Radio Health Journal
The latest in health, science, technology, and the intersection of medicine and public policy.
Millions of Americans are in financial straits due to Covid layoffs and furloughs. A doctor describes how he gets patients to talk about why they’re in trouble and what they do about it to create an eye-opening portrait.
An estimated 35 million people were food insecure last year, and the dislocations due to Covid-19 have made it much worse now.
Pharmacists are often asked to do more work in less time than they need, and some experts worry it’s causing medication mistakes. A pharmacist specializing in medication safety discusses pressures on pharmacists and what consumers can do to protect themselves.
Climate scientists fear we may soon reach the point of no return, resulting in a hothouse with large portions of the planet uninhabitable.
Development of a coronavirus vaccine is proceeding at a breakneck pace. What needs to happen to make sure it’s safe and effective? And if a vaccine is successfully made, who should get it first?
The next step in beating the Covid-19 pandemic may be stepped up contact tracing and quarantine of people who've had contact with Covid-positive individuals. However, many people see that as too expensive and intrusive to be practical.
While most people who contract Covid-19 survive, those who suffer often-changing symptoms for months on end can only wonder when they’ll get well. A survey of members of a long-haul survivors support group find that many who don’t have “textbook” symptoms suffer poor medical care and discrimination as a result.
It’s illegal for health insurers to use genetic testing to discriminate against policyholders. However, life insurers can and do discriminate on that basis if the test is in your medical file.
Scientists have discovered that singing is an exceptionally effective way to spread viruses through the aerosolized particles it expels, which may travel much farther than the six foot safety zone many people follow. This means choruses and choirs may not get back to “normal” after the Covid-19 pandemic until much later than most activities, and only with …
The Covid-19 pandemic has caused a quicker economic crash than we’ve ever seen. Opening the nation too fast will likely trigger a “W” shaped recovery with wide swings of growth then decline. Either way, the effects will last for years. Experts discuss likely scenarios.
Many Americans are impatient with social distancing as a result of Covid-19 despite the success of the tactic. However, reopening the country too quickly could allow the virus to come roaring back, resulting in thousands more deaths and even more economic damage. Two experts explain how the rollout should happen to get us back to work safely.
Hospitals are scrambling to get extra equipment and outfit more beds and ICU units for Covid-19 patients. Their treatment is time-consuming and expensive. At the same time, hospitals’ lucrative elective procedure business has largely been eliminated. Will the combination bankrupt hospitals? Two experts who have studied the crisis discuss.
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