim Death Totals Even With Shutdown Efforts
April 1, 2020
Morning Briefing
President Donald Trump and his coronavirus task force, including Drs. Anthony Fauci and Deborah Birx, struck a serious tone Tuesday saying Americans must brace for a “bad two weeks.” They also projected that at least 100,000 Americans could succumb to the coronavirus even with strict social distancing measures in place. Without the shutdown, the number would skyrocket higher.
Defense, Intelligence Officials Struggle To Respond To A Virus That Respects No Borders
March 12, 2020
Morning Briefing
The coronavirus adds a dangerous layer for national security officials who still have to assess threat levels from things beyond the pandemic. Meanwhile, the Defense Department has implemented a 60-day travel ban for service members and their families to and from countries whose populations have been the most stricken by coronavirus.
All Patients Need Is A Doctor’s OK To Get Coronavirus Test. But Is There Enough To Go Around?
March 5, 2020
Morning Briefing
Some worry that a surge in coronavirus testing by people who have no real need may divert resources from seriously ill patients whose diagnosis is unknown, and wish the government hadn’t been so broad in giving doctors the final say in the testing.
All Sailors Aboard Aircraft Carrier Will Be Tested Following Sharp Increase In Coronavirus Cases
March 27, 2020
Morning Briefing
The USS Theodore Roosevelt will remain “operationally capable,” but it has been diverted to Guam so that all 5,000 sailors can be tested.
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson Tests Positive For Coronavirus: ‘Together We Will Beat This’
March 27, 2020
Morning Briefing
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that he was tested after developing mild symptoms and will still be working from self-isolation. Johnson is the first world leader to confirm a positive diagnosis.
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.
2 Republican Senators Sold Millions In Stocks While Still Downplaying Threat Of Coronavirus To Public
March 19, 2020
Morning Briefing
Sens. Richard Burr (R-N.C.) and Kelly Loeffler (R-Ga.) dumped stocks before the coronavirus crisis erupted into the threat it has become today. As chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, Burr received daily briefings on the outbreak and warned a small group of constituents three weeks ago to prepare for what was coming. Critics of the two senators have called for their resignations.
Before Outbreak, Not A Lot Of Scientists Were Studying Coronaviruses, Leaving Large Gaps In Knowledge
February 10, 2020
Morning Briefing
In the past, coronavirus outbreaks inspired a flurry of interest in the field that would then quickly die out. But that means that the research has been more reactionary, which can leave scientists floundering when faced with a crisis. Meanwhile, media outlets take a look at what we do (and don’t) know about the current strain of the coronavirus.
‘This Is Not A Time For Playing Politics’: Congress Scrambles To Pass Emergency Coronavirus Funding
February 28, 2020
Morning Briefing
Lawmakers discuss a spending package that would provide between $6 billion to $8 billion. They have about 10 working days to get a deal made before they’re set to leave town on a week-long recess.
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.
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.
Coronavirus Flips 2020 Election Script: Battleground Politics Narrow Down To How States Are Handling Crisis
April 20, 2020
Morning Briefing
Iowa, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin helped President Donald Trumps secure the presidency in 2016. How will outbreaks in those states change political dynamics as November creeps closer? In other election news: voting rights, third parties and fundraising totals.
