The attorney general’s report says that the death count did not include residents who were transferred to hospitals and deaths of other residents. The news shows growing frustration with the reopening of schools; find vaccines in California; and more.
Politician: Deaths in Nursing Homes Counted to Less Than 50 Percent in New York, Report Finds
The New York attorney general on Thursday accused the state of dramatically underestimating Covid-19 deaths in nursing homes, saying in a new poignant rebuke to Governor Andrew Cuomo’s government that the official count of about 8,500 may be wrong by up to 50 percent. A 76-page report, released Thursday morning by Attorney General Tish James, adds a new layer to the criticisms the Democratic governor has faced about the treatment of Covid-19 state in long-term care institutions – a problem that has surfaced in the past few days, as state lawmakers pressed for the results of a long-awaited inquiry into the deaths of asylum residents. (Young, 1/28)
In California news –
Politico: Newsom: California schools won’t reopen ‘if we expect the perfect’
A frustrated governor Gavin Newsom said on Thursday that school administrators and teacher unions should agree as soon as possible to reopen schools for younger students – or make it clear to families that they will not be returning to classrooms for the entire academic year. . Newsom was responding to the growing demands that all teachers receive vaccines first, but also to a long list of conditions that go beyond what the governor has proposed as safe to reopen schools that have been closed for almost a year. The vast majority of California’s 6 million public school students have not been on campuses since March. (May, 28/01)
Los Angeles Times: California lawmakers approve COVID-19 eviction protections until June
Californians facing financial difficulties because of the COVID-19 pandemic will be protected from eviction until June, provided they pay part of their rent in an emergency bill passed on Thursday by the Legislature, just three days before an existing moratorium. expire. Governor Gavin Newsom’s office said he will sign the legislation on Friday morning, providing eviction protection for tenants who pay at least 25% of their rent by June. The project also provides $ 2.6 billion in federal funds for rental subsidies that will help pay most of the low-rent tenants’ past due rent since last April. (McGreevy, 1/28)
KHN: Fuels from Vaccination Chaos Push to Recall Newsom
Joyce Hanson was thrilled when she heard Governor Gavin Newsom announce on January 13 that Californians aged 65 and over would be eligible to be vaccinated against covid-19. Infections and hospitalizations were on the rise in California, and Hanson knew that a simple trip to the grocery store puts her at greater risk of falling ill and dying. In addition, she had not seen her daughter in over a year, so she immediately started making plans to visit her in the San Francisco Bay area. (Hart, 1/29)
In news from Arkansas, North Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Montana, Colorado and elsewhere –
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette: Covid-19 cases of rising schools
Covid-19 cases in public schools have increased by about 9% over a three-day period, ending a trend in the last few days of a total drop in cases, according to data from the state Department of Health released on Thursday. The total number of active cases among students and public school staff jumped to 2,977 out of 2,723 cases reported on Monday. The State Department of Health publishes data on infections in educational institutions, usually on Mondays and Thursdays. Across the state, cases rose earlier this month after students returned from winter vacation, reaching 3,425 on January 14. But the cases started to decline. (Adame, 1/29)
North Carolina health news: ECHO project resonates across the WNC
Every Monday at noon, Janice Somers closes the door to her Westwood Hills Nursing and Rehabilitation office and places her phone in Do Not Disturb. For the next 90 minutes, the nurse administrator and four staff members join hundreds of employees from more than a hundred facilities in North and South Carolina for the COVID-19 Action Network for the nursing home, an online course for four months developed to establish common guidelines for infection control in nursing homes. (Newsome, 1/29)
Georgia Health News: Report Card gives Georgia low marks on tobacco policies
Georgia received many poor marks in tobacco control policies in an annual report by the American Lung Association. The organization’s report emphasized the impact of the problem in the midst of the pandemic, pointing out that cigarette smokers face a greater risk of serious illnesses if they contract COVID-19. (Miller, 1/28)
Billings Gazette: Montana judge interrupts Trump’s attempt to limit scientific findings in EPA decisions
A U.S. district judge in Montana stopped a hasty attempt by the Trump administration to restrict the science used by the EPA to make public health decisions. Judge Brian Morris ruled in the U.S. District Court in Great Falls late on Wednesday that the Environmental Protection Agency had unlawfully rushed its decision to significantly restrict the amount of medical and scientific research that could be used to make decisions. The EPA tried to enforce the rule on January 6, the day it was declared final, instead of giving the public the standard 30-day notice. The plaintiffs in the case asked Morris to stop the rapid implementation of the EPA. The judge also indicated that the EPA’s attempt to restrict scientific research did not appear to be legal, but he referred this issue for further discussion. (Lutey, 1/28)
KHN: States move ahead with Canada’s drug imports while waiting for Biden signal
Florida, Colorado and several New England states are advancing efforts to import prescription drugs from Canada, a politically popular strategy that was given the green light last year by President Donald Trump. But it is unclear whether the Biden government will continue Trump’s plan for states and the federal government to help Americans obtain cheaper drugs from Canada. (Galewitz, 1/29)
This is part of the KHN Morning Briefing, a summary of the health policy coverage of leading news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription.