Aug 28 CDC director attempts to clarify controversial COVID-19 testing guidelines By Kate Sheridan, STAT CDC Director Robert Redfield on Thursday attempted to clarify a set of controversial changes to the agency’s COVID-19 testing guidelines. Continue reading
Aug 28 Why you can thank Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr. for doctors washing their hands By Dr. Howard Markel In the mid-19th century, doctors in elite teaching hospitals would unknowingly spread deadly bacteria to expectant mothers. Here's how Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr. helped change that. Continue reading
Aug 28 California governor announces new reopening plan By Michael R. Blood, Kathleen Ronayne, Associated Press The new rules create a four-tier, color-coded system that counties will move through based on their number of cases and percentage of positive tests. It will rely on two metrics to determine which tier a county is in: case rates… Continue reading
Aug 28 College towns growing alarmed over outbreaks among students By Bryan Anderson, David Pitt, Associated Press The outbreaks since students began returning to campus in the past few weeks have heightened town-gown tensions and led to recriminations between local politicians and university officials. Continue reading
Aug 28 Health agencies’ credibility at risk after week of blunders By Matthew Perrone, Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar, Associated Press First, the head of the Food and Drug Administration had to walk back exaggerated statements about the benefits of a new plasma therapy for coronavirus. Then the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention triggered a backlash from the medical community… Continue reading
Aug 28 4 at RNC in Charlotte test positive for virus By Associated Press Four people at the Republican National Convention in Charlotte have tested positive for the coronavirus, health officials in North Carolina’s Mecklenburg County say. Continue reading
Aug 27 How pandemic anxiety is affecting pregnant women By Shefali Luthra, The 19th Pregnant people in the pandemic are even more vulnerable to depression and anxiety. It's a problem the U.S. is already struggling to address. Continue reading
Aug 27 WHO urges proactive COVID-19 testing, despite CDC’s recent flip flop By Associated Press The World Health Organization says countries should actively test people to find coronavirus cases, even if they have mild or no symptoms. Continue reading
Aug 27 How nations are going back to school — or not By Associated Press Governments around the world are taking different strategies toward the new school year, depending on how many infections they're seeing, the state of their health care systems and political considerations. Continue reading
Aug 26 Watch 5:58 Are U.S. medical experts being influenced by the Trump administration? By William Brangham Questions are again being raised about whether the Trump administration is injecting politics into science -- and the national pandemic response. Recent moves by the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention appear to conflict… Continue watching