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Health Wire

Twenty months into the coronavirus pandemic, health care workers are far from the days when they were widely viewed and treated as heroes on the front lines of the virus fight.

‘Stab in the heart’: Health care workers reflect on abuse they’ve faced during pandemic

Twenty months into the coronavirus pandemic, health care workers are far from the days when they were widely viewed and treated as heroes on the front lines of the virus fight.

November 28, 2021, 6:00am Health

By late September, Rikki Koberlein couldn’t take another day. Read story

People wait to get vaccinated at a shopping mall, in Johannesburg, South Africa, Friday Nov. 26, 2021. Advisers to the World Health Organization are holding a special session Friday to flesh out information about a worrying new variant of the coronavirus that has emerged in South Africa, though its impact on COVID-19 vaccines may not be known for weeks.

New omicron variant stokes world fears, triggers travel bans

People wait to get vaccinated at a shopping mall, in Johannesburg, South Africa, Friday Nov. 26, 2021. Advisers to the World Health Organization are holding a special session Friday to flesh out information about a worrying new variant of the coronavirus that has emerged in South Africa, though its impact on COVID-19 vaccines may not be known for weeks.

November 26, 2021, 11:08am Health Free

The discovery of a new coronavirus variant sent a chill through much of the world Friday as nations raced to halt air travel, markets plunged and scientists held emergency meetings to weigh the exact risks, which were largely unknown. Read story

Skeptic to advocate: Oregon man survives scary bout of COVID-19

November 26, 2021, 9:53am Health

Howard Breidenbach thought it was all a big conspiracy. Read story

FDA: Merck COVID pill effective, experts will review safety

November 26, 2021, 8:35am Health

Federal health regulators say an experimental COVID-19 pill from Merck is effective against the virus, but they will seek input from outside experts on risks of birth defects and other potential problems during pregnancy. Read story

FILE - Clarissa Johnson of Hartford marches with long-term care members of the New England Health Care Employees Union, during a rally to demand new laws to protect long-term caregivers and consumers, July 23, 2020, at the State Capitol in Hartford, Conn. Connecticut essential state employees, who worked long hours during the COVID-19 pandemic, are still waiting for "hero pay" from $22.5 million in federal pandemic funds set aside in the state budget.

Who’s a hero? Some states, cities still debating hazard pay

FILE - Clarissa Johnson of Hartford marches with long-term care members of the New England Health Care Employees Union, during a rally to demand new laws to protect long-term caregivers and consumers, July 23, 2020, at the State Capitol in Hartford, Conn. Connecticut essential state employees, who worked long hours during the COVID-19 pandemic, are still waiting for "hero pay" from $22.5 million in federal pandemic funds set aside in the state budget.

November 25, 2021, 8:22am Health

When the U.S. government allowed so-called hero pay for frontline workers as a possible use of pandemic relief money, it suggested occupations that could be eligible from farm workers and childcare staff to janitors and truck drivers. Read story

Travelers queue up at the south security checkpoint as traffic increases with the approach of the Thanksgiving Day holiday Tuesday, Nov. 23, 2021, at Denver International Airport in Denver.

On the road again: Travelers emerge in time for Thanksgiving

Travelers queue up at the south security checkpoint as traffic increases with the approach of the Thanksgiving Day holiday Tuesday, Nov. 23, 2021, at Denver International Airport in Denver.

November 24, 2021, 10:30am Health

Determined to reclaim Thanksgiving traditions that were put on pause last year by the pandemic, millions of Americans will be loading up their cars or piling onto planes to gather again with friends and family. Read story

Becerra says surprise billing rules force doctors who overcharge to accept fair prices

November 24, 2021, 8:11am Health

Overpriced doctors and other medical providers who can’t charge a reasonable rate for their services could be put out of business when new rules against surprise medical bills take effect in January, and that’s a good thing, Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra told KHN, in defending the regulations. Read story

In this undated combination of photos shown are CVS, Walmart and Walgreens locations. The retail pharmacy chains recklessly distributed massive amounts of pain pills in two Ohio counties, a federal jury said Tuesday, Nov. 23, 2021 in a verdict that could set the tone for U.S. city and county governments that want to hold pharmacies accountable for their roles in the opioid crisis.

Public nuisance laws in opioid cases give hope to both sides

In this undated combination of photos shown are CVS, Walmart and Walgreens locations. The retail pharmacy chains recklessly distributed massive amounts of pain pills in two Ohio counties, a federal jury said Tuesday, Nov. 23, 2021 in a verdict that could set the tone for U.S. city and county governments that want to hold pharmacies accountable for their roles in the opioid crisis.

November 24, 2021, 7:32am Health

A jury’s finding this week that three major pharmacy chains are responsible for contributing to the scourge of opioid addiction in two Ohio counties may be just the beginning of a protracted legal battle that ultimately could leave the communities no better off. Read story

FILE - Kindergarteners who are learning remotely during the coronavirus pandemic pick up meals at a bus stop near their home in Santa Fe, N.M., on Sept. 9, 2020. The Santa Fe school district decided last week to close its doors Tuesday, Nov. 23, 2021, and pivot to remote learning in a bid to reduce virus outbreaks ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday.

Vaccines making Thanksgiving easier, but hot spots remain

FILE - Kindergarteners who are learning remotely during the coronavirus pandemic pick up meals at a bus stop near their home in Santa Fe, N.M., on Sept. 9, 2020. The Santa Fe school district decided last week to close its doors Tuesday, Nov. 23, 2021, and pivot to remote learning in a bid to reduce virus outbreaks ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday.

November 23, 2021, 10:40am Health

The U.S. is facing its second Thanksgiving of the pandemic in better shape than the first time around, thanks to the vaccine, though some regions are seeing surges of COVID-19 cases that could get worse as families travel the country for gatherings that were impossible a year ago. Read story

Decisions on how large a group to gather and how far to go this year might come down to individual risk tolerance, said Dr. Kawsar Talaat, a vaccine researcher and associate professor in the department of international health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore.

Keep virus at bay on Turkey Day

Decisions on how large a group to gather and how far to go this year might come down to individual risk tolerance, said Dr. Kawsar Talaat, a vaccine researcher and associate professor in the department of international health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore.

November 23, 2021, 6:02am Health

The coronavirus pandemic continues, and in some parts of the country and world cases are rising again — not news anyone wants to hear as the holidays approach. But after more stringent advice last year to stay home, experts say the public is now armed with more information and defenses… Read story