Nationwide Protests Create Perfect Environment For Second COVID Wave With Black Americans Most Vulnerable, Experts Say
June 1, 2020
Morning Briefing
Americans flooded the streets by the thousands over the past days to protest the death of George Floyd, racial inequity and police brutality. Health experts worry that the mass gatherings could set off another wave of the coronavirus. Black Americans have already suffered in disproportionate numbers from the outbreak, and could bear the brunt of the new infections.
Humanity’s Endless War Against Epidemics: If Coronavirus Is Beaten, There’s Always Another Pathogen Waiting In The Wings
February 6, 2020
Morning Briefing
WHO has said “epidemics in the 21st century are spreading faster and farther than ever” and there’s always another one waiting to strike. If coronavirus is contained, what will the next pandemic look like? Meanwhile, scientists try to answer key questions about the outbreak, such as: why we aren’t seeing more sick kids, how the virus spreads, when it will peak, what the best way to prevent transmission is, and more.
By Taking An Experimental Drug, Patients Are ‘Treating The Emotion’ Rather Than The Disease
April 10, 2020
Morning Briefing
“Many drugs we believed were fantastic ended up killing people,” said Dr. Andre Kalil, a principal investigator in the federal government’s clinical trial of drugs that may treat the coronavirus. “It is so hard to keep explaining that.” In recent days, as President Donald Trump touts an unproven treatment for coronavirus, Kalil has been haunted by outbreaks from the past when patients were given untested drugs and then died from them. The New York Times takes a look at the team’s efforts to find a scientifically sound treatment. Meanwhile, others scramble for a cure, as well.
Vulnerable Republicans Express Frustration Over Leadership’s Wait-And-See Mentality
May 21, 2020
Morning Briefing
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) is adamant that the upper chamber won’t rush to pass another coronavirus relief package, despite the House’s ambitious legislation. But not everyone in the party is on board with that plan. Meanwhile, McConnell vows to end the beefed up $600 unemployment benefits policy.
Coronavirus Deaths Climb Past 1,000, But Number Of New Cases Outside Epicenter Is Decreasing
February 11, 2020
Morning Briefing
Meanwhile, WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that “with 99% of cases in China, this remains very much an emergency for that country, but one that holds a very grave threat for the rest of the world.” And President Xi Jinping, who has been criticized for being aloof during the crisis, made a public appearance in Beijing.
After Dems Scale Back Paid-Leave Provision, House Sends Multi-Billion Dollar Coronavirus Package To Senate
March 17, 2020
Morning Briefing
The measure would still provide two weeks of sick leave to a wide swath of workers affected by the pandemic, but for the next 10 weeks, paid leave would be limited only to workers caring for a child whose school or day care had been shut. The fate of the bill had been uncertain, but following the change Senate Republicans seem to warm to the legislation. Meanwhile, Congress is already working on a “Phase 3” relief bill for industries impacted by the outbreak. And some lawmakers call for a universal basic income for Americans during the outbreak.
China Agrees To Allow International Experts To Visit To Help Bolster Country’s Coronavirus Response
January 29, 2020
Morning Briefing
Chinese authorities agreed to work with experts from other countries after a meeting between President Xi Jinping and Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director general of the World Health Organization. The number of cases in China has now surpassed the SARS outbreak total. As of Wednesday, there were 5,974 confirmed cases of the virus in mainland China, including 132 deaths.
Coronavirus In The U.S.: Public Health Emergency Declared; Travel Restrictions Issued; Americans Quarantined; And More
February 3, 2020
Morning Briefing
While U.S. health officials have declared a public health emergency over the coronavirus outbreak, they are still trying to minimize Americans’ fears and urging calm. “The risk is low … but our job is to keep that risk low,” said HHS Secretary Alex Azar. Media outlets take a look at how the outbreak is effecting air travel, U.S. hospitals, and Americans who were in Wuhan, China.
Can Russians’ History Of Experimenting With Vaccines On Themselves Help Protect Them Against Virus?
June 25, 2020
Morning Briefing
Virologists and other health experts around the world are eyeing old vaccines that may help boost the immune system and bridge the gap until an effective COVID vaccine is developed. Meanwhile, many wonder who will have access to that new vaccine if it makes it to market. Other global news on the pandemic focuses on the new normal of the coronavirus, masks and travel restrictions, famous landmarks reopening, and more.
Government Pandemic Simulations Over Past Year Highlighted U.S. Vulnerabilities, But Little Was Done To Correct Flaws
March 20, 2020
Morning Briefing
The simulations revealed shortcomings–such as a lack of supplies and staff for hospitals–that the government is now trying to address during the coronavirus outbreak. In other news, Stat provides a who’s who list of those in the Trump administration handling the crisis.
Bad Information, Confusion And Denials Lead To Fatal Outcome At Federal Louisiana Prison
April 20, 2020
Morning Briefing
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.
Special Oversight Committee’s First Meeting Highlights Chasm Between Parties Over Pandemic Response
May 14, 2020
Morning Briefing
The parties started the first meeting of the House Select Committee on the Coronavirus Crisis miles apart and ended it even further away. The partisan dissonance highlights how difficult any more relief negotiations will be. Meanwhile, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says that the “American people are worth” spending $3 trillion to help.
Without Health Law, Pre-Existing Conditions Could Have Complicated COVID-19 Insurance Coverage
May 4, 2020
Morning Briefing
And people seeking coverage after they contracted the coronavirus may have faced higher premiums or could have been turned down all together without the pre-existing protections provided under the Affordable Care Act. But the Trump administration remains adamant that the health law must be revoked.
NYC’s Decision To Put Hospital System In Charge Of Contact Tracing Raises Eyebrows
May 8, 2020
Morning Briefing
The city’s renowned Health Department has experience running contact tracing during other disease outbreaks, but they’re being sidelined for the coronavirus pandemic. Meanwhile, data show how much travel from New York City in the beginning of the crisis exacerbated the spread throughout the country.
‘This Is All Very Dangerous’: Violence, Tear Gas And Mass Arrests Amplify Risks Of Protesting During Pandemic
June 5, 2020
Morning Briefing
Not only are people in jeopardy of being exposed to the coronavirus during the protests drawing thousands physically together, tactics used by police to disperse the groups–such as tear gas–exacerbate the problem, health experts say. Spraying people with tear gas causes them to cough, shout and scream and possibly take off their masks, all of which could increase infection risk.
U.S. Public Health System Confronts COVID-19 Crisis With Scant Resources
July 1, 2020
Morning Briefing
Even in the midst of the challenges of the coronavirus era, public health officers face a public backlash as they attempt to impose restrictions designed to curb the illness’s spread. State legislation has been introduced in California to provide protections. Meanwhile, as states prepare for the virus’s next wave, groups representing health workers are pushing government officials to plan ahead to make sure these professionals have access to adequate PPE.
Candidates, President Put Public Campaign Events On Hold
March 12, 2020
Morning Briefing
“If coronavirus has the lasting impact that we all fear it will, it will also dramatically reshape the way a presidential campaign unfolds,” said Jesse Ferguson, a veteran Democratic strategist and former spokesman for Hillary Clinton’s campaign.
How Lethal Is Coronavirus, How Does It Spread, And Where’s The Cure? Scientists Try To Answer Questions On Outbreak
January 29, 2020
Morning Briefing
Researchers and doctors are still trying to fully grasp the scope of the coronavirus as the world watches the outbreak nervously. But in the early stages, it’s hard to know exactly what’s real and what’s skewed by the fact that the sickest people tend to be identified first. Meanwhile, scientists are racing to create a vaccine. And, how do bats live with all these viruses?
Staggering 6.6 Million Americans Filed For Unemployment Last Week In New Record High
April 2, 2020
Morning Briefing
Jobless claims in the U.S. skyrocket to historic levels, with twice as many people filing last week as they did the week before. Analysts forecast that the trend will continue as businesses continue to layoff more employees due to the coronavirus-driven shutdowns.
Will Coronavirus Outbreak Derail The Olympics? Virologist Optimistic It Won’t, Though Says It Would Be Unwise At Moment
February 19, 2020
Morning Briefing
There has to be a strategy in place to make sure the event would not exacerbate a global pandemic. Meanwhile, the U.N. secretary-general weighs in that although the virus poses a major risk to the world, it is not yet out of control.