Anna Maria Barry-Jester

Anna Maria Barry-Jester was a senior correspondent for KFF Health News until June 2022.

@annabarryjester

Many Schools Have Closed ― But Not All. What Parents Need To Know About That Tough Call.

Closing K-12 schools is part of a broad strategy to limit public interactions and slow the spread of COVID-19 cases. But the decision is far from easy, with conflicting science about how effective such closures are weighed against the massive disruption to families’ lives.

How To Avoid Coronavirus? Lessons From People Whose Lives Depend On It

As the new coronavirus continues its spread through the U.S., the general public can look for guidance from millions of Americans with weakened immune systems who long ago adopted the rules of infection control that officials tout to avoid contagion.

New California Coronavirus Case Reveals Problems with U.S. Testing Protocols

Disease experts say a new coronavirus case in California underscores the need for more widespread community testing for the illness, as well as problems caused by the delays in getting functional coronavirus test kits to state and local public health agencies. 

When It Comes To The New Coronavirus, Just Who Is A ‘Close Contact’?

Health officials stress that the new coronavirus devastating mainland China continues to pose minimal risk in the United States. The exception involves people who have had “close contact” with someone infected with the virus. So what exactly is close contact?

Public Health Officials Offer Scant Details On U.S. Coronavirus Patients

To date, the U.S. has multiple confirmed cases of the viral infection that originated in Wuhan, China. That includes cases in which the virus passed from person to person within this country. So why don’t health officials share more information with the public?