Coronavirus
After Three Coronavirus Stimulus Packages, Congress Is Already Prepping Phase Four Jacob M. Schlesinger and Joshua Jamerson, The Wall Street Journal
Push for yet more government support to culminate in April, before election-year politics undermine further compromise.
FDA issues emergency authorization of anti-malaria drug for coronavirus care Dan Diamond, Politico
The Food and Drug Administration on Sunday issued an emergency use authorization for hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine, decades-old malaria drugs championed by President Donald Trump for coronavirus treatment despite scant evidence.
Two new road maps lay out possible paths to end coronavirus lockdowns Helen Branswell, Stat News
With Covid-19 racing through the country, the United States is virtually locked down. At the same time, the yearning among Americans to reopen their communities grows, as does their desire to return to some semblance of normality.
Trump says quarantine for New York area ‘will not be necessary’; U.S. coronavirus-related deaths double in two days Brittany Shammas et al., The Washington Post
President Trump tweeted Saturday night that he has asked the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to issue a “strong Travel Advisory” but that a quarantine on the New York region “will not be necessary.” Earlier in the day, Trump said he might order a quarantine for the area, a possibility that New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) called “preposterous.”
An explosion of coronavirus cases cripples a federal prison in Louisiana Kimberly Kindy, The Washington Post
A federal prison in Louisiana has, within days, exploded with coronavirus cases, leading to the death of one inmate on Saturday, the admission of a guard into a hospital intensive care unit, and positive test results for another 30 inmates and staff.
On the Outskirts of COVID-19 Hot Spots, Northeast States Predict Staff, Bed Shortages Yusra Murad, Morning Consult
Harvard analysis shows Connecticut, Massachusetts, Delaware heading for widest bed gaps.
New Orleans May Soon Run Out of Ventilators, Governor Says Steve Geimann, Bloomberg Law
Louisiana, which has the fourth-highest U.S. coronavirus death total so far, anticipates running out of capacity for breathing machines in the city of New Orleans within a week.
Governors shrug off Trump’s insults as they plead for federal aid Laura King, Los Angeles Times
Wary of President Trump’s criticism that they were ungrateful for his management of the coronavirus crisis, governors of several of the hardest-hit states sought gingerly Sunday to avoid provoking him anew and risk losing desperately needed federal aid.
Fixing America’s broken coronavirus supply chain Joann Muller and Jonathan Swan, Axios
The senior Navy officer now in charge of fixing America’s coronavirus supply chain is trying to fill the most urgent needs: ventilators and personal protective gear. But barely a week into his role at the Federal Emergency Management Agency, he’s still trying to establish what’s in the pipeline and where it is.
Manufacturers Seek U.S. Help in Deciding Where to Ship Scarce Medical Goods Rebecca Ballhaus and Andrew Restuccia, The Wall Street Journal
To address coronavirus-related shortages, companies want the federal government to provide strategic guidance.
Coronavirus Slowdown in Seattle Suggests Restrictions Are Working Mike Baker, The New York Times
Officials in Washington State worry that their gains are precarious, but they see evidence that containment strategies have lowered the rate of virus transmission.
How Does the Coronavirus Behave Inside a Patient? Siddhartha Mukherjee, The New Yorker
We’ve counted the viral spread across peoples; now we need to count it within people.
Payers
Cigna, Humana Waive Cost-Sharing for Covid-19 Treatments John Tozzi, Bloomberg
Two of America’s largest health insurers, Cigna Corp. and Humana Inc., said they will waive out-of-pocket costs for patients who need treatment for Covid-19.
Providers
Cleveland Clinic names new chief information officer Lydia Coutré, Modern Healthcare
Matthew Kull has been appointed Cleveland Clinic’s chief information officer, effective immediately, after serving as the interim CIO since November.
TeamHealth doctor loses job after criticizing hospital’s virus response Gene Johnson, The Associated Press
An emergency room doctor who publicly criticized the coronavirus preparations at his hospital in Washington state has lost his job.
The Nation’s 5,000 Outpatient Surgery Centers Could Help With The COVID-19 Overflow Cara Anthony and Liz Szabo, Kaiser Health News
As the number of COVID-19 cases continues to rise, a group of anesthesiologists wants to convert America’s surgery centers into critical care units for infected patients.
Independent physicians push for expedited COVID-19 aid Alex Kacik, Modern Healthcare
Independent physicians are hoping for expedited federal aid as elective procedures and non-urgent, in-person doctors’ visits are postponed to accommodate more COVID-19 cases, threatening their practices’ viability.
Pharma, Biotech and Devices
AC Immune bets that its Alzheimer’s trial design could provide a cleaner test of the amyloid hypothesis Damian Garde et al., Stat News
The fate of aducanumab, a potential Alzheimer’s treatment from Biogen, is widely seen as the last hope for an aging idea: that targeting toxic brain plaques can arrest the progress of the disease.
Inside GM’s Four-Week Sprint to Build Emergency Ventilators David Welch, Bloomberg
On March 18, General Motors Co. Chief Executive Officer Mary Barra told President Donald Trump’s economic adviser Larry Kudlow that the automaker might be able to help make much-needed ventilators, the scarce breathing machines used to keep coronavirus patients alive.
Health IT
ONC advisory group to add COVID-19 task force Jessica Kim Cohen, Modern Healthcare
The Health Information Technology Advisory Committee on Thursday mulled priorities for a task force focused on COVID-19 response, which it plans to convene in the coming weeks.
Opinions, Editorials and Perspectives
Protect Access to Vital Air Medical Services in Health Care Emergency Carter Johnson, Morning Consult
These are unprecedented times. Not since 9/11 have we experienced such a broad threat to public health and safety.
The Road Back to Normal: More, Better Testing Scott Gottlieb and Lauren Silvis, The Wall Street Journal
Rapid diagnosis, targeted surveillance and boosting lab supplies will help beat back the coronavirus.
An Open Letter from our Chairman and CEO Daniel O’Day, Stories @ Gilead
When the news of the coronavirus first emerged, Gilead immediately began to investigate the potential of remdesivir, a medicine we had been studying for many years as part of our extensive research in antivirals. Remdesivir had never been approved for use but based on what we had learned to date, we knew it might have potential with the novel coronavirus.
Research Reports
National coronavirus response: A road map to reopening Scott Gottlieb, American Enterprise Institute
This report provides a road map for navigating through the current COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. It outlines specific directions for adapting our public-health approach away from sweeping mitigation strategies as we limit the epidemic spread of COVID-19, such that we can transition to new tools and approaches to prevent further spread of the disease.
General
A Preventable Cancer Is on the Rise in Alabama Eyal Press, The New Yorker
The state’s refusal to expand Medicaid is causing poor women to miss out on lifesaving screenings.
U.S. Futures Fluctuate, Stocks Slip; Dollar Jumps: Markets Wrap Todd White, Bloomberg
U.S. equity futures fluctuated and stocks slipped on Monday as investors weighed a weekend full of negative coronavirus news against the stimulus measures that triggered a bounce in risk assets last week. The dollar rebounded, Treasuries edged higher and oil sank.
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