The on-off nature of the pandemic “has led to a lot of the confusion and grumpiness,” says one expert. Another compares it to the exhaustion of the American public when hearing body counts during the Vietnam War.
Category: Public Health
Flu hospitalizations rising: 10 stats to know about who makes up flu patients
Flu hospitalizations in the U.S. rose for the fourth week in a row, as of Feb. 26 CDC data.
COVID-19 vaccinations down 47% this week: 10 CDC findings
The nation’s COVID-19 vaccination campaign has hit a slump on the heels of the omicron surge, with daily vaccinations down nearly 47 percent this week compared to a week prior, according to the CDC’s COVID-19 data tracker weekly review published March 4.
Flu hospitalizations rise 4th week in a row — 9 CDC notes
The U.S. continues to report sporadic flu activity, with levels rising in some areas, according to the CDC’s FluView report published March 4.
90% of population now in communities where masks not needed: CDC
More than 90 percent of the U.S. population now lives in an area with low or medium COVID-19 community level, indicating masks are not needed, according to a March 3 update from the CDC.
When Teens Blow Off Parents’ Pleas to Get Vaccinated, the Consequences Can Be Deadly
Kennedy Stonum, a 17-year-old high school junior, resisted getting vaccinated against covid-19, as did 20-year-old Tyler Gilreath, whose mother had nagged him for months to get the shots. Both died.
No signs omicron subvariant will spur surge, Dr. Michael Osterholm says
Cases of the highly transmissible omicron subvariant appear to be doubling every week in the U.S., but there isn’t clear evidence BA.2 will cause another major surge, epidemiologist Michael Osterholm, PhD, told Becker’s March 2.
US suicides peaked in 2018: 6 CDC findings
The national suicide rate peaked in 2018, and then declined in both 2019 and 2020, according to CDC data released Feb. 25.
KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: A Health-Heavy State of the Union
President Joe Biden spent a large portion of his first State of the Union address talking about foreign affairs, but he also spent time on an array of health topics, including mental health, nursing home regulation, and toxic burn pits. Also this week, the administration unveiled a strategy to address the covid pandemic going forward. Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Amy Goldstein of The Washington Post, and Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more. Plus, for extra credit, the panelists recommend their favorite health policy stories of the week they think you should read, too.
Biden Pledges Better Nursing Home Care, but He Likely Won’t Fast-Track It
CMS chief Chiquita Brooks-LaSure says the agency reserves its power to quickly institute new regulations for “absolute emergencies.” On staffing, nursing home residents might need to wait years to see any real change.
