First Edition: Aug. 5, 2020
Today's early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Kaiser Health News:
Pandemic’s Bumps And Backlash Shape Montana Race Poised To Steer US Senate
Bradshaw Sumners watched throughout February as COVID-19 hot spots developed in major American cities, waiting to see when the coronavirus pandemic would manifest in Montana. When it finally did, life for the Livingston resident and father of two changed dramatically. His daughters, 8 and 4 years old, were suddenly home from school. The restaurant group where Sumners works maintenance shut down, thrusting him onto unemployment alongside legions of workers nationwide. (Sakariassen, 8/5)
Kaiser Health News and Politifact HealthCheck:
Could Labs That Test Livestock Ease COVID Testing Backlog For People? Well … Maybe.
In a heated exchange late last month on CNN’s State of the Union, host Jake Tapper pressed Adm. Brett Giroir, the Health and Human Services assistant secretary who oversees COVID testing efforts for the Trump administration, on why the government isn’t requiring commercial labs to increase testing capacity in order to speed turnaround time. Giroir’s response described a series of steps — some unusual — being taken by the federal government. One focus was on the role veterinary labs, including those with special certification, could play in helping to build capacity. “Five veterinary labs have their CLIA certification to officially test human patients,” he said. “There are a lot of labs who are doing surveillance testing that don’t need the CLIA certification.” (Appleby, 8/5)
Kaiser Health News:
Covered California Announces Record-Low Rate Hike For 2021
Premiums for health plans sold through Covered California, the state’s Affordable Care Act insurance exchange, will rise an average of 0.6% next year — the smallest hike since it started providing coverage in 2014, the agency announced Tuesday. The modest increase follows an average statewide increase of 0.8% on coverage that started in January of this year, which was the previous record low. (Wolfson, 8/4)
Reuters:
Global Coronavirus Deaths Exceed 700,000, One Person Dies Every 15 Seconds On Average
The global death toll from the coronavirus surpassed 700,000 on Wednesday, according to a Reuters tally, with the United States, Brazil, India and Mexico leading the rise in fatalities. Nearly 5,900 people are dying every 24 hours from COVID-19 on average, according to Reuters calculations based on data from the past two weeks. That equates to 247 people per hour, or one person every 15 seconds. (Shumaker, 8/5)
AP:
'Too Many Are Selfish': US Nears 5 Million Virus Cases
Fourth of July gatherings, graduation parties, no-mask weddings, crowded bars — there are reasons the U.S. has racked up more than 155,000 coronavirus deaths, by far the most of any country, and is fast approaching an off-the-charts 5 million confirmed infections, easily the highest in the world. Many Americans have resisted wearing masks and social distancing, calling such precautions an overreaction or an infringement on their liberty. Public health experts say the problem has been compounded by confusing and inconsistent guidance from politicians and a patchwork quilt of approaches to containing the scourge by county, state and federal governments. (Naishadham, Johnson and Marcelo, 8/4)
Los Angeles Times:
California's Coronavirus Test Result Data May Be Flawed
A steep decline in California’s coronavirus infection rate announced this week by Gov. Gavin Newson may not be accurate, according to the state’s top public health official who said Tuesday that the state’s data system used to process COVID-19 test results is marred with technical issues. The problems have caused delays in analyzing test results and cast doubt on Newsom’s announcement Monday of a 21.2% decline in the seven-day average rate for positive infections compared with the average from the week before. (Shalby, 8/4)
The Hill:
Poll: Majority Support New Two-Week National Stay-At-Home Order
A majority of U.S. adults supports a mandatory two-week shelter-at-home order nationwide to slow the spread of coronavirus, a new poll finds. The NPR-Ipsos survey finds that 59 percent of respondents would back a national stay-at-home order, indicating that many Americans are willing to embrace drastic steps to help get the virus under control. Thirty-six percent would oppose such an order. (Sullivan, 8/4)
The Wall Street Journal:
Health And Human Services Secretary Alex Azar To Visit Taiwan
U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar is planning to lead a delegation to Taiwan in a rare high-level U.S. visit to the island that China has sought to isolate diplomatically. Mr. Azar’s trip will take place in the coming days, the Health and Human Services Department said Tuesday. It would be the first visit by a U.S. cabinet official to Taiwan in six years. In a statement, Mr. Azar said his trip is intended to show President Trump’s support for Taiwan, its democratic government and the leadership it displayed in handling the coronavirus outbreak. (O'Keeffe, 8/5)
The New York Times:
U.S. Health Secretary To Visit Taiwan, In A Move Likely To Anger Beijing
“Taiwan has been a model of transparency and cooperation in global health during the Covid-19 pandemic and long before it,” Mr. Azar said in the department’s statement. “I look forward to conveying President Trump’s support for Taiwan’s global health leadership and underscoring our shared belief that free and democratic societies are the best model for protecting and promoting health.” (Qin, 8/4)
Politico:
Trump Spares Only Texas And Florida In Cutting Funds For National Guard
When President Donald Trump directed late Monday that states now pick up some of the tab for the nationwide deployment of the National Guard to respond to the coronavirus, he carved out two big exceptions: Texas and Florida. While all other states and territories will have to shell out millions to cover 25 percent of their National Guard costs starting later this month, Texas and Florida will be fully covered. The two key states, which voted for Trump in 2016 and are hotly contested this year, are struggling to contain the coronavirus surges. But other states are worse off by several metrics — including total Covid-19 cases and the percentage of people testing positive. (Miranda Ollstein, 8/4)
The Washington Post:
Trump Administration Sticks To Schools Plan As U.S. Nears 5 Million Coronavirus Cases
The Trump administration is sticking by its view that schools must reopen on time and in person as the United States approached 5 million confirmed coronavirus cases Tuesday and as Mississippi’s conservative governor reversed course to delay school for many students and demand that all wear masks. President Trump received some rhetorical backup from U.N. Secretary General António Guterres, albeit with more nuance than Trump’s latest “OPEN THE SCHOOLS” tweet. (Gearan, 8 /4)
Politico:
Trump Backtracks On Mail-In Voting, Says It's OK To Do In Florida
President Donald Trump on Tuesday reversed his opposition to mail-in voting and encouraged it — at least in one crucial battleground state — after railing against the practice for months amid the coronavirus pandemic. “Whether you call it Vote by Mail or Absentee Voting, in Florida the election system is Safe and Secure, Tried and True,” Trump wrote in a tweet. “Florida’s Voting system has been cleaned up (we defeated Democrats attempts at change), so in Florida I encourage all to request a Ballot & Vote by Mail! #MAGA” (Oprysko, 8/4)
The Washington Post:
Anxieties About Mail Ballots On Display In Latest Round Of Primaries, Highlighting Worries For Fall
Voters voiced concerns about the delivery and security of mail ballots as five states held primaries Tuesday, highlighting how the rapid shift to absentee voting during the coronavirus pandemic has emerged as a central issue in this year’s elections. In Michigan, voters complained that they received their ballots just before Tuesday’s vote or not at all, raising fears that political pressure could be affecting the U.S. Postal Service three months before the Nov. 3 presidential election. In Kansas and Missouri, many conservatives chose to cast ballots in person despite the possible health risk, some echoing President Trump’s unfounded claims that mail voting leads to widespread fraud. (Viebeck, Gowen and Ruble, 8/4)
The Hill:
Democrats Twice As Likely As Republicans To Be Wary Of In-Person Voting: Poll
Democratic voters are more than twice as likely as Republican voters to be concerned about the risks of in-person voting during the coronavirus pandemic, according to Ipsos-Axios polling released Tuesday. A slight majority overall — 52 percent — said they see in-person voting as dangerous, according to the polling. The survey found a wide partisan split, with 64 percent of Democrats expressing concerns compared to just 29 percent of Republicans. (Budryk, 8/4)
AP:
Progress Slow As Urgency Grows On Virus Relief Legislation
Frustrated Senate Republicans re-upped their complaints that Democratic negotiators are taking too hard a line in talks on a sweeping coronavirus relief bill, but an afternoon negotiating session brought at least modest concessions from both sides, even as an agreement appears far off. Top Democrats emerged from a 90-minute meeting Tuesday with Trump administration officials to declare more progress. The Trump team agreed with that assessment and highlighted its offer to extend a moratorium on evictions from federally subsidized housing through the end of the year. (Taylor, 8/5)
The Washington Post:
White House, Democrats Agree To Try For Coronavirus Relief Deal On Evictions, Unemployment By Week’s End
The White House and Democratic leaders agreed to try to finalize a deal to address lapsed unemployment benefits and eviction restrictions by the end of this week and hold a vote in Congress next week, suddenly trying to rush stalled talks in the face of growing public and political unrest. Senior White House officials said Tuesday that they made “very concrete offers” to Democrats related to unemployment benefits and eviction protections, and after days of bickering, both sides now appear to be trying to secure a compromise. (Min Kim, Werner, Leonnig and Stein, 8/4)
The Washington Post:
With Bad Coronavirus News At Home, Trump Points Misleadingly To Rising Cases Abroad
With coronavirus cases nearing 5 million in the United States and average daily deaths topping 1,000, the United States is the hottest hot spot in the ongoing global pandemic — a ranking that wasn’t exactly what President Trump had in mind with his “America First” doctrine. You wouldn’t know it, however, to hear the president describe the U.S. performance in handling the virus; he called it “an amazing job, a great job” on Monday, and recited a list of other countries experiencing a rebound in infections. (Gearan, 8/4)
AP:
Chasm Grows Between Trump And Government Coronavirus Experts
In the early days of the coronavirus crisis, President Donald Trump was flanked in the White House briefing room by a team of public health experts in a seeming portrait of unity to confront the disease that was ravaging the globe. But as the crisis has spread to all reaches of the country, with escalating deaths and little sense of endgame, a chasm has widened between the president and the experts. The result: daily delivery of a mixed message to the public at a moment when coherence is most needed. (Madhani, Alonso-Zaldivar and Lemire, 8/5)
The New York Times:
Trump Cherry-Picks Coronavirus Data In Briefing Appearance
President Trump, in a news conference on Tuesday, cited a slew of statistics to argue that “our strong mitigation efforts are working very well.”Here’s a fact-check. (Qiu, 8/4)
The Hill:
Poll: 31 Percent Trust Trump On Coronavirus
Fewer than 1 in 3 Americans said they trust President Trump on the coronavirus pandemic, according to new polling from NBC News. The NBC News-SurveyMonkey weekly tracking poll found 58 percent of Americans do not trust the president on the pandemic, compared to 31 percent who say they do trust him. By comparison, 51 percent of adults said they trust statements on the virus by Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious diseases specialist. A larger majority, 55 percent, said they trust the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on the virus. (Budryk, 8/4)
Politico:
Missouri Voters Latest To Approve Medicaid Expansion
Missouri voters on Tuesday approved Medicaid expansion to many of the state’s poorest adults, making their conservative state the second to join the Obamacare program through the ballot during the pandemic. The Missouri ballot measure expands Medicaid to about 230,000 low-income residents at a time when the state’s safety net health care program is already experiencing an enrollment surge tied to the pandemic’s economic upheaval. The measure was supported by 53 percent of voters. (Roubein, 8/5)
AP:
Missouri Approves Medicaid Expansion; Parson, Galloway Win
Voters on Tuesday made Missouri the 38th state to approve expanding Medicaid health care coverage to thousands more low-income adults. Support for the constitutional amendment means that as many as 250,000 more adults could choose to be covered by government health insurance beginning in July 2021, according to estimates from the state auditor. (Ballentine, 8/5)
Stat:
State AGs Urge HHS To Sidestep Gilead Patents To Boost Remdesivir Access
A bipartisan group of state attorneys general is urging the federal government to sidestep the patents held by Gilead Sciences (GILD) for remdesivir, the only authorized treatment for Covid-19, over frustration with pricing and supplies set by the manufacturer. In arguing their case, the state officials maintain Gilead has been “unable to assure” a sufficient supply of the medication to hospitals across the U.S. and has “[placed] its profit margins” over patients by charging the federal government $2,340 for a five-day treatment course, even though U.S. taxpayer dollars contributed to the discovery of the drug and manufacturing costs are reportedly low. (Silverman, 8/4)
Stat:
The FDA Is Finalizing Its Long-Awaited Rules For CBD
The Food and Drug Administration appears poised to release a long-awaited enforcement policy on cannabidiol, the marijuana-adjacent compound it has struggled to regulate for over a year. The policy is going through the formal White House vetting process now, according to a White House website. (Florko, 8/4)
The Wall Street Journal:
Justice Department Seeks As Much As $18.1 Billion From Purdue Pharma
The Justice Department is seeking as much as $18.1 billion from bankrupt opioid maker Purdue Pharma LP, new filings show, a demand that could disrupt the company’s monthslong effort to reach a settlement with states and local communities that accuse it of helping fuel the opioid crisis. The filings, made by the Justice Department in connection with Purdue’s bankruptcy case, also telegraph for the first time the nature and scope of yearslong criminal and civil investigations into the OxyContin maker. (Randazzo, 8/4)
The New York Times:
As Trump Praises Plasma, Researchers Struggle To Finish Critical Studies
An American Airlines flight took off from La Guardia Airport in New York last Wednesday morning, carrying 100 pouches of blood plasma donated by Covid-19 survivors for delivery to Rio de Janeiro. American scientists are hoping Covid-19 patients in Brazil will help them answer a century-old question: Can this golden serum, loaded with antibodies against a pathogen, actually heal the sick? The truth is that no one knows if it works. (Thomas and Weiland, 8/4)
The Wall Street Journal:
Convalescent Plasma Reduced Death Rate Among Covid-19 Patients, Study Data Signals
Hospitalized Covid-19 patients who received transfusions of blood plasma rich with antibodies from recovered patients reduced their mortality rate by about 50%, according to researchers running a large national study. The researchers presented their data analysis Saturday in a webinar for physicians interested in learning about so-called convalescent plasma, with data slides that were reviewed by The Wall Street Journal. The researchers said they saw signs that the treatment might be working in patients who received high levels of antibodies in plasma early in the course of their illness. They based their conclusions on an analysis of about 3,000 patients. (Dockser Marcus, 8/4)
The New York Times:
Novavax's New Covid-19 Vaccine Studies Praised By Scientists
In one study, 56 volunteers produced a high level of antibodies against the virus without any dangerous side effects. In the other, researchers found that the vaccine strongly protected monkeys from coronavirus infections. Although it’s not possible to directly compare the data from clinical trials of different coronavirus vaccines, John Moore, a virologist at Weill Cornell Medicine who was not involved in the studies, said the Novavax results were the most impressive he had seen so far. “This is the first one I’m looking at and saying, ‘Yeah, I’d take that,’” Dr. Moore said. (Zimmer and Thomas, 8/4)
Stat:
Novavax’s Covid-19 Vaccine Shows Promising Immune Response
A potential Covid-19 vaccine from the biotech company Novavax showed a promising immune response in a small, early trial, but not without a high rate of mostly mild side effects. The results, published Tuesday, are the latest encouraging sign in the global effort to develop a vaccine for the novel coronavirus, which has killed nearly 700,000 people around the world. But the Novavax data, much like results recently published by Moderna and AstraZeneca, are too preliminary to draw any conclusions about how well the vaccine might protect against Covid-19, experts said. (Garde, 8/4)
Stat:
What If A Pricey Rare-Disease Drug Works As A Covid-19 Treatment?
Some of the existing drugs scientists are testing as Covid-19 treatments have a special status for rare disease treatments, and the price tags to match — prompting early warnings from academics and drug pricing reform advocates that if one is effective, access could be an issue. At issue are so-called “orphan drugs,” which get special exclusivity perks from the Food and Drug Administration because they treat a rare disease. Drugs get to keep that designation — and the perks — even if they’re later approved for a broader category of patients. That exclusivity often translates into higher prices, especially for rare disease drugs where demand is expected to be low. (Sokolow, 8/5)
The New York Times:
Scientists Uncover Biological Signatures Of The Worst Covid-19 Cases
Scientists are beginning to untangle one of the most complex biological mysteries of the coronavirus pandemic: Why do some people get severely sick, whereas others quickly recover? In certain patients, according to a flurry of recent studies, the virus appears to make the immune system go haywire. (Wu, 8/4)
Yahoo News:
Women Who Take The Contraceptive Pill Are Less Likely To Develop Serious Coronavirus, Study Finds
Women who take the pill are less likely to develop serious coronavirus, a major new study has found, helping explain why men have suffered worse from the disease. Analysis of more than half a million women by King's College London during May and June has identified the crucial role of oestrogen in protecting against Covid-19. (Bodkin, 8/4)
CIDRAP:
Those With Milder COVID-19 May Not Shed Live Virus As Long
Hong Kong researchers who tested 68 respiratory specimens from 35 COVID-19 patients, of whom 32 had mild illness, found that live virus and evidence of viral replication were rarely detectable beyond 8 days after symptom onset but that viral RNA was detectable for many weeks using RT-PCR. The study, published today in Emerging Infectious Diseases, involved isolating viable coronavirus in culture, detecting viral replication on subgenomic RNA (sgRNA), and identifying COVID-19 RNA on RT-PCR. The researchers isolated live virus from 16 specimens from 16 patients with high median viral loads, while specimens with low viral loads tended to culture negative. (Van Beusekom, 8/4)
CIDRAP:
COVID-19 RNA Found On Surfaces After Asymptomatic Patients' Eye Exams
COVID-19 genetic material—not necessarily live virus—was found on surfaces in a 1-meter (3.3-foot) diameter circle where asymptomatic patients who had passed coronavirus triage had eye exams, according to a small study published yesterday in JAMA Ophthalmology. The quality-improvement study was performed on Mar 20, 1 week after the first confirmed COVID-19 case was identified at Tepecik Training and Research Hospital in Izmir, Turkey. Seven samples were taken for reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) testing from eye exam devices and door handles both before and after 22 ophthalmologic patients and nine companions had been in the exam room. Mean exam time was 9 minutes. (8/4)
The Washington Post:
Federal Officials Warn Of Seasonal Spike In Polio-Like Condition That Mostly Affects Children
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned parents and caregivers Tuesday to watch out for an uncommon, polio-like condition that mostly strikes children, usually between August and November. Acute flaccid myelitis, which may be caused by any of several viruses, is marked by a sudden weakness or paralysis of the limbs. Since surveillance began in 2014, prevalence of the syndrome has spiked in even-numbered years, often afflicting children about 5 years old. (Bernstein, 8/4)
AP:
COVID-19 Measures Could Disrupt Rare Polio-Like Disease
Health experts once thought 2020 might be the worst year yet for a rare paralyzing disease that has been hitting U.S. children for the past decade. But they now say the coronavirus pandemic could disrupt the pattern for the mysterious illnesses, which spike every other year starting in late summer. Scientists say it’s possible that mask wearing, school closures and others measures designed to stop spread of the coronavirus may also hamper spread of the virus suspected of causing the paralyzing disease. (Stobbe, 8/4)
Reuters:
Clorox Won't Have Enough Disinfecting Wipes Until 2021, Its CEO Says
Grocery shelves won’t be fully stocked with Clorox’s disinfecting wipes until next year, CEO Benno Dorer told Reuters, as the world’s biggest cleaning products maker struggles with overwhelming pandemic-led demand for its top product. Since the start of global lockdowns, makers of hygiene goods have seen a sustained boom in sales. While California-based Clorox typically holds aside excess supply for flu seasons, it says it has been unable to keep up with a six-fold increase in demand for many of its disinfectants. (8/4)
The Washington Post:
Fetal Tissue Research Advisory Board Convenes, With A Strong Anti-Abortion Tilt
A long-awaited ethics advisory board, dominated by foes of abortion and fetal tissue research, has convened for the first time, deciding whether it believes proposed research grants and contracts should get government funding. At least one researcher, whose funding application to the National Institutes of Health had been in limbo for nearly a year until Friday’s meeting, received a notice from NIH this week that invited him to revise the proposal by removing the use of fetal tissue. (Goldstein, 8 /4)
NPR:
Flu Shots 2020: When And Where To Get One Amid The Pandemic
Get set for 2020's mega-campaign against the flu amid the COVID-19 pandemic: immunization drives in the parking lots of churches and supermarkets, curbside inoculations outside doctors' offices, socially distanced vaccine appointments held indoors, with breaks in between for disinfecting. These are just some of the ways heath providers say they will give tens of millions of flu shots this fall — arguably the most important U.S. effort to prevent influenza's spread among Americans in a century. (Kritz, 8/4)
Stat:
New Cancer Diagnoses Fell Sharply As The Coronavirus Pandemic First Hit
By almost every measure, far fewer cancers are being diagnosed during the coronavirus pandemic, whether the decline shows up in screening mammograms and colonoscopies or in other tests ordered after troubling symptoms prompt a doctor’s visit. A research letter published Tuesday in JAMA Network Open notes a steep downward slope in newly identified cases of six common cancer types, based on weekly numbers from Quest Diagnostics. (Cooney, 8/4)
The Wall Street Journal:
The $1.9 Million Covid Patient
Josephine Mazzara watched her husband disappear into a Manhattan emergency room, unable to follow and uncertain when she would see him again. Once inside, doctors quickly diagnosed Salvatore Mazzara with Covid-19. Soon, the 48-year-old’s lungs, kidneys and heart would give out. Doctors tried experimental drugs and tested other therapies in an effort to keep him alive. He was put on a ventilator and when its prolonged use posed a danger, they delivered oxygen directly through a hole cut in Mr. Mazzara’s throat. (Evans, 8/4)
The Wall Street Journal:
Walmart Health-Care Executive To Depart
An executive leading Walmart Inc.’s health-care ambitions is leaving the company, people familiar with the matter said, as the retailer navigates the operational complexity of the coronavirus pandemic. Sean Slovenski, senior vice president and president of health and wellness for Walmart U.S., is leaving as soon as this week, one of the people familiar with the situation said. Walmart confirmed that Mr. Slovenski will leave. (Nassauer, 8/4)
The Wall Street Journal:
Insurers Report Mixed Results From Covid-19
Two giant sellers of insurance to consumers— Allstate Corp. and Prudential Financial Inc.—reported second-quarter results that reflected the far-ranging impact of Covid-19. Allstate’s profit surged from fewer vehicle accidents on the road while ultralow interest rates weighed on Prudential. The two insurers’ results show the first full quarter of the coronavirus’ unprecedented toll on the U.S. economy. Across all U.S. life and property-casualty insurers, analysts and investors’ focus has been on the costs that insurers are bearing—and the unexpected benefits some have enjoyed-as business activity slowed under government shutdown directives. (Scism, 8/4)
Stat:
Earnings Season Highlights Pandemic's Impact On Health Tech Industry
It’s earnings season for health tech companies — and that’s opening a window into how the pandemic is affecting the bottom lines of companies offering high-demand virtual care. This earnings season is something of a milestone: Although the final weeks of the first quarter of this year were shaped by the growing coronavirus crisis, April, May, and June offer investors the first entirely Covid-19-era quarter’s worth of financial results. (Robbins, 8/5)
AP:
NYC Public Health Chief Resigns After Friction Over COVID-19
New York City’s top public health official resigned Tuesday in a shake-up that followed months of tension over the city’s response to the coronavirus pandemic and comes as officials are anxiously striving to keep it in check. After batting away earlier speculation about Health Commissioner Dr. Oxiris Barbot’s future in her job, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that she’d be replaced by Dr. Dave A. Chokshi, an official and primary care physician in the city’s public hospital system. (Peltz and Matthews, 8/4)
Politico:
After Months Of Being Sidelined By De Blasio, NYC's Top Doctor Calls It Quits
As a global pandemic raged through New York City, one public official kept a notably low profile: Health Commissioner Oxiris Barbot. At a time when Barbot should have been a public face of the city’s Covid-19 response, she was relegated to a near-invisible status, after a long-simmering feud with Mayor Bill de Blasio erupted over how to handle the fast-spreading virus. By Tuesday she’d had enough. (Eisenberg and Goldenberg, 8/4)
CIDRAP:
Survey: Home Health Workers Stressed, Overlooked Amid COVID-19
A study of home healthcare workers (HCWs) in New York City published today in JAMA Internal Medicine found that the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated challenges they already faced as a critical yet vulnerable and marginalized workforce at high risk for coronavirus infection. Led by researchers at Cornell University in a partnership with the 1199 Service Employees International Union, the study involved one-on-one semistructured interviews with 33 home HCWs employed by 24 different home care agencies from Mar 26 to Apr 30. (Van Beusekom, 8/4)
The Washington Post:
Nursing Home Companies Accused Of Misusing Federal Money Received Hundreds Of Millions Of Dollars In Pandemic Relief
For-profit nursing home providers that have faced accusations of Medicare fraud and kickbacks, labor violations and widespread failures in patient care received hundreds of millions of dollars in “no strings attached” coronavirus relief aid meant to cover shortfalls and expenses during the pandemic, a Washington Post analysis of federal spending found. More than a dozen companies that received federal funding have settled civil lawsuits in recent years with the Justice Department, which alleged improper Medicare billing, forged documents, substandard care and other abuses. (Cenziper, Jacobs and Mulcahy, 8/4)
NPR:
Nursing Home Residents Moved Out To Make Way For COVID-19 Patients
In some nursing homes, 100% of the residents are positive for the coronavirus. That's by design. These facilities have volunteered to devote part or all of their buildings exclusively to treating COVID-19 patients, who bring in more government money. But to make room for them, the original residents can be forced out of the places they've called home. Ruby Hamilton was one of them. She was in her 90s by the time she needed full-time nursing care. Being an independent woman, she chose the nursing home she wanted: Westpark in Indianapolis. Her daughter, Carolyn Oliver, says Hamilton was happy there for five years. (Jaffe, 8/4)
Stat:
Telemedicine Is Booming — But Many People Face Barriers To Virtual Care
As Covid-19 drives many patients away from in-person care and toward virtual visits, experts warn that the nation’s most vulnerable members may be shut out of the booming telehealth business. Federal policymakers temporarily relaxed regulations to make it easier to provide virtual care during the pandemic, fueling a shift toward telemedicine that has become so popular among patients and providers that there are now a number of proposals to make the changes permanent... But a pair of new studies published this week show that there are barriers to virtual visits that regulatory changes alone can’t fix. (Isselbacher, 8/5)
NPR:
As COVID-19 Numbers Improve, Florida Considers Nursing Home Visits
Officials in Florida say cases of the coronavirus are continuing to decline, an indication that efforts to halt the spread of the disease are working. In Miami-Dade County, Mayor Carlos Gimenez told commissioners Tuesday, "I am pleased to announce it appears we have leveled off." Miami-Dade County has been responsible for 25% of the state's nearly 500,000 coronavirus cases. Gimenez said hospitalizations have been trending downward in the county for two weeks. "We've had a decrease of about 400 patients in the hospital," he said. (Allen, 8/4)
The Hill:
6 States Band Together To Secure Rapid COVID Testing
Bipartisan governors of six states have entered into a first-of-its-kind agreement to jointly purchase rapid coronavirus testing kits. The governors — from Virginia, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Ohio and Maryland — said the goal of the compact is to show private companies that there is significant demand to scale up the production of these tests, which deliver results in 15 to 20 minutes. The states will also coordinate on policies and protocols regarding the testing technology. (Weixel, 8/4)
The New York Times:
‘It’s Like Having No Testing’: Coronavirus Test Results Are Still Delayed
Frustrated by a nationwide testing backlog, the governors of six states took the unusual step of banding together on Tuesday to reduce the turnaround time for coronavirus test results from days to minutes. The agreement, by three Republican governors and three Democratic governors, was called the first interstate testing compact of its kind. The six states — Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Ohio and Virginia — agreed to work with the Rockefeller Foundation and two U.S. manufacturers of rapid tests to buy three million tests. (Mervosh and Fernandez, 8/4)
NPR:
After 'Severe' Delays, 6 States Band Together To Buy Coronavirus Tests
Six states led by a bipartisan group of governors are joining together in an effort to speed up coronavirus testing. As the nation's death count continues to rise above 150,000, the states said they will jointly purchase 3 million rapid antigen tests that can quickly detect the virus. Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, the outgoing chair of the National Governors Association, said in a statement the multistate compact will address "severe testing shortages and delays" that have hamstrung the nation's response to the virus. In addition to Maryland, the group includes Virginia, Louisiana, Michigan, Ohio and Massachusetts. (McCammon, 8/4)
Los Angeles Times:
No School Opening Waivers Will Be Considered In L.A, County
The L.A. County Department of Public Health said Tuesday that it would not consider any applications for waivers enabling elementary schools to reopen, citing high local COVID-19 case rates. The decision comes one day after the California Department of Public Health announced new guidelines for granting school reopening waivers, indicating that counties with case rates above 200 per 100,000 residents should not consider applications. (Agrawal, 8/4)
The Washington Post:
Schools Struggle To Reopen As Teachers And Students Test Positive For Coronavirus
On Wednesday, teachers in Georgia’s largest school district returned to elementary, middle and high school campuses to start in-person planning for the fall semester. By the next day, 260 district employees had been barred from entering their schools, either because they tested positive for the coronavirus or had been directly exposed to someone who had. (Shepherd, 8/4)
The Hill:
Teachers Rally To Protest Reopening Schools
Teachers from dozens of school districts nationwide organized a day of action Monday to draw attention to the potential dangers of resuming full-time in-person classes. Several major cities saw demonstrations, including Chicago, New York, Boston, Denver and Milwaukee, Chalkbeat reported. “I do not want to be the sacrificial lamb, because you’re forcing us to go back into an environment that is dangerous,” elementary school teacher Andrea Parker said at a demonstration in Chicago. (Budryk, 8/4)
AP:
25 Virus Cases Reported At Oregon Summer Camp
At least 25 campers and staff members at a camp east of Portland, Oregon have tested positive for COVID-19. The Oregonian/OregonLive reports the virus was first detected July 18 at Trout Creek Bible Camp near Corbett when a staff member tested positive, and the camp shut down for the season July 21. Multnomah County health officials say the outbreak has grown to a total of 11 campers and 14 staff members -- all age 20 or younger. (8/4)
AP:
Colorado St Investigates Athlete Claims On COVID Reporting
Colorado State president Joyce McConnell says she will launch an investigation into how the athletic department handled COVID-19 safety protocols amid a report that players were told not to reveal symptoms. The investigation stems from an article published in the Coloradoan on Tuesday. According to the newspaper report, Colorado State football players and members of the athletic staff say coaches told them not to report coronavirus symptoms and threatened players with reduced playing time should they quarantine. (8/5)
The Hill:
Azar: FDA Moved Quickly To Stop Subpar Chinese Masks From Being Sold In US
Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said Tuesday that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) moved quickly to stop subpar Chinese masks from being sold in the U.S. During an interview on Fox Business’s “Mornings with Maria,” Azar responded to a Wall Street Journal analysis that determined the FDA allowed thousands of Chinese manufacturers to sell KN95 masks in the U.S. with little oversight or quality checks. (Coleman, 8/4)