Tag: Public Health
As fears grow over Covid vaccine delays, watchdog asks: ‘Why are we allowing Big Pharma’s patents to artificially limit supply?’
“It’s just wrong that big business is deciding who gets vaccinated, with zero transparency. We must scrap patents and massively scale up production globally.” by Jake Johnson, staff writer Friday, January 29, 2021 “Could you patent…
New Covid cases plunge 25% or more as behavior changes
by Christina Jewett January 28, 2021 A dozen states are reporting drops of 25% or more in new covid-19 cases and more than 1,200 counties have seen the same, federal data released Wednesday shows. Experts say…
Weed withdrawal: More than half of people using medical cannabis for pain experience withdrawal symptoms
by Lara Coughlin, University of Michigan CC BY-ND In stark contrast to the overblown fears portrayed during decades past, these days, most people think cannabis is relatively harmless. While weed is indeed less dangerous than…
A year after first case in Arizona, COVID-19 is now a leading killer
Ryan Knappenberger, Cronkite News Jan. 25, 2021 WASHINGTON – COVID-19 is on the verge of becoming the leading cause of death in Arizona, surpassing cancer and closing in on heart disease, according to the…
“We’ve let the worst happen”: reflecting on 400,000 dead
A much-needed check-in with health care reporter Caroline Chen as we examine the toll COVID-19 has taken on the country and what to expect from a new president. by Logan Jaffe, ProPubica January 23, 2021 In…
Flurry of Biden orders on COVID-19 raise some doubts, but more hopes
by Jacob Holter, Cronkite News Washington, D.C. Almost half of the 24 executive orders President Joe Biden has signed in his first two days in office have dealt with COVID-19, which White House officials cite as…
Biden mandates masks on federal property
Cronkite News Almost half of the 24 executive orders President Joe Biden signed in his first two days in office dealt with COVID-19, which White House officials say shows it their top priority. But even…
How many vaccine shots go to waste? Several states aren’t counting.
The CDC says health facilities should report unused and spoiled COVID-19 vaccines, but many are failing to do so. At a time when there aren’t enough shots to meet demand, significant numbers may be going in…
Health officials ramp up COVID-19 vaccines with new sites, eligibility in AZ
by Haleigh Kochanski, Cronkite News Friday, January 15 WASHINGTON – T he Arizona Department of Health Services said Friday it is expanding its COVID-19 vaccination programs, adding distribution at pharmacies and at a second state-run site in…
Memphis-area residents without internet must wait days for vaccination appointments, while others go to the front of the line
The county’s decision to prioritize vaccinations for internet users — and its failure to set aside any appointments for callers — raises issues of equity and access, say experts. by Wendi C. Thomas and Hannah Grabenstein,…
Vaccination disarray leaves seniors confused about when they can get a shot
In Arizona, “it’s up to each county to come up and execute a plan for vaccine distribution,” said Dana Kennedy, state director of AARP Arizona. by Judith Graham Thursday, January 14, 2021 For weeks, doctors’ phones…
Nearly 4,000 Americans died from Covid-19 on Wednesday as Trump incited anti-democratic insurrection
“Trump completely abdicating all responsibility for federal Covid response is not even on the radar today.” by Kenny Stancil, staff writer Thursday, January 7, 2021 Public Citizen president Robert Weissman called Wednesday a “dark, dark day…
Live free or die if you must, say Colorado urbanites — but not in my hospital
by Rae Ellen Bichell January 2, 2021 ERIE, Colo. Whenever Larry Kelderman looks up from the car he’s fixing and peers across the street, he’s looking across a border. His town of 28,000 straddles…
‘This Is Warp Speed?’ At current pace, US will take 10 years to adequately vaccinate the public against Covid-19
“We should have been prepared to start inoculating millions of people the day a vaccine was approved. This is a massive policy failure.” by Jake Johnson, staff writer Wednesday, December 30, 2020 If the Trump administration’s…
COVID vaccines appear safe and effective, but key questions remain
“A vaccine that remains in the vial is 0% effective no matter what the data show” by Bernard J. Wolfson December 28, 2020 The recent rollout of two newly authorized COVID-19 vaccines is a bright ray…
As the terror of COVID struck, health care workers struggled to survive. Thousands lost the fight.
At least 2,900 health workers have died since the pandemic began. Many were minorities with the highest levels of patient contact. by Christina Jewett and Robert Lewis Wednesday, December 23, 2020 This story also ran on…
How COVID-19 hollowed out a generation of young black men
They were pillars of their communities and families, and they are not replaceable. To understand why COVID-19 killed so many young Black men, you need to know the legend of John Henry. by Akilah Johnson and…
House Democrats Subpoena HHS and CDC bosses over alleged political interference in Covid-19 response
“The subpoenas were necessary because… efforts to interfere with scientific work at CDC were far more extensive and dangerous than previously known,” asserted Rep. James Clyburn. by Brett Wilkins, staff writer Monday, December 21, 2020 Accusing…
Restrictions on the South Texas border were meant to protect people from COVID-19. Then the handcuffs came out.
Governments along the Texas-Mexico border took a hard line to limit COVID-19’s spread. Police were key to the public health response, resulting in hundreds jailed and nearly 2,000 people ticketed. by Vianna Davila and Ren Larson…
McConnell tries to block extension of paid sick and family leave
The paid leave benefits have helped prevent thousands of coronavirus cases each day, but Republicans want them to expire. by Jake Johnson, staff writer Saturday. December 19, 2020, 2pm-MST Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is reportedly…
No more ICU beds at the main public hospital in the nation’s largest county
by Bernard J. Wolfson Photos by Heidi de Marco December 18, 2020 She lay behind a glass barrier, heavily sedated, kept alive by a machine that blew oxygen into her lungs through a tube taped to…
Trump Admin reportedly slashing vaccine allocations to states while millions of doses sit on shelves
“We have millions more doses sitting in our warehouse but, as of now, we have not received any shipment instructions for additional doses,” Pfizer said. by Kenny Stancil, staff writer Friday, December 18, 2020 Officials from…
As pandemic rages on, analysis finds 1 in 5 people in US prisons infected with Covid-19
Over 1,700 inmates have died in US prisons from Covid-19 The new data follow the ACLU’s warning that America’s “unique obsession with incarceration has become our Achilles heel when it comes to combating the spread of…
Vaccinating Black Americans is essential. Key states aren’t doing the work to combat hesitancy
States and the federal government also don’t reliably collect data so we won’t have a good idea of whether the vaccine is reaching these critical populations. by Caroline Chen, Ryan Gabrielson and Topher Sanders Though African…
