NEW: 3/4 of Americans live in states that spend under $100 per person on #PublicHealth annually. A @KHNews@AP investigation tracks the systematic underfunding that left the U.S. ill-equipped for #covid19. #UnderfundedUnderThreat
Public health workers sometimes earn so little, they qualify for public aid programs like #Medicaid. They rely on faxes to share #COVID19 records. They work seven-day weeks, yet fear losing their jobs. #UnderfundedUnderThreat
At least 38,000 state and local public health jobs have disappeared since the 2008 recession. #UnderfundedUnderThreat
KHN and @AP interviewed more than 150 people, analyzed spending records from hundreds of state and local health departments, and surveyed statehouses. The investigation found the system is #UnderfundedUnderThreat.
Over time, state and local health departments received so little support that they have found themselves without direction, ignored, even vilified. Now, they face furloughs and potential layoffs. #UnderfundedUnderThreat
1/8 History holds lessons for why low vaccination rates for children are so risky and why officials should strongly consider school mandates for the covid vaccine.
2/8 When explorers brought diseases like measles to Native populations of the New World, they killed up to an estimated 80% to 95% of the Indigenous population in repeated outbreaks over the ensuing 100 to 150 years.
3/8 Measles came back to Hawaii in 1848 and started an epidemic that killed one-quarter of the Native population, by one estimate.
Daniel Prude’s family knew he needed psychiatric care and tried to get it for him. Instead, his encounter with police hours after he was released from Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester, New York, proved deadly.
Police would find Daniel minutes later ― naked, acting irrationally. Because he spat in the direction of officers and allegedly said he had the novel #coronavirus, officers placed a white hood, called a “spit hood,” over his head.
When he started trying to stand up, despite being restrained by handcuffs, an officer placed much of his body weight over Daniel’s head and pushed it into the pavement.
Daniel died a week later when his family took him off life support.
Matthew Fentress was just 25 when he passed out while stuffing cannolis as a cook for a senior living community six years ago. Doctors diagnosed him with viral cardiomyopathy, #heartdisease that developed after a bout of the flu. #BilloftheMonth
Three years later, the Kentucky man’s condition had worsened, and doctors placed him in a medically induced coma and inserted a pacemaker and defibrillator. #BilloftheMonth
It may take years after these coronavirus controversies for the CDC to restore its credibility with the public, no matter who is elected president. Here's a quote from @leonardkl. 👇
The #AffordableCareAct has become a political vulnerability for Republican officials, who have no interest in reopening the debate on it during this campaign. Here's a quote from @JoanneKenen. 👇 #Election2020
Jody Mares is the fourth healthcare worker from New Mexico that KHN/The Guardian have confirmed and added to our database. He kept residents in nursing homes laughing for decades.
Dr. Reza Chowdhury was a trusted voice in New York's Bengali community. His virtual funeral surpassed 500 guests.