Lauren Weber and Christina Jewett

Author's posts

Laws Shield Hospitals From Families Who Believe Loved Ones Contracted Covid as Patients

Families who believe their loved ones contracted covid-19 while hospitalized are finding they have little recourse following a wave of liability shield legislation pushed by business interests.

As Patients Fell Ill With Covid Inside Hospitals, Government Oversight Fell Short

A KHN investigation finds that hospitals with high rates of covid patients who didn’t have the diagnosis when they were admitted have rarely been held accountable due to multiple gaps in government oversight.

Government Oversight of Covid Air Cleaners Leaves Gaping Holes

Thousands of schools have spent millions of federal covid relief dollars snapping up air cleaning technology that claims to inactivate covid-19. But the devices fall into a regulatory gap.

As Schools Spend Millions on Air Purifiers, Experts Warn of Overblown Claims and Harm to Children

A KHN investigation found that more than 2,000 schools have spent millions of dollars for systems, lured by air purifier companies’ claims that experts say mislead or obscure the potential for harm from toxic ozone.

As Coronavirus Testing Gears Up, Specialized Swabs Running Out

Nationwide, testing for coronavirus is ramping up. But the supply of specialty swabs needed to collect potential coronavirus specimens can’t keep up with demand, creating a bottleneck in testing capabilities. So two top manufacturers are working with U.S. and Italian governments to increase production.