In its inexorable spread across New York City, the coronavirus is exacting a greater toll on men than women. Not only are men infected in greater numbers, new data show, but they are also dying at nearly twice the rate of women. To date, there have been nearly 43 Covid-19 deaths for every 100,000 men …
Tiny Love Stories: ‘The Dumbest Fight I’ve Ever Been In’
Will the Dishwasher End Us? Big fight today before grocery shopping about the proper way to load knives into the dishwasher. A small yet pivotal moment in our shelter-at-home lives. Do we cause a scene in the Trader Joe’s line? Do we forgo collaboration on the grocery list? It’s drizzling, gray. The people behind us …
What We Tell Children When the World Seems Unsafe
This is about the song my mother used to sing, “Shake Hands With Your Air Raid Warden.” It’s about living through scary times with children, and what you tell them when the world does not seem like a safe place. And of course, it’s about my mother, and maybe about her generation, which certainly grew …
To Curb Coronavirus, What’s Behind The Wearing Of A Mask?
Use Our Content This story can be republished for free (details). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday recommended wearing cloth face masks when going out, especially to places like grocery stores and pharmacies. That’s because a “significant portion” of people with the virus lack symptoms or can transmit the disease through close …
How to Celebrate a Birthday During the Coronavirus Shutdown
It became clear in mid-March that my birthday plans for the end of the month had to be canceled. After a quick self-pity session my focus shifted from what I’d be losing (happy hour with my friends at my favorite dim sum spot, a haircut with my favorite stylist, a massage) to what I could …
‘Our Sentences Have Turned Into Death Sentences’: A Look Inside A Louisiana Prison Offers Snapshot Of National Issue
Advocates across the country are worried that if the coronavirus outbreak spreads to the prisons, it could be a catastrophe for those inside, who are often kept in close quarters with sub-par health and hygiene services. The Wall Street Journal interviews inmates and their families at one Louisiana prison who say that the invisible enemy …
How to Make (and Use) a Disinfectant Against Coronavirus
The coronavirus that causes COVID-19 may survive for several days on some surfaces. Estimates of its life span vary, but the virus can clearly hang around long enough to make disinfecting frequently touched surfaces a priority. Normally, disinfectants, like Lysol and Clorox wipes are available and would do the trick in cleaning most surfaces of …
A Vaccine Is The One True Global Exit Strategy From This Pandemic, But Timeline Is Frustratingly Long
Scientists, political leaders and businessmen are trying to adopt ways to cut months off the vaccine development timeline. That includes wasting billions on preparing to develop vaccines that might not work. In the meantime, drugmakers race to find an effective treatment option. Stat: A $30 Billion Gamble: Pandemic Expert Calls For Making Covid-19 Vaccines Before …
Health Law Could Act As Safety Net For Millions, But Marketing Has Been So Severely Cut They Might Not Know It
Advocates are calling for the Trump administration to ramp up spending on outreach to make sure Americans who have been laid off during the crisis know there’s an option out there for them. The administration instead seems to be focused on a plan to tap hospital stimulus funds to pay people’s bills if they get …
HHS Watchdog Report Finds Hospitals Are Seriously Grappling With Equipment And Protective Gear Shortages
In the first nationwide assessment for how hospitals are handling the pandemic, the facilities told HHS’ Office of Inspector General that they’re increasingly “turning to new, sometimes un-vetted, and non-traditional sources of supplies and medical equipment.” The report finds that health systems need more help with tests, supplies and equipment; workforce flexibility; bed capacity; financial …
Industry Roundup: A Medicare Advantage Pay Bump; Hospitals’ Partnerships With Local Agencies; Social Safety Nets And Health
CMS has finalized a bump for Medicare Advantage plans that’s a good deal higher than the agency’s initial proposal that met with fierce industry opposition. Meanwhile, researchers look at a variety of factors when it comes to spending and safety nets. Modern Healthcare: Medicare Advantage Plans Will Get A 1.66% Pay Bump For 2021The CMS …
How COVID-19 Affects U.S. Kids: CDC Data Confirms That Children Are Less Likely To Fall Seriously Ill
Less than 2 percent of the confirmed U.S. coronavirus infections are pediatric cases, according to a new CDC report. Three kids under 18 so far have died though, and there is some evidence that babies may be at more risk, though data is incomplete. News reports focus on the health impact to pregnant women, as …
Government To Buy 167M Masks From 3M For Front-Line Workers Following Contentious Negotiations
The federal government’s decision to use the Defense Production Act was key to shifting the trajectory of negotiations between the two sides, Trump administration officials say. Health care workers are issuing desperate calls for more masks. In one Detroit hospital system alone, 700 employees have tested positive for the virus. Meanwhile, the military steps up …
From The States: Is D.C. The Next Hot Spot?; Idaho Balks At Big Government Directives; Pandemic Shaming Takes Off In Small Towns
Media outlets looks at news from D.C., Virginia, Maryland, Idaho, California, Oklahoma, Ohio, Massachusetts, Georgia, Louisiana, Texas and Nevada. The Washington Post: Deaths In The DMV Increase As Officials Warn It Could Be Next Hot SpotThe District, Maryland and Virginia saw their biggest single-day increase in fatalities related to the novel coronavirus Monday, with deaths …
Physical And Mental Complications Can Linger For Patients Who Recover From Coronavirus
While a life-saving tool, ventilators can cause long-term physical and emotional side effects. And physicians say they can’t offer recovered patients who aren’t retested any guarantees about whether they can still transmit the virus. Meanwhile, experts warn of a mental health crisis brewing. More public health news related to the outbreak report on a drop …
Virus Outbreak Seems To Hit Black Americans At Alarming Rate But Lack Of Data Obstructs Full Picture
Data on race and the impact of COVID-19 is too limited so far to draw conclusions, experts say. But disparate rates of sickness and death is emerging in many African-American and Latino communities. “We cannot have a colorblind policy,” Stephen Thomas, director of the University of Maryland’s Center for Health Equity tells Politico. “With a …
First Edition: April 7, 2020
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations. Kaiser Health News: Nursing Homes Have Thousands Of Ventilators That Hospitals Desperately NeedAs the number of COVID-19 patients climbs and health officials hunt for ventilators to treat them, nursing homes across the United States have a cache ― about 8,200 of the lifesaving machines, according to …
Nursing Homes Have Thousands Of Ventilators That Hospitals Desperately Need
As the number of COVID-19 patients climbs and health officials hunt for ventilators to treat them, nursing homes across the United States have a cache ― about 8,200 of the lifesaving machines, according to data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Most of the machines are in use, often by people who’ve suffered …
Cancer Patients Face Treatment Delays And Uncertainty As Coronavirus Cripples Hospitals
This story is part of a partnership that includes NPR and Kaiser Health News This story can be republished for free (details). The federal government has encouraged health centers to delay nonessential surgeries while weighing the severity of patients’ conditions and the availability of personal protective equipment, beds and staffing at hospitals. People with cancer …
Inside Meals On Wheels’ Struggle To Keep Older Americans Fed During A Pandemic
This story also ran on USA Today. This story can be republished for free (details). In the best of times, Meals on Wheels faces the herculean task of delivering 200 million meals annually to 2.4 million hungry and isolated older Americans. But this is the time of the dreaded novel coronavirus. With the pandemic bearing …
Dispatch From A Country Doctor: Seeing Patients Differently In The Time Of Coronavirus
Use Our Content This story can be republished for free (details). Patients would often stop by River Bend Family Medicine just to gab with staff at the front desk or bring baked goods to Dr. Matt Hahn. “I’m a simple country doctor,” said Hahn, who has practiced in Hancock, Maryland, for 20 years ― the …
Domestic Abusers Can Control Your Devices. Here’s How to Fight Back.
Every day, Sarah Prager saw the magnet on her fridge warning her of the dangers of domestic abuse, but she didn’t think much of it. Her girlfriend’s tactics were much more subtle, involving checking her phone and electronic devices, she said. In response, Ms. Prager, a writer from Massachusetts, deleted text messages as soon as …
U.S. Children With Coronavirus Are Less Hard Hit Than Adults, First Data Shows
Children make up a very small proportion of American coronavirus cases so far and are significantly less likely to become seriously ill than American adults, according to a preliminary report on the first wave of coronavirus cases in the United States. But some have become very sick, and at least three have died. The study, …
How to Quarantine Yourself
Stay home unless you must see a doctor. No trips to the office or school, no shopping. If you must come out of your room, wear a mask. And don’t share towels. If you are among the thousands of Americans now self-quarantined because of possible infection with the coronavirus, these are a few of the …
After COVID-19: Doctors Ponder Best Advice As Patients Recover From Coronavirus
Use Our Content This story can be republished for free (details). When David Vega fell ill with the novel coronavirus in mid-March, fever, chills and nausea left the 27-year-old Indiana medical student curled up in bed for days. After a test confirmed he had COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, his doctor advised Vega …