Category: COVID-19

How to Pull Off a COVID-Era Music Festival

One woman’s attempt to create a festival celebrating diverse music ran up against the reality of the pandemic this year. But it also yielded lessons in how to reimagine events in the COVID era.

Trump’s Wrong. 15% ‘Herd Immunity’ Is Not on Par With Strength of a Vaccine

Experts agree that more than 70% of a population needs to be inoculated to reach “herd immunity.”

High-Poverty Neighborhoods Bear the Brunt of COVID’s Scourge

COVID infection rates in California are consistently higher in low-income neighborhoods than more affluent areas, according to an analysis by ZIP code. Our findings underscore the heightened risks borne by millions of low-wage workers whose jobs are deemed essential.

Pediatricians Want Kids to Be Part of COVID Vaccine Trials

Some years from now, infants and school-aged children will probably be the mainstay of a universal vaccination program against COVID-19 in the United States. But first, doctors want to be sure that newfangled vaccines won’t harm them.

In COVID Hot Zones, Firefighters Now ‘Pump More Oxygen Than Water’

Firefighters are often thrust into front-line health emergencies. During the COVID pandemic, they’ve paid an especially high price.

Hospitals Scramble to Prioritize Which Workers Are First for COVID Shots

Even as the federal Food and Drug Administration engaged in intense deliberations ahead of Friday’s authorization of the nation’s first COVID vaccine, and days before the initial doses were to be released, hospitals have been grappling with how to distribute the first scarce shots. Their plans vary broadly.

Going Home for the Holidays? For Many Americans, That’s a Risky Decision

Public health officials have urged Americans to hunker down, but people are still planning trips and contemplating ways to mitigate the risk of catching or spreading the coronavirus.

Supply Is Limited and Distribution Uncertain as COVID Vaccine Rolls Out

Hospitals and nursing homes must decide who gets the initial doses as the U.S. heads into the biggest vaccination effort in history. There’s a lot left to figure out.

KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: Vaccines Coming Soon but COVID Relief Bill Still Stalled

Even as the Food and Drug Administration nears emergency authorization for the first vaccine to protect against COVID-19, Congress remains at loggerheads over a COVID relief bill that could also provide the funding to fully distribute the vaccines. Meanwhile, President-elect Joe Biden announced the first members of his health team. Joanne Kenen of Politico, Kimberly Leonard of Business Insider and Mary Ellen McIntire of CQ Roll Call join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews Michael Mackert of the University of Texas-Austin, an expert on communicating public health information.

A Battle-Weary Seattle Hospital Fights the Latest COVID Surge

Harborview Medical Center was at the epicenter of the first wave of coronavirus in the U.S. Staffers have a better understanding of the disease as cases surge, but fatigue and a lack of backup staff are big challenges.