China Issues Bubonic Plague Health Alert; One Australian City Locked Down Again
July 7, 2020 KHN Morning Briefing
Global developments related to the coronavirus pandemic and other public health issues are reported from China, Australia, Canada, India, the UK, Saudi Arabia, France, Amsterdam, Chile, South Korea and other nations.
‘Needs To Happen Immediately’: Judges Press California Governor To Reduce Prison Populations
July 7, 2020 KHN Morning Briefing
Over the weekend, four prisoners died at San Quentin, where there have been more than 1,500 confirmed infections. Other California news focuses on ICE detention facilities, rising hospitalizations, the Assembly’s recess and closures of more businesses, among other things.
‘You Shot And Killed A Baby’: Hundreds Hurt, Including Some Kids, As Gun Violence Flares Over Weekend
July 7, 2020 KHN Morning Briefing
As shootings increase in places like Atlanta, Chicago and New York City, local and state officials work to respond to multiple public health emergencies, including gun violence and the coronavirus crisis.
Officials In Larger Texas Cities Wary Of Record High Hospitalizations; Phoenix Mayor Cites ‘Crisis’, Asks For More Resources
July 7, 2020 KHN Morning Briefing
Media outlets report on news from Texas, Arizona, Tennessee, Georgia, Indiana, Maine and Florida.
Trodelvy Boosts Survival Rate For Women With ‘Triple-Negative’ Breast Cancer, Study Shows
July 7, 2020 KHN Morning Briefing
In other pharmaceutical news: Jonathan Sackler, co-owner of Purdue Pharma, dies at 65 of cancer; J&J lowers the price of a tuberculosis drug; the EPA approves Lysol to fight COVID-19; and more.
Kids Going Hungry: Nearly Four in 10 Black, Hispanic Families Struggling To Get Enough Food During Pandemic
July 7, 2020 KHN Morning Briefing
Food insecurity has surged over the last three months across all demographics, but has disproportionately impacted Black and Hispanic households with children. And other news stories on how racial and income disparities impact health care cover evictions and homelessness; period poverty; immigrant caregivers; child care challenges; and the potential for tech companies to try to close the gap.
After Reopening Of Public Spaces, Florida Education Official Orders Schools To Follow
July 7, 2020 KHN Morning Briefing
“All school boards and charter school governing boards must open brick and mortar schools in August at least five days per week for all students,” state Commissioner of Education Richard Corcoran said — although some leeway was given to local jurisdictions as infections rise. New York and New Jersey schools are in the news, as well.
Recent Surges Adding New Stress To COVID Testing Capacity
July 7, 2020 KHN Morning Briefing
News outlets report that testing sites in areas such as New Orleans or Sacramento County in California, where COVID-19 case counts are on the rise, are running out of the needed supplies amidst skyrocketing demand. And as case counts increase rapidly, contact tracers efforts become more difficult.
Trump’s Opposition To Masks Muddles Public Health Messages And His Re-Election Campaign
July 7, 2020 KHN Morning Briefing
To wear a mask or not to? It’s a debate that marks the federal response as well as efforts at the state and local level to curb the spread of COVID-19. It is also a question that ignites deep political passions and personal reactions.
AIDS Advocates, Worried About Falling Behind During Pandemic, Call For Redoubling Response
July 7, 2020 KHN Morning Briefing
“While tackling COVID-19 is a global priority, we must not turn our backs on the 38 million people living with HIV and the millions more at risk of infection,” Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Monday at the International AIDS Conference. Public health news is on diabetes, strokes and zoonotic diseases, also.
Minimizing The Risks Of Aerosols: Experts Offer Guideline On Avoiding Exposure To The Pathogen
July 7, 2020 KHN Morning Briefing
The virus does not travel long distances or remain viable outdoors, experts say, but evidence suggests it can traverse the length of a room and, remain viable for perhaps three hours. Public health news is on unsafe hospitals, patient bills, stimulus fraud, vulnerable patients, blood types, masks, health care workers and the challenges being faced by the sports’ world.
Older People Refusing To Take COVID Precautions, ‘Troubling’ Study Finds
July 7, 2020 KHN Morning Briefing
Many seniors are having difficulty adjusting to their “new normal.” Meanwhile, some adults have moved to a new home to reduce their risk of catching the coronavirus or to be closer to family.
McConnell Signals Senate Interest In Fifth Coronavirus Relief Bill
July 7, 2020 KHN Morning Briefing
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell hinted that such a package could include provisions such as direct stimulus payments to Americans as well as liability protections for businesses.
Younger People Criticized For Thinking They’re ‘Invincible’ As Their Cases Rise
July 7, 2020 KHN Morning Briefing
Also, The New York Times takes a look at why Broadway star Nick Cordero’s death underscores the many unknowns about COVID-19 — including how it could affect young, healthy people.
Who Got Small-Business Relief Loans? Trump Donors, Elite Schools, Planned Parenthood Are On The List
July 7, 2020 KHN Morning Briefing
The Trump administration has revealed some of the companies that received Paycheck Protection Program aid intended to help small businesses survive the pandemic and retain jobs.
New Rule For Foreign Students Could Force Colleges To Reopen Despite Risks
July 7, 2020 KHN Morning Briefing
The Trump administration said Monday that international students will be forced to leave the U.S. or transfer to another college if their schools offer classes entirely online this fall.
Medicare Data Offers Public Incomplete Count Of Nursing Homes That Experienced COVID-19 Cases, Deaths
July 7, 2020 KHN Morning Briefing
As nursing homes report coronavirus cases and deaths, a Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services website is supposed to release the data. But there are gaps in the stats. “The biggest thing that needs to be taken away … is in its current form, it is really leaving consumers in the dark,” Sam Brooks, project manager for Consumer Voice, said of the website.
Fauci’s Take On U.S. Coronavirus Outbreak: ‘Really Not Good’
July 7, 2020 KHN Morning Briefing
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the National Institutes of Health’s infectious disease expert, said Monday that the need for public health practices to curb the virus’s spread should not be considered at odds with efforts to reopen the nation’s economy.
