Studies Reveal More About Covid
January 4, 2021
Morning Briefing
Two studies show antibodies last eight months. Another study found that 17.4% of air samples from hospital environments near covid patients contained the coronavirus.
FDA Prepares To Escalate Covid Strategies To Counter Variants
February 5, 2021
Morning Briefing
More booster shots of vaccine as well as additional testing and treatment drug capacity will be needed if the spread of new coronavirus strains picks up, as experts worry will happen. The FDA will release new guidance in the coming weeks to respond.
Fauci Calls Out Trump Campaign For Using Old Quote Out Of Context In Ad
October 12, 2020
Morning Briefing
In the ad, Dr. Anthony Fauci seemingly praises President Donald Trump’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic. But the quote dates to early in the crisis and was about White House coronavirus task force. And Fauci says his words were used without his permission.
How Do We Exit The Shutdown? Hire An Army Of Public Health Workers
By Anna Maria Barry-Jester
April 13, 2020
KFF Health News Original
The pandemic has exposed massive cracks in the foundations of the U.S. public health system. Getting the country back to normal, experts say, will require a major investment in Public Health 101: training a corps of workers who can track people with the virus and prevent them from passing it to others.
San Francisco Bans Tobacco Smoking Inside Apartments
December 3, 2020
Morning Briefing
In coronavirus news, an Oklahoma school tries in-school quarantines, Vermont urges retesting for several hundred and Pennsylvania cites poor care in a veterans home.
Confusion Surrounds Possible COVID Stimulus Bill
December 9, 2020
Morning Briefing
Negotiations are fluid and what’s in the coronavirus stimulus package is still far from settled, from the amount people would get to waiving liability for employees’ health.
Vaccine Distribution Efforts Kick Up A Gear, But Some States Falter
March 11, 2021
Morning Briefing
More than 600 CVS in-store pharmacies across 17 states now have coronavirus vaccines, including rooms to deliver doses. Elsewhere, Native American vaccine efforts are succeeding better than many others, and Alabama and California struggle with vaccination equality and contracts.
Many Lawmakers Possibly Exposed To Covid During Riot Lockdown
January 11, 2021
Morning Briefing
House members were isolated in the same room as a person who has tested positive for coronavirus. Authorities haven’t said how many House members were there or how long they were there.
How A Company Misappropriated Native American Culture To Sell Health Insurance
By Fred Schulte
May 20, 2020
KFF Health News Original
Maine investigators find one patient’s saga with O’NA HealthCare offers a cautionary tale for anyone looking for cut-rate coverage online.
California Reports Its First Cases Of Covid Variant Found In South Africa
February 11, 2021
Morning Briefing
U.S. spread of this strain of the coronavirus has been feared because it’s more contagious and vaccine efficacy is less known. California also passed New York as the state with the most covid deaths, though it also the most populous.
Lawmakers Call For Investigation Of Pentagon’s Reported Diversion Of Coronavirus Relief Funds
September 23, 2020
Morning Briefing
The Washington Post reported that the Pentagon chose to use money Congress allocated to “prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus” to defense contractors for things like body armor and dress uniforms.
Pfizer To Apply Today For Emergency Approval Of Its COVID Vaccine
November 20, 2020
Morning Briefing
Pfizer and its partner BioNtech will be the first to file for FDA review of its coronavirus vaccine — an evaluation that is expected to take several weeks.
Is The Winter Surge Over? Covid Infections And Deaths Are Slowing
February 22, 2021
Morning Briefing
The coronavirus infection rate has plummeted to levels not seen since the fall, with a seven-day rolling average under 65,000, The Washington Post reports. Despite the encouraging news, the pandemic continues to take a crushing toll on young adults’ mental health.
WHO Backs Use Of AstraZeneca Vaccine To Protect Against Severe Covid
February 9, 2021
Morning Briefing
Despite concerns over efficacy against the coronavirus variant found in South Africa, the World Health Organization said the shot created by AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford is effective at preventing severe cases of covid that can lead to hospitalization and death.
Super-Spreader Holiday? Thanksgiving COVID Warnings Abound
November 25, 2020
Morning Briefing
The White House coronavirus task force is stressing that the new surge in infections can only be minimized through the “significant behavior change of all Americans.”
Vaccines Slowly Roll Out Around the Globe
December 15, 2020
Morning Briefing
As a coronavirus vaccine rolls out around the world–Canada got its first shots Monday as well–logistics snafus hit Britain and poor countries wait for vaccines.
Thousands Of Covid Patients Sent To NY Nursing Homes; Cuomo Aide Acknowledges Concealing Data
February 12, 2021
Morning Briefing
The Associated Press obtained records that show 9,056 patients recovering from the coronavirus were directed to nursing homes by New York state in the early days of the pandemic. And an aide to Gov. Andrew Cuomo admits that his office “froze” the data.
COVID Surge Hits Record Levels; Task Force Alarmed By ‘Deterioration’
October 23, 2020
Morning Briefing
On Thursday the U.S. hit an all-time daily high with over 77,000 new confirmed coronavirus cases, according to NBC News’ tally. And CNN obtained reports from the White House coronavirus task force that warn about the surge of cases and hospitalizations occurring in the Sun Belt and Midwest.
Cases Top 3 Million In California; Cremation Limits Lifted
January 19, 2021
Morning Briefing
The most populous state in the U.S. rapidly jumped from 2 million new coronavirus cases to 3 million since Christmas. In another dire sign, the backlog of bodies forces California to suspend cremation limits.
No Letup For Hospitals, Nurses
November 3, 2020
Morning Briefing
Health systems are scrambling to keep up with the coronavirus surge and to find enough nursing help, especially in rural areas and at small hospitals.
