COVID-19 - Week of 7/29 Roundup

"Dr. Fauci on delta variant, risks to children, breakthrough COVID and booster shots" PBS NewsHour 7/19/2021

Excerpt

SUMMARY:  COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths are rising again in the United States.  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC] has labeled it a "pandemic of the unvaccinated," warning of the delta variant.  President Joe Biden also warned Monday to beware of misinformation.  Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases [NIH], joins Judy Woodruff to discuss.

 

 

"U.S. officials re-emphasize importance of COVID vaccines, investigating virus’ origins" PBS NewsHour 7/22/2021

Excerpt

SUMMARY:  The White House is issuing urgent calls to action Thursday in the face of COVID-19's latest assault, especially given the dangerous delta variant of the virus.  The Biden administration's appeals for Americans to get vaccinated come amid talks of re-imposing restrictions.  Amna Nawaz reports.

 

 

"U.S. surgeon general on the ‘most powerful tools’ to combat the delta variant" PBS NewsHour 7/22/2021

Excerpt

SUMMARY:  Amna Nawaz and U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy dive deeper into the Biden administration's efforts to combat the delta variant of the novel coronavirus and surrounding misinformation, public masking requirements and vaccination efforts amid the rise of COVID-19 cases.

 

 

"Rising number of children struggle with COVID’s effects, especially in Black and Latino communities" PBS NewsHour 7/23/2021

Excerpt

SUMMARY:  Since the pandemic began, children have largely been spared from severe illness and hospitalization.  But nearly a year and a half later, the number of adolescent COVID cases is rising.  While rare, for many it includes debilitating symptoms that can drag on for months.  Black and Latino children have been especially impacted.  Special correspondent Sarah Varney reports.

COVID-19 - Last Week

"An emergency room physician weighs in on CDC’s relaxed masking, distancing guidelines" PBS NewsHour 5/17/2021

Excerpt

SUMMARY:  Ever since the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention eased mask recommendations substantially for fully vaccinated adults, there's been a wide range of reaction — including some outright confusion, anxiety and criticism — over how this will play out.  William Brangham reports on those concerns and brings some perspective from emergency room physician Dr. Megan Ranney.

 

 

"How the pandemic disrupted the lives of American students" PBS NewsHour 5/17/2021

Excerpt

SUMMARY:  It's been an incredibly difficult school year for millions of educators and students in America.  Some had to put their education on hold and their health at risk.  “Disrupted: How COVID-19 Changed Education” [video link] is a special from Student Reporting Labs — our youth journalism program for teens.  Student reporter Yeonseo Seok from Westview High School in San Diego, California, previews the special.

 

 

"‘Vaccine passports’ may be critical for equity, but polarization could undermine efforts" PBS NewsHour 5/17/2021

Excerpt

SUMMARY:  Despite good progress on vaccinations in the U.S., the Biden administration and most officials are weary of requiring "vaccine passports" to prove inoculation.  William Brangham discusses the related concerns with Dr. Georges Benjamin the executive director of the American Public Health Association, and Lawrence Gostin a professor of global health law at Georgetown University Law Center.

 

 

"4 ways the US can help stem COVID deaths globally" PBS NewsHour 5/21/2021

Excerpt

SUMMARY:  While the pandemic's toll is easing in the U.S., COVID-19 still has a deadly grip on many other countries.  The estimated global death toll remains around 13,000 people a day, and the World Health Organization's new estimates are far higher.  William Brangham discusses them with Dr. Monica Gandhi an infectious diseases and global medicine specialist at the University of California, San Francisco.

 

 

"In memory of 5 wonderful people lost to COVID-19 in the US" PBS NewsHour 5/17/2021

Excerpt

SUMMARY:  Each week, PBS NewsHour pauses to remember five Americans lost to the COVID-19 pandemic, and shares memories and highlights from their lives.

PANDEMIC - Updates 2/2/2021

"Reopening schools during the pandemic is proving to be a complex assignment" PBS NewsHour 2/2/2021

Excerpt

SUMMARY:  As the pandemic drags on, the toll taken on students and teachers, while trying to protect them from infection, has become one of the outbreak's most vexing and intractable challenges.  Becky Pringle, president of the National Education Association, the nation's largest teachers union, joins Stephanie Sy to discuss.

 

 

"What impact is ‘the COVID slide’ having on students?" PBS NewsHour 2/3/2021

Excerpt

SUMMARY:  The questions around when to re-open more schools for in-person classes remains front and center for millions of Americans.  Data show about 42 percent of all students between kindergarten and high school are in virtual-only schooling right now.  Christopher Morphew, dean of the School of Education at Johns Hopkins University, joins Stephanie Sy to discuss.

 

 

"In Virginia, a disconnect between supply and demand for vaccine rollout" PBS NewsHour 2/4/2021

Excerpt

SUMMARY:  States received a badly needed boost in shipments of the COVID-19 vaccine from the federal government this week, but the supply still is not meeting the demand.  One state, Virginia, has had problems with its vaccine rollout since early on.  Amna Nawaz takes a closer look at the progress it has made and the daunting challenges ahead.

 

 

"As the pandemic rages on, finding ways to mourn and remember" PBS NewsHour 2/4/2021

Excerpt

SUMMARY:  Even as the pandemic rages on and deaths mount, communities, individuals and the federal government are finding ways to honor and keep loved ones close to their hearts.  Jeffrey Brown reports for our arts and culture series, "CANVAS."

 

 

"Who is bearing the brunt of the pandemic’s economic pain?" PBS NewsHour 2/5/2021

Excerpt

SUMMARY:  President Biden's nearly $2 trillion stimulus package on Friday cleared a procedural hurdle in the Senate, as a tepid jobs report confirmed the economy is still sputtering from the pandemic.  Raphael Bostic, president and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, joins Judy Woodruff to discuss who has been most impacted and the federal government's response in reaching those in need.

 

 

"Paying homage to 5 remarkable people who lost their lives to COVID-19" PBS NewsHour 2/5/2021

Excerpt

SUMMARY:  After a week reaching yet another tragic milestone in the COVID-19 death toll, we remember five remarkable individuals in the United States who have lost their lives to the pandemic.

 

 

"Are vaccines reaching communities in need?  We don’t have enough data" PBS NewsHour 2/6/2021

Excerpt

SUMMARY:  The Pentagon committed to sending around 1,000 active duty troops to help vaccinate people across the nation after the White House promised to open community vaccination centers, increasing availability to those in need.  Dr. Julie Morita, Executive Vice President of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, a NewsHour funder, joins to discuss the challenge of equal distribution of the COVID-19 vaccines.

PANDEMIC - Latest Consequences and Response

"‘No question’ slow federal pandemic response cost lives, Gov. Hogan says" PBS NewsHour 7/20/2020

Excerpt

SUMMARY:  American governors are on the front lines of the fight against COVID-19 -- and the economic collapse it prompted.  Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, a Republican, is chairman of the National Governors Association, and he has spoken out recently about failures in the federal pandemic response.  Hogan joins Judy Woodruff to discuss the crisis, his forthcoming book, “Still Standing” and his political career.

"Can Italian tourism industry survive the pandemic?" PBS NewsHour 7/20/2020

Excerpt

SUMMARY:  Italy is emerging from its COVID-19 nightmare into what is usually its busiest season for tourism.  The industry normally brings in 13 percent of the country’s $2 trillion GDP.  But there is no normal this year, and most tourists are not coming -- sparking fears that the pandemic will cause lasting economic damage.  Special correspondent Malcolm Brabant reports from Rimini, on Italy’s Adriatic Coast.

"Why the U.S. still doesn’t have control of COVID-19, 6 months after pandemic began" PBS NewsHour 7/20/2020

Excerpt

SUMMARY:  It was just about six months ago that the first case of COVID-19 was confirmed in the U.S. Since then, the pandemic has exacted an enormous toll in terms of both human lives and economic harm -- with no end in sight.  Amna Nawaz marks the moment with two people focused on solving the pandemic: Dr. Rajiv Shah of the Rockefeller Foundation and John Barry of Tulane University School of Public Health.

"How the pandemic is making a global food crisis worse" PBS NewsHour 7/21/2020

Excerpt

SUMMARY:  As the coronavirus pandemic tears across the globe, the toll exacted in lives lost and ruined grows by the day.  But for those already in need, especially the hungry and the starving, COVID-19 is accelerating their nightmares.  David Beasley, executive director of the World Food Program, joins Amna Nawaz to discuss the pandemic supply chain and how to keep 270 million people fed in a year of crisis.

"Colleges and universities grapple with decision to return to campus" PBS NewsHour 7/21/2020

Excerpt

SUMMARY:  U.S. colleges and universities are scrambling to finalize their fall plans as coronavirus infections continue to rise in much of the country.  While some students, faculty and staff are looking forward to returning to campus, others are raising serious health and safety concerns.  Hari Sreenivasan reports on how schools are approaching the decision, as part of our Rethinking College series.

"U.S. must collect this data in order to contain pandemic, former CDC director says" PBS NewsHour 7/22/2020

Excerpt

SUMMARY:  More than 1,000 U.S. deaths from COVID-19 were reported Tuesday.  As many states struggle with outbreaks, Dr. Tom Frieden, former head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, says the country desperately needs improved data collection to understand how the virus is spreading -- and to contain it.  He joins Judy Woodruff to discuss critical metrics and how to obtain and learn from them.

"What we know about the search for a COVID-19 vaccine — and what we don’t" PBS NewsHour 7/22/2020

Excerpt

SUMMARY:  The question of when a COVID-19 vaccine might be available is perhaps the most pressing in the world.  There have been a number of recent headlines on this front, including early but encouraging results from trials.  And on Wednesday, the Trump administration awarded a contract to Pfizer and a German biotech firm to potentially deliver doses this year.  Miles O’Brien joins Judy Woodruff to discuss.

"Can MLB play ball and still avoid an outbreak?" PBS NewsHour 7/23/2020

Excerpt

SUMMARY:  Months after the start of spring training, the first pitch of the 2020 Major League Baseball season will be thrown Thursday night.  Opening Day gets underway with the Washington Nationals hosting the New York Yankees.  But the season will be very unusual, with no fans present at stadiums, and many questions about it remain unanswered.  Amna Nawaz reports and talks to ESPN’s Jeff Passan.

"In Alabama, racial disparities in health outcomes predate the pandemic" PBS NewsHour 7/24/2020

Excerpt

SUMMARY:  In Alabama, doctors and nurses are seeing record numbers of hospitalizations associated with COVID-19.  The state has reported more than 1,300 deaths since the pandemic began.  But certain regions and populations within the state are faring far worse than others -- and huge health disparities among Black residents are causing even more dire results.  Stephanie Sy reports on a tragic legacy.

"Honoring 5 more victims of the coronavirus pandemic" PBS NewsHour 7/20/2020

Excerpt

SUMMARY:  As we have every Friday for the past several months, we take a moment to remember some of the lives lost to the novel coronavirus pandemic, including a high school English teacher and a 39-year-old mother of six.

"How structural racism is magnifying the public health crisis" PBS NewsHour 7/25/2020

Excerpt

SUMMARY:  As coronavirus cases disproportionately impact communities of color, several local and state officials have declared racism a public health crisis.  Rhea Boyd, a public health advocate, joins Hari Sreenivasan to discuss the structural racism in America’s healthcare system and how this ongoing pandemic of racial and economic inequality is compounding the COVID-19 pandemic.

COVID-19 - Ripple Effects

"Why getting the U.S. back to normal in the next couple months is a ‘fantasy’" PBS NewsHour 4/20/2020

Excerpt

SUMMARY:  As the novel coronavirus pandemic wears on, debate is brewing over how long the associated shutdowns should last.  The New York Times’ Donald McNeil has covered epidemics for close to two decades and reported recently on why American society could continue to be disrupted by COVID-19 for the next two years.  He joins Judy Woodruff to discuss the epidemiological and medical realities of COVID-19.

"A sanitation worker’s fears about collecting trash during the pandemic" PBS NewsHour 4/20/2020

Excerpt

SUMMARY:  During the COVID-19 pandemic, the phrase “essential workers” tends to bring to mind first responders and hospital staff.  But a key function of American society is collecting garbage to keep our communities clean.  PBS station WTTW in Chicago is producing a series of conversations about individuals’ pandemic experiences, and they share the story of sanitation worker Sammy Dattulo.

"Why doctors are worried about severe kidney damage in some COVID-19 patients" PBS NewsHour 4/21/2020

Excerpt

SUMMARY:  Although the novel coronavirus is known for causing respiratory symptoms, there are new questions about its impact on other parts of the body.  COVID-19 may be linked in some patients with increases in inflammation of the heart as well as injury to other organs and tissues.  William Brangham talks to Yale University's Dr. Alan Kliger about one of the concerning trends: serious kidney damage.

"How Uganda’s history of epidemics has prepared it for COVID-19" PBS NewsHour 4/21/2020

Excerpt

SUMMARY:  Poor health care infrastructure in some African countries is making them particularly susceptible to the novel coronavirus.  But the nation of Uganda has only 58 confirmed cases so far, and experts say its experience with previous viral outbreaks, such as Ebola, meant it was already prepared for this pandemic.  Special correspondent Michael Baleke reports from the capital city of Kampala.

"We need a vaccine to vanquish COVID-19.  Here’s how scientists are trying to find it" PBS NewsHour 4/21/2020

Excerpt

SUMMARY:  Science correspondent Miles O’Brien has spent the past few weeks in Seattle, reporting on the COVID-19 pandemic and producing a film for FRONTLINE about how things unfolded in the city where the disease made its U.S. debut.  He joins William Brangham to discuss the global push to find an effective vaccine and therapeutic treatments, plus shares a preview of the FRONTLINE special on the pandemic.

"Contact tracing may be ‘old-fashioned public health,’ but it works" PBS NewsHour 4/22/2020

Excerpt

SUMMARY:  Officials in Northern California’s Santa Clara County now say two residents there died of COVID-19 in early and mid-February -- weeks before what were believed to be the first U.S. fatalities.  Dr. Tom Frieden, former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and now CEO of health initiative Resolve to Save Lives, joins John Yang to discuss how we can contain the virus’ spread.

"Pandemic could mean 260 million people worldwide ‘marching toward starvation’" PBS NewsHour 4/22/2020

Excerpt

SUMMARY:  The United Nations World Food Program warned this week that as a result of the novel coronavirus pandemic, the number of people facing food crisis could double -- to 260 million worldwide.  David Beasley, the organization’s executive director, joins Judy Woodruff to discuss how the developing world, already suffering due to climate change and conflict, is faring amid this new disaster of COVID-19.

"Why New York’s health care system is still ‘in a state of shock’" PBS NewsHour 4/22/2020

Excerpt

SUMMARY:  New York state is seeing signs of improvement in its COVID-19 outbreak, including a reduced hospitalization rate.  But in New York City alone, an estimated 35,000 people are hospitalized with the virus -- meaning front-line health care staff still face an enormous challenge.  William Brangham talks to Susan Mangicaro of International Medical Corps, a group assisting city hospitals during the crisis.

"The U.S.-China battle to control COVID-19 narrative — and blame" PBS NewsHour 4/22/2020

Excerpt

SUMMARY:  Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has accused China of a cover-up during the early days of COVID-19, the latest in the U.S. rhetorical pressure campaign.  China has pushed back, launching an information war that included conspiracy theories and highly publicized sales of medical equipment to other countries -- including the U.S.  Nick Schifrin reports on the roiling confrontation.

"What’s in the latest congressional pandemic relief package — and what’s not" PBS NewsHour 4/23/2020

Excerpt

SUMMARY:  More help is on the way for American small businesses.  The House approved a $484 billion measure aimed specifically at aiding smaller employers and hospitals Thursday.  It comes as another 4.4 million Americans filed for unemployment.  Meanwhile, a New York study finds much greater levels of COVID-19 than lab tests have confirmed.  John Yang reports and Lisa Desjardins joins Judy Woodruff to discuss.

"Why the pandemic is making U.S. economic inequality even worse" PBS NewsHour 4/23/2020

Excerpt

SUMMARY:  A new survey by the Pew Research Center finds 43 percent of U.S. adults say they or someone in their household has suffered a job loss or pay cut due to COVID-19.  With such widespread impact, it will likely take years for the economy to rebound.  But what will recovery even look like, as the pandemic exacerbates existing inequalities and vulnerabilities in American society?  Paul Solman reports.

"EU ambassador says bloc overcoming slow COVID-19 response with solidarity" PBS NewsHour 4/23/2020

Excerpt

SUMMARY:  In Europe, leaders are discussing the same tough questions confronting the United States.  When should pandemic restrictions be lifted?  How hard will the road to recovery be?  The European Union has agreed to create a massive recovery fund to try to rebuild devastated economies.  Nick Schifrin reports and talks to the EU’s Ambassador to the U.S., Stavros Lambrinidis, about the group's "solidarity."

"An infectious disease expert on the dangers of Trump’s ‘non-scientific’ claims" PBS NewsHour 4/24/2020

Excerpt

SUMMARY:  The White House spent part of Friday addressing concerns about President Trump’s apparent conflict with his medical advisors at Thursday's Coronavirus Task Force briefing.  Yamiche Alcindor reports, and Amna Nawaz talks to Dr. Michael Osterholm of the University of Minnesota's Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy about Trump’s tendency to make claims on a “non-scientific basis.”

"An ICU nurse on wavering between confidence and fear" PBS NewsHour 4/24/2020

Excerpt

SUMMARY:  After a particularly brutal week caring for COVID-19 patients in New York City, ICU nurse K.P. Mendoza considered one final task: writing a will.  He's only 24, but working in the heart of a global pandemic, it felt as if death was stalking him.  William Brangham talks with Mendoza about the psychological impact of seeing so much death and health care workers' struggle to help patients survive.

"Navajo Nation, hit hard by COVID-19, comes together to protect its most vulnerable" PBS NewsHour 4/24/2020

Excerpt

SUMMARY:  COVID-19 is ripping through the Navajo Nation, infecting and killing people at rates that are above U.S. averages.  Located across three states, the Navajo population is already vulnerable, with a high prevalence of underlying disease, a lack of infrastructure and limited access to care and supplies.  Stephanie Sy reports on how the Navajo community has taken on the challenge of caring for its own.

EBOLA - Testing Ain't Easy

"Why testing an Ebola vaccine isn’t so easy" PBS NewsHour 6/12/2015

Excerpt

SUMMARY:  In Sierra Leone and Liberia, where the Ebola epidemic has been a nightmare, the promise of a vaccine offers hope.  Science correspondent Miles O’Brien reports on the challenges of conducting experimental drug trials there and the desperate need to find a fix.

JUDY WOODRUFF (NewsHour):  Now the last in our series on Ebola in West Africa — tonight, a look at new research to help stop or slow the next outbreak.  The best hope may ultimately come from a new vaccine.

Science correspondent Miles O’Brien reports, part of his series on Cracking Ebola’s Code.

MILES O’BRIEN (NewsHour):  It’s dark and early in Freetown, Sierra Leone.  A team of pharmacists is in a nondescript government building preparing the day’s supply of an experimental vaccine against Ebola.

The clock starts running when they take the vaccine out of a very deep freeze.  This is likely the coldest spot in the whole country.  The vaccine can only be thawed out right before it is injected, or it will lose its potency, and all of this will be a waste of time, money and hope.

So, right now, timing and temperature are absolutely critical.  And then it happens.

WOMAN:  The power went out.

MILES O’BRIEN:  Another reminder of how hard it is to conduct a high-tech vaccine trial in one of the poorest countries on the planet.  But they are ready.  They have got two backup generators for the building, solar-charged batteries, and, if all else fails, a special container that maintains about 100 degrees below zero Fahrenheit for five days without power.

Pharmacist Morrison Jusu is delivering the vaccine three-and-a-half miles across Freetown.  After a seemingly endless national nightmare, he carries a cooler full of expectations.  He knows much is riding with him.

MORRISON JUSU, STRIVE Trial Research Team:  Some people lost family members.  And some families were essentially wiped out as a result of this thing.  And if this vaccine proves out to be something that prevents such in the future, then it’s — it’s — words cannot describe how much relief that would be to this community.

MILES O’BRIEN:  While Jusu and the vaccine are wending their way, a line is growing outside their destination, Freetown’s Connaught Hospital.

The volunteers start showing up before dawn.  They are health care workers.  This trial is limited to them because they are, by far, the most at risk of contracting Ebola virus disease.  Even though there is no evidence the vaccine poses any real danger, they must weigh the rumors and the uncertainties.