Category: COVID-19

KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: Democrats May Lose on SCOTUS, But Hope to Win on ACA

Barring something unexpected, Democrats in the Senate appear to lack the votes to block the confirmation of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court. So, instead they used the high-profile confirmation hearings to hammer on Republicans for again putting the Affordable Care Act in peril. Mary Ellen McIntire of CQ Roll Call, Shefali Luthra of The 19th and Sarah Karlin-Smith of Pink Sheet join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more. Plus, Rovner interviews Dr. Ashish Jha, dean of the Brown University School of Public Health, about public health challenges in dealing with COVID-19.

Sleepless Nights, Hair Loss and Cracked Teeth: Pandemic Stress Takes Its Toll

Reports are on the rise regarding excruciating headaches, stomach upsets for weeks on end, sudden outbreaks of shingles and flare-ups of autoimmune disorders. A common thread among the complaints, one that has been months in the making, is chronic stress.

COVID Crackdowns at Work Have Saved Black and Latino Lives, LA Officials Say

Strict enforcement of coronavirus protocols at factories and shops where some of the worst outbreaks have occurred has reduced the racial and ethnic disparities in COVID deaths and illness, say public health officials. They want to expand the effort by creating workplace safety councils.

As Californians Get Older and Less Mobile, Fires Get Hotter and Faster

Retirement areas are increasingly being built in the idyllic wooded fringe of towns and cities. Being close to nature also means being in the path of wildfires.

Making Money Off Masks, COVID-Spawned Chain Store Aims to Become Obsolete

A new chain of stores is spreading in malls across America, just like the disease that is giving it business. COVID-19 Essentials is selling masks and all the gear needed to stay safe — and the owner can’t wait to go out of business.

Pence Said Biden Copied Trump’s Pandemic Response Plan. Pants on Fire!

The vice president went on to point out the underlying philosophical differences between President Donald Trump and Joe Biden regarding their approaches to COVID-19.

Black Doctors Work to Make Coronavirus Testing More Equitable

The Black Doctors COVID-19 Consortium has increased access to coronavirus testing in the Philadelphia region, testing more than 10,000 people. The group’s mobile unit and pop-up testing sites also offer patients an opportunity to connect with African American health care providers.

COVID Takes Challenge of Tracking Infectious College Students to New Level

Amid a surge of college coronavirus cases, some local and state health departments have been scrambling to properly trace contacts and assign cases across state and county lines.

With Senate Control at Stake, Trump and COVID Haunt Ernst’s Fight to Keep Her Seat

In less than six years, Sen. Joni Ernst has gone from being a rising star in the Republican Party to running neck and neck against a political newcomer. A poll last month showed more than 1 in 3 Iowa voters think Ernst’s relationship to President Donald Trump is “too close,”  and her comments about the coronavirus death toll sparked a backlash.

COVID Stalks Montana Town Already Saddled With Asbestos Disease

Residents of a small Montana community exposed to decades of asbestos contamination are taking extra precautions to keep COVID-19 away.