A negative Covid test means you don’t have Covid when you get the test. But unfortunately, it’s not a free pass to socialize freely. nytimes.com/2020/11/21/ups…
A negative test is obviously better than no test at all. But the scientists we spoke with said it is most useful when combined with other measures, like quarantine, distancing, and masks. nytimes.com/2020/11/21/ups…
One actionable tip from @JeffTownsend: if you’re combining strict quarantine and a test, it’s better to test near the end of the quarantine vs. the beginning.
A key thing to understand is that it takes several days from the time you’re infected to the time you’ll test positive. So if you take a test too early, you could be negative and still contagious afterwards.
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We asked 635 epidemiologists what they are doing for Thanksgiving. Around 80% are doing nothing special or dining only with people in their households.
But, for the 21% who are gathering with others, the precautions they are taking are eye-opening. nytimes.com/2020/11/20/ups…
There’s a lot of news right now, with covid and the election, but if you need health insurance, now is the time to sign up. Don’t miss it. nytimes.com/2020/11/11/ups…
If you already buy your own insurance, go to the marketplace now and review your options. You may be better off switching. nytimes.com/2020/11/11/ups…
If you lost your work-based insurance due to Covid and have never bought your own insurance before, go look at your options now. There is professional help available if you need it. nytimes.com/2020/11/11/ups…
If you need health insurance, now is a great time to start shopping. It’s open enrollment season on healthcare.gov and state insurance exchanges.
If your family income is below 400% of the federal poverty level (about $105k for a family of four), you can get subsidies to help you pay your premiums.
If you earn more, prices are down this year in many markets.
If your monthly income is below 133% of the poverty level--possible if you just lost your job--you can qualify for Medicaid in most (but not all) states. If you think that's you, your best bet is going right to your state's Medicaid enrollment site.
And Craigslist would like you to vote. And Peace Tea. And Framebridge. And Snapchat. And the deli would also like you to vote. nytimes.com/2020/10/31/ups…
There have always been companies and groups dedicated to voter turnout. But if these messages seem more ubiquitous to you this year, you’re not wrong. nytimes.com/2020/10/31/ups…
The Trump administration finalized a really interesting and potentially consequential policy today: Requiring insurers to tell you what your health care is actually going to cost in advance. cms.gov/CCIIO/Resource…
If you are surprised that you can't already learn these prices, perhaps you haven't been to the doctor in a while. Real prices for health care services are typically kept secret from patients until the bills come. And they can range widely. nytimes.com/2019/04/30/ups…
This is one of a bunch of rules the administration has finalized that aim to improve the transparency of health care prices. A similar, related rule, that asks hospitals to publish negotiated prices, is now the subject of litigation. nytimes.com/2020/06/23/ups…
The real toll of Covid-19 is even higher than 200,000. Between mid-March and late August, 259,000 more Americans have died than would in a normal year. nytimes.com/interactive/20…@DeniseDSLu@jshkatz
The statistics in this article are based on CDC estimates for *all* deaths, so they don't depend on the availability of covid tests or the accuracy of death certificate reporting.
Not all of these deaths are necessarily from the virus itself. But they appear to be related to the pandemic and the ways it is changing our lives and health.
The regional patterns in deaths from all causes are tracking the movement of virus outbreaks across the country.