Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Kids Going Hungry: Nearly Four in 10 Black, Hispanic Families Struggling To Get Enough Food During Pandemic
Nearly four in 10 Black and Hispanic households with children are struggling to feed their families during the coronavirus pandemic — a dramatic spike that is exacerbating racial inequities and potentially threatening the health of millions of young Americans. The percentage of families who are considered food insecure has surged across all groups and is already much higher than during the depths of the Great Recession, according to new research by economists at Northwestern University based on Census Bureau data. (Bottemiller Evich, 7/6)
A backlog of eviction cases is beginning to move through the court system as millions of Americans who had counted on federal aid and eviction moratoriums to stay in their homes now fear being thrown out. A crisis among renters is expected to deepen this month as the enhanced unemployment benefits that have kept many afloat run out at the end of July and the $1,200-per-adult stimulus payment that had supported households earlier in the crisis becomes a distant memory. (Merle, 7/6)
Period poverty isn’t new: Menstrual hygiene products aren’t covered by national food stamp programs and are subject to sales tax in 30 states, excluded from the list of essential items exempt from taxes like food and medication. But the coronavirus pandemic and the economic downturn that followed have only exacerbated the problem, leaving marginalized populations who were already struggling to afford menstrual products at even more of a loss. (Gaffney, 7/7)
With the U.S. economy in shambles due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, Latina workers have suffered the worst job losses, with 19 percent reporting being unemployed in May. Latinx Americans are also among the groups most likely to contract COVID-19 -- and to die from it. We spoke to several Latina women, including two undocumented immigrants, about their experiences of the past few months. (Jackson, 7/6)
A mother who has struggled to multitask during the novel coronavirus pandemic is opening up about holding down a career while parenting amid these unprecedented times. In a New York Times piece titled, "In the Covid-19 Economy, You Can Have a Kid or a Job. You Can’t Have Both," Deb Perelman writes how working parents are facing a new dilemma as the economy reopens. "We can't keep up with this," Perelman, a New York writer and food blogger of smittenkitchen.com, told "Good Morning America." "Everybody is overwhelmed, and everybody has their hands tied." (Pelletiere, 7/6)
As the nation confronts a reckoning over racial inequality, tech giants — with their vast budgets, institutional power, and growing focus on health — could be well-positioned to make a difference. They could invest in health tech initiatives to close racial gaps in local communities, conduct inclusive research, and create more affordable, accessible products. (Brodwin, 7/7)
