In Austin, Some Try to Address Vaccine Inequity, but a Broad Plan Is Elusive

The east side of Austin has few of the chain stores key to the Texas vaccination plan. But local officials have done pop-up vaccination events in the community to get more shots to Blacks and Latinos.

Dispelling Vaccine Misinformation and Myths in California’s Breadbasket

Even though farmworkers are vulnerable to covid, many hesitate to get the vaccine, worried the shot could have severe side effects or signal their whereabouts to immigration officials. Immigrant advocates in the Coachella Valley and other farming regions are visiting workers to try to allay their fears.

Disipando información errónea y mitos sobre las vacunas en la región agrícola de California

Aunque los trabajadores agrícolas son vulnerables al covid, muchos dudan en recibir la vacuna, preocupados de que pueda tener efectos secundarios graves o que pueda revelar su paradero a los funcionarios de inmigración.

Long-Haul Covid Cases Cast New Light on Chronic Fatigue Sufferers

Both conditions are linked to viral infections in ways that are poorly understood. But the outpouring of sympathy — and research dollars — produced by “long covid” has given hope to those who struggled in the past to gain sympathy for their symptoms.

Head-Scratching Over Newsom’s Choice of Blue Shield to Lead Vaccination Push

Gov. Gavin Newsom’s surprising choice of Blue Shield to lead the state’s covid vaccination effort raised questions about the role politics played in the decision — and whether the insurer is up to the task.

When Your Chance for a Covid Shot Comes, Don’t Worry About the Numbers

The Johnson & Johnson vaccine that the FDA cleared Saturday was 66% effective overall in preventing moderate to severe covid, while the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines were more than 90% effective. But the numbers aren’t exactly comparable. And all three shots prevent hospitalization and death.

Tampa’s Mayor vs. a Covid-Era Super Bowl

Tampa Mayor Jane Castor — an outspoken former cop — has clashed repeatedly with Gov. Ron DeSantis, who has limited what local officials can do to confront the pandemic. But she reached an uneasy peace with the state and is convinced that safeguards instituted by the NFL will help keep crowds safe at the NFL championship game.

Food Guidelines Change but Fail to Take Cultures Into Account

For decades, the federal government has tried to guide our eating habits. They once again revised recommendations, but they didn’t incorporate ethnic and cultural differences of the American diet. Here’s why.

As Vaccine Rollout Expands, Black Americans Still Left Behind

Covid vaccines are reaching more Americans, but Black residents are being vaccinated at dramatically lower rates in the 23 states where data is publicly available. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention plans to release national data next week.

Vaccination Chaos in California Fuels Push to Recall Gov. Newsom

The growing public backlash over California’s messy vaccine rollout is putting immense pressure on Gov. Gavin Newsom, a first-term Democrat facing a Republican-driven recall effort.

KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: The Long Road to Unwinding Trump Health Policies

President Joe Biden signed a pair of health-related executive orders this week that would, among other things, reopen enrollment under the Affordable Care Act and start to reverse former President Donald Trump’s anti-abortion policies. Meanwhile, Congress remains bogged down with taking up the next round of covid-19 relief. Joanne Kenen of Politico, Mary Ellen McIntire of CQ Roll Call and Shefali Luthra of The 19th join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more. Plus, for “extra credit,” the panelists recommend their favorite health policy stories of the week they think you should read, too.