Category: Global Health Watch

Can the US Keep Covid Variants in Check? Here’s What It Takes

The U.S. has fumbled almost every step of its public health response in its battle against covid-19. Experts say that must change if we’re going to outflank the variants emerging as the virus continues to mutate.

Amid Covid Health Worker Shortage, Foreign-Trained Professionals Sit on Sidelines

Hospitals dealing with staff shortages during the current covid surge are unable to tap into one valuable resource: foreign-trained doctors, nurses and other health workers, many with experience treating infectious diseases. Colorado, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York and Nevada are the only states to have eased credentialing requirements during the pandemic.

Health Workers Unions See Surge in Interest Amid Covid

Many front-line health workers who have faced a perpetual lack of PPE and inconsistent safety measures believe the government and their employers have failed to protect them from covid-19.

Illinois Is First in the Nation to Extend Health Coverage to Undocumented Seniors

As the pandemic hits Latino communities especially hard, Illinois is expanding public health insurance to all low-income noncitizen seniors. Advocates hope other states follow its lead.

Eureka! Two Vaccines Work — But What About the Also-Rans in the Pharma Arms Race?

How two effective vaccines on the market make it so much harder to quickly test any competing vaccines.

Heading Off the Next Pandemic

As long as humans encroach on nature, pandemics are inevitable — making it important to concentrate resources in areas where people and wildlife are linked.

In Fast-Moving Pandemic, Health Officials Try to Change Minds at Warp Speed

It typically takes years of persuasion to change habits in the name of health safety. Local officials who are stuck with the responsibility of enforcing statewide pandemic-related mandates are trying to transform behavior fast.

Analysis: Some Said the Vaccine Rollout Would Be a ‘Nightmare.’ They Were Right.

There are already signs that the distribution of the COVID vaccines will be messy, confusing and chaotic.

Health Officials Fear Pandemic-Related Suicide Spike Among Native Youth

Recent deaths on a small Native American reservation in Montana have underlined the heightened risks for Indigenous youths and how suicide prevention programs are struggling to operate during the pandemic.

Many US Health Experts Underestimated the Coronavirus … Until It Was Too Late

Scientists learned the wrong lesson from past outbreaks, but Dr. Anthony Fauci doesn’t cast blame.