Kaiser Health News
Kaiser Health News (KHN) is a nonprofit news service committed to in-depth coverage of health care policy and politics. And we report on how the health care system — hospitals, doctors, nurses, insurers, governments, consumers — works. Check out our website at khn.org.
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Have a Case of a Covid Variant? No One Is Going to Tell You
Covid-19 infections from variant strains are quickly spreading across the U.S., but there's one big problem: Lab officials say they can't tell patients or their doctors whether someone has been infected by a variant.
The Do's and Don'ts on Social Media for Vaccine Haves and Have-Nots
It might engender envy, even outrage, especially if the person posting seems to have cut the line to get a COVID vaccine. But what if the intention was to encourage others to also get the shot? Does that make it OK?
Organ Transplant Patient Dies After Receiving Covid-Infected Lungs
Doctors say a woman in Michigan contracted COVID-19 and died last fall two months after receiving a tainted double-lung transplant from a donor who turned out to harbor the virus.
Companies Pan for Marketing Gold in Vaccines
Health care, even amid a global pandemic, is a commercial endeavor where some see opportunities to be seized.
Flurry of Bills Aim to Set Limits on Transgender Kids — And Their Doctors
As legislatures meet across the U.S. to write new laws, at least 16 states are considering measures that would affect transgender athletes or those seeking treatment for gender dysphoria.
As Pandemic Surged, Contact Tracing Struggled; Biden Looks to Boost It
Contact tracing, a critical part of efforts to slow the spread of the coronavirus, has fallen behind in recent months as COVID-19 cases have soared. President Joe Biden had pledged to change that.
Why the U.S. in Underestimating COVID Reinfection
U.S. health officials may be overlooking an unsettling subgroup of survivors: those who get infected more than once.
The State of Vaccine Supply: 'Opaque.' Unpredictable. 'Hard to Pin Down.'
Data about the number of vaccines delivered and administered lag. Sign-up systems are clunky and balkanized. But here's the real bottom line: Demand far exceeds supply — at least for the moment.
100 Million COVID Shots in 100 Days Doesn't Get Us Back to Normal
In early December, Biden announced that one promise would be to get 100 million COVID-19 vaccines into the arms of Americans in the first 100 days, but will that make a dent in the uphill battle against the virus?
Long-Haul COVID Cases Cast New Light on Chronic Fatigue Sufferers
The clinical term for the flattening fatigue one COVID survivor describes is "post-exertional malaise." It is a common symptom among patients who have not recovered from covid.
A Recipe for Trouble? Reversal of Calif. Outdoor Dining Ban Has Heads Spinning
Outdoor dining is resuming in California under state and local orders issued last week — but with COVID cases, hospitalizations and deaths still far higher than they were when the bans took effect.
When Your Chance for a Covid Shot Comes, Don't Worry About the Numbers
When getting vaccinated against COVID-19, there's no sense being picky. You should take the first authorized vaccine that's offered, experts say.
Why Even Presidential Pressure Might Not Get More Vaccine to Market Faster
Americans are dying of COVID-19 by the thousands, but efforts to ramp up production of potentially lifesaving vaccines are hitting a brick wall.
Yurts, Igloos and Pop-Up Domes: How Safe Is 'Outside' Restaurant Dining This Winter?
Those who can serve customers outdoors, on patios or sidewalks, are coming up with creative adaptations that can make dining possible in the frigid depths of winter, but is it safe?
Biden's COVID Challenge: 100 Million Vaccinations in the First 100 Days. It Won't Be Easy.
Sluggish vaccine distribution has been attributed to a lack of communication between federal and local departments, not enough funding for large-scale efforts, and confusing federal guidance, but the same problems could plague the Biden administration.
Advocates View Health Care as Key to Driving LGBTQ Rights Conversation
Surveys in North Carolina and across the nation show that about one-third of transgender people have been refused treatment or suffered verbal or physical abuse from a medical provider, but advocates are fighting for change.
Black Americans Are Getting Vaccinated at Lower Rates Than White Americans
Black Americans are receiving covid vaccinations at dramatically lower rates than white Americans in the first weeks of the chaotic rollout, according to a new KHN analysis.
5 Reasons to Wear a Mask Even After You're Vaccinated
"Masks and social distancing will need to continue into the foreseeable future — until we have some level of herd immunity," said Dr. Preeti Malani, chief health officer at the University of Michigan. "Masks and distancing are here to stay."
Feeling Left Out: Private Practice Doctors, Patients Wonder When It's Their Turn for Vaccine
Not only are doctors having trouble getting vaccine for patients, but many of the community-based physicians and medical staff that aren't employed by hospitals or health systems also report mixed results in getting inoculated.
Hospitals' Rocky Rollout of Covid Vaccine Sparks Questions of Fairness
Although states and federal health groups laid out broad guidelines on how to prioritize who gets the vaccine, in practice what's mattered most was who controlled the vaccine and where the vaccine distribution was handled.
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