Category: Public Health

KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: Contagion Confusion

It’s 2022 and the covid-19 pandemic is still with us, as are congressional efforts to pass President Joe Biden’s big health and social spending bill. But other issues seem certain to take center stage on this year’s health agenda, including abortion, the state of the health care workforce, and prescription drug prices. Tami Luhby of CNN, Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico and Mary Ellen McIntire of CQ Roll Call join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews KHN’s Victoria Knight, who reported the latest KHN-NPR “Bill of the Month” episode.

CDC clears boosters for 12- to 15-year-olds

In alignment with the FDA’s Jan. 3 expansion of Pfizer-BioNTech’s booster, the CDC has cleared boosters for 12- to 15-year olds. 

4 early findings on omicron symptoms

Preliminary research and anecdotal evidence from physicians suggest the omicron variant may cause slightly different symptoms than previous coronavirus strains. However, experts say it’s still too early to make any definitive statements, according to T…

A New Paradigm Is Needed: Top Experts Question the Value of Advance Care Planning

Prominent researchers say the nationwide effort to get people to spell out how they want to be treated as they die is not improving patients’ care.

CDC stands by isolation guidance, skips on testing component

The CDC is standing by its newly updated isolation guidelines that state people with COVID-19 whose symptoms are improving and are fever-free may end isolation after five days without a negative test. 

What’s ‘flurona’?: 7 things to know

Though the concept isn’t new, concurrent COVID-19 and flu infections have been dubbed “flurona” as more cases have been publicly reported, according to The Washington Post. 

9 states reporting record pediatric COVID-19 hospitalizations

As COVID-19 hospitalizations surge across the nation, at least nine states are reporting record pediatric hospitalizations, NBC News reported Jan. 3.

Omicron surge may peak in January, models predict

The national surge in COVID-19 cases fueled by the highly transmissible omicron variant may last weeks, rather than months, according to the most recent projections from the COVID-19 Scenario Modeling Hub, a consortium of researchers helping the CDC tr…

With Sexually Transmitted Infections Off the Charts, California Pushes At-Home Tests

A new law makes California the first state to require that health insurance plans, including Medicaid, cover home STI tests. But some details still need to be worked out.

Hogan declares emergency in Maryland: What it means for hospitals

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan declared a 30-day state of emergency to take short-term actions to support overwhelmed hospitals and mobilized 1,000 National Guard members as COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations surge in the state.