About the public’s health
Trump administration begins formal withdrawal from World Health Organization: “The Trump administration has notified Congress and the United Nations that the United States is formally withdrawing from the World Health Organization, multiple officials tell CNN, a move that comes amid a rising number of coronavirus cases throughout the Americas in the last week alone.” See, also: Letter to Congress on WHO Withdrawal from Public Health, Law and International Relations Leaders.
BD Launches Portable, Rapid Point-of-Care Antigen Test to Detect SARS-CoV-2 in 15 minutes, Dramatically Expanding Access to COVID-19 Testing: “BD clinical studies performed at more than 20 sites across the U.S. demonstrated that the test is capable of achieving 84% sensitivity and 100% specificity…” A related article: A New Generation of Fast Coronavirus Tests Is Coming.
Comparing SARS-CoV-2 with SARS-CoV and influenza pandemics: An excellent, comprehensive article that should be required epidemiology course reading. “The objective of this Personal View is to compare transmissibility, hospitalisation, and mortality rates for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) with those of other epidemic coronaviruses, such as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), and pandemic influenza viruses.”
FDA warns about 5 additional toxic hand sanitizers: “Consumers should avoid five additional brands of hand sanitizer that tested positive for methanol, a substance that can be toxic when absorbed through the skin or ingested, the Food and Drug Administration said. The warning comes after the agency last month cautioned against any of nine brands of possibly toxic hand sanitizer that may contain methanol.”
More Mask Use, Worry About Lack of Social Distancing in U.S.: Some people are finally “getting it.'‘ This latest Gallup poll found:
“54% worried about lack of social distancing in local area, up from May
86% of U.S. adults have used a mask in public in past week [This and the above finding are new highs]
Democrats [98%] much more likely than Republicans [66%] to worry and wear masks”
Life-saving HIV drugs risk running out as COVID-19 hits supplies: WHO: “More than a third of the world’s countries say they are at risk of running out of life-saving AIDS drugs because of disruptions to supply lines and other problems caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the World Health Organization said on Monday.
Twenty-four out of those 73 nations have already reported critically low supplies of the vital antiretroviral drugs, the agency said.”
About health insurance
CMS proposes Medicare payment updates to increase use of home dialysis: “The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued an add-on payment last year to offer higher reimbursement for eligible home dialysis machines. In a rule proposed Monday, the agency said it would enhance that payment further, allowing for coverage for additional new and innovative home dialysis machines.”