Category: COVID-19

Biden Kept His Promise to Increase Covid-Testing Capacity, Even as Demand for Testing Drops

Experts told us that the system’s capacity has improved and people now have access to different testing options.

Labor Department Issues Emergency Rules to Protect Health Care Workers From Covid

Citing the deaths of thousands of health care workers, the new rules will force employers to report fatalities or hospitalizations to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, and provide higher-quality protective gear, among other actions.

Lawmakers Pressure Newsom to ‘Step Up’ on Racism as a Public Health Issue

California Democratic lawmakers are asking Gov. Gavin Newsom to approve $100 million per year to fund programs that address health inequality and structural racism.

An Anti-Vaccine Film Targeted to Black Americans Spreads False Information

A new movie produced by Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s anti-vaccine group tries to capitalize on the covid-19 pandemic, the racial justice movement and renewed interest in the history of medical racism.

Women Now Drink as Much as Men — And Are Prone to Sickness Sooner

Young women have closed the gender gap for excessive drinking. And that was before the pandemic. The trend is particularly troubling because women are at greater risk for blackouts, liver disease, cardiovascular diseases and certain cancers linked to alcohol use.

Unused Johnson & Johnson Covid Doses Are Piling Up as FDA Waits to See if Shelf Life Can Be Extended

As vaccine expiration dates loom, states with hundreds of thousands of doses on hand say demand is tanking and there’s no easy way to donate to other states or countries that might want them

With Roots in Civil Rights, Community Health Centers Push for Equity in the Pandemic

Community health centers were born in the 1960s to reach low-income communities. But some rural health experts say federally qualified health centers were a missing piece in achieving early equity in the vaccine rollout.

Covid Was a Tipping Point for Telehealth. If Some Have Their Way, Virtual Visits Are Here to Stay.

Pressure is mounting on Congress and the Biden administration to make permanent pandemic-inspired rules that fueled telehealth growth. Some fear fraud and ballooning costs.

Analysis: Mounting Pressure on China About Covid ‘Lab Leak’ Could Backfire

Where the coronavirus originated remains a mystery and the Chinese are bucking demands to let investigators see more.

In Missouri and Other States, Flawed Data Makes It Hard to Track Vaccine Equity

Racial and ethnic categories for vaccination data vary widely from one state to another, complicating efforts to distribute shots where they are needed most. In Missouri, some red flags in the data surfaced, making health officials question its usefulness.