Latest California Healthline Stories
COVID Pandemic Jeopardizes Vote On Oklahoma Medicaid Expansion
On June 30, Oklahomans can vote on expanding the Medicaid program there. But supporters worry that fear of the coronavirus could diminish turnout or voters could be confused by Gov. Kevin Stitt’s recent change of heart: He now supports Medicaid expansion but not the ballot initiative.
Officials Seek To Shift Resources Away From Policing To Address Black ‘Public Health Crisis’
Local governments around the country are declaring racism a public health crisis. That could be lip service, or it might lead to shifting resources from policing to health care, housing and other services, experts say.
For A Black Social Media Manager In The George Floyd Age, Each Click Holds Trauma
In communities of color, the decision to participate in this moment of collective trauma — whether by watching and sharing the video of George Floyd’s death, discussing racial injustice on social media, or protesting and speaking out in the 3D world — can be one rife with anxiety and profound mental distress.
Ghost Bill: UVA Siphons Couple’s Tax Refund To Pay 20-Year-Old Medical Debt
Jane Collins and Anthony Blow were stunned to learn last fall that their state tax refund was being reduced by $110 because the Charlottesville medical center said they owed money for care their son received in 2001 and 2002.
Listen: Threats, Pressure Prompt Some California Public Health Officials To Leave Office
California Healthline senior correspondent Anna Maria Barry-Jester joined KQED’s Lily Jamali on “The California Report” and Alison St John on KPBS’ “Midday Edition” to discuss the threats that public health workers are facing as they enact pandemic protections.
Is A Second Wave Of Coronavirus Coming?
Some experts say the United States is arguably still in the first wave of the coronavirus pandemic and history tells us that the 1918 influenza pandemic came in at least three waves. But that’s not necessarily a template for how the coronavirus pandemic will play out, because the coronavirus doesn’t have the same degree of seasonality that influenza does.
US Nurses At For-Profit Hospital Chain To Strike Over Cuts And PPE Shortages
Health care workers report understaffing, long hours and protective equipment shortages at HCA Healthcare hospitals.
The Hidden Deaths Of The COVID Pandemic
Counting deaths caused by the coronavirus pandemic is easier said than done. Without widespread testing, officials must sort through presumed COVID deaths and those who died with infections rather than from them. Then there are the indirect deaths of people who died from circumstances created by the pandemic.
Sex In The Time Of COVID: Gay Men Begin To Embrace A ‘New Normal’
Like other people, many men who have sex with men have done all they could to avoid the coronavirus. Now some are braving renewed contact while balancing risk.
As Problems Grow With Abbott’s Fast COVID Test, FDA Standards Are Under Fire
After the FDA issues a public warning about the test, one of its senior officials says point-of-care coronavirus tests can miss 20% of cases and still be considered useful. Public health experts are split.