Readers and Tweeters Shed Light on Vaccine Trials and Bias in Health Care
Kaiser Health News gives readers a chance to comment on a recent batch of stories.
Scientists Warn Americans Are Expecting Too Much From a Vaccine
Some argue that vaccines capable of preventing any COVID-19 symptoms should qualify for widespread use, but others want much larger trials to prove the vaccines can reduce hospitalizations or deaths.
As Anxieties Rise, Californians Buy Hundreds of Thousands More Guns
Gun sales are surging in California, where handgun-related FBI background checks this spring and summer were up 83% over 2019. Whether pro or con on gun control, experts agree the trend has been fueled by pandemic-related unrest.
‘No Mercy’ Chapter 5: With Rural Hospital Gone, Cancer Care Means a Daylong Trek
The hunt for good cancer treatment often means miles on the road, time spent waiting and exhaustion from treatment and transit. “The further you have to travel to get care, the less likely that you are going to take that effort to do that,” said Boban Mathew, an oncologist in southeastern Kansas.
Verily’s COVID Testing Program Halted in San Francisco and Oakland
Health officials in San Francisco and Alameda counties have cut ties with Verily’s state-funded COVID testing sites amid concerns about data collection and privacy.
¿Viajas para el Día de Acción de Gracias? Deberás atravesar la barrera de COVID
En todo el mundo, los feriados nacionales han impulsado la propagación de COVID-19 de manera explosiva. Expertos comparten consejos y sus propias experiencias.
In Tamer Debate, Trump and Biden Clash (Again) on President’s Pandemic Response
Trump claims the U.S. is “rounding the corner” on COVID, while Biden predicts a “dark winter.” On another front, Trump warns Biden’s health care plan will lead to socialized medicine; Biden promises private insurance isn’t going anywhere.
Travel on Thanksgiving? Pass the COVID
Staying home in your bubble is the safest advice, but family get-togethers, especially at the holidays, mean an awful lot. Even Dr. Anthony Fauci has gone back and forth on whether to have his daughters fly in for Thanksgiving.
Workers Fired, Penalized for Reporting COVID Safety Violations
Many workers are resisting what they feel are unsafe, unhealthy conditions as companies restart. A few states have passed laws specifically aimed at protecting workers who face COVID-related safety risks and retaliation for speaking up, but advocates say stronger federal protections are needed.
KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: A Little Good News and Some Bad on COVID-19
Glimmers of hope are beginning to appear in the fight against the coronavirus, such as a decreasing death rate. But there’s not-so-good news, too, including a push for “herd immunity,” which could result in millions more deaths. Meanwhile, the Trump administration doubles down on work requirements for Medicaid. Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times, Paige Winfield Cunningham of The Washington Post and Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico 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.
Análisis: el invierno llega para los bares. Cómo salvarlos. Y salvarnos.
Son lugares de alto riesgo de propagación. ¿Por qué no compensar a los propietarios para que cierren sus negocios para proteger la salud pública?
Analysis: Winter Is Coming for Bars. Here’s How to Save Them. And Us.
To stop the coronavirus, we need to stop super-spreader events.
Trump Says He Saved 2 Million Lives From COVID. Really?
The number is taken from a hypothetical modeling scenario that doesn’t offer a realistic comparison.
“Todo lo que quieres es que te crean”: el prejuicio inconciente en la atención de salud
Los latinos y los afroamericanos suelen ser menos propensos a recibir analgésicos o atención avanzada que los pacientes blancos no hispanos con las mismas quejas o síntomas.
‘All You Want Is to Be Believed’: The Impacts of Unconscious Bias in Health Care
One woman shares her experience trying to get care in a Bay Area hospital for COVID symptoms. At nearly every turn, a doctor dismissed her complaints. Is bias part of why people of color are disproportionately affected by the coronavirus?
Despite Pandemic Threat, Gubernatorial Hopefuls Avoid COVID Nitty-Gritty
As the pandemic continues to cast shadows on everyday life, some candidates for governor are talking about everything except the specifics of how they would manage COVID-19 into the future.
¿Pueden los pacientes de COVID tener el tratamiento de Trump? Está bien preguntar
Muchos pacientes desconocen estas opciones o simplemente no pueden, o no saben, cómo acceder a ellas. Otros desconfían de los tratamientos no probados.
Can Ordinary COVID Patients Get the Trump Treatment? It’s OK to Ask
If you or a loved one has COVID-19, here’s what to consider before seeking experimental treatments.
‘No Mercy’ Chapter 4: So, 2 Nuns Step Off a Train in Kansas … A Hospital’s Origin Story
Mercy Hospital and the people of Fort Scott, Kansas, have a long, tangled history. To understand what the town lost when the hospital shut its doors, we rewind the story to 1886.
Health Care Groups Dive Into Property Tax Ballot Fight, Eyeing Public Health Money
Health care leaders say Proposition 15, a ballot initiative that would raise property taxes for large-business owners, could help boost revenue for chronically underfunded public health departments.
