Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Anxiety About Losing Insurance Drives Many Ill Or Vulnerable People Back Into The Workplace
Last month, Patti Hanks faced a wrenching decision: go back to her job, or lose her health insurance.Ms. Hanks, 62, recently had ovarian cancer treatment. With her immunity low, she was nervous about returning to her workplace, a store where she would be drawing up financing plans and taking cash payments from customers buying furniture and large appliances. But she was even more worried about losing her health coverage if she didn’t go back. Finding a job with health benefits that allowed her to work from home felt like a pipe dream in the midst of an economic downturn. (Kliff, 6/18)
Around the world, millions of domestic workers were abruptly sent away when coronavirus shutdowns and social distancing orders were imposed. Now as communities begin to reopen, many people are wondering when it will be safe to open their houses again to domestic helpers. If you are an employer worried about the health risks of letting house cleaners, nannies and health aides back into your quarantined home, remember that it’s the worker who faces the biggest risk of being exposed to your germs and those of the other households where they work. (Parker-Pope, 6/18)
Is it safe to stay in hotels as reopenings get underway? It depends on the precautions both you and the hotel take. It’s best to call ahead to see how the place you’re considering is working to minimize the risk of COVID-19. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests asking if the staff is wearing face coverings, for example, and whether cleaning practices have been stepped up. (6/18)
An 83-year-old Florida man is now home after battling COVID-19 at a hospital for 75 days. Lorenzo Rodriguez tested positive for novel coronavirus back in March after coming down with a fever. Three days later, he was rushed to a Baptist Health South Florida hospital once his conditioned worsened. Doctors immediately put Rodriguez under a medically induced coma and used a ventilator to support his failing lungs. (Brooksbank, 6/17)
Fifteen-year-old softball player Riley Diedrick wanted nothing more than to race alongside her friends. She and her teammates in South Florida are thrilled to be back together playing the sport they love, even with health-related adjustments: Players aren’t wearing masks on the fields or in the dugouts, but they stand apart at practices, use hand sanitizer and bring their own sheets, covers and pillowcases to hotels during road games. (McAvoy, 6/17)
