covid-19
Hit me with your best shot of science
The recent photographs from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope mesmerized millions of Earth-bound mortals, myself included. On display was both the spectacular beauty of deep space and the power and creativity of science. Shortly after those photos arrived on our timelines did we learn of the uptick in cases of polio in the U.S. On […]
The Biden administration said insurers must cover home COVID tests. It didn’t say how
I read the announcement in January with mixed emotions: The Biden administration would soon require health insurers to pay for eight at-home, rapid COVID-19 tests per person, per month, it said. What a helpful move to improve testing access for Americans whose jobs, schooling and daily lives expose them to the virus, I thought. Especially […]
COVID in Black and white
“When white folks catch a cold, Black folks get pneumonia.” We’ve known this old adage for years but never before did it strike so close to home as it did last month when COVID finally caught up with our interracial family. First, a little background. Since the global pandemic began in March of 2020, my […]
FDA greenlights emergency use of COVID vaccines for kids under 5
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Friday authorized emergency use of two COVID-19 vaccines for children under 5, moving the country one step closer to having shots for all age groups. The decision leaves just one hurdle, a recommendation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, before parents can begin getting […]
What if our leaders were hungry? | Opinion
It turns out, they are – they are just not leading yet. They are taking a bus to grade school instead of driving to the statehouse. In 2020, 6.1 million U.S. children (about the population of Missouri) lived in households where both adults and children struggled to keep food on the table. Since early 2020, […]
FDA outside advisers recommend Pfizer, Moderna COVID vaccines for kids under 5
WASHINGTON — Parents of children under 5 are one step closer to vaccinating their young kids against COVID-19 after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s outside vaccine panel recommended emergency use authorizations of two COVID-19 vaccines Wednesday. The 21-person Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee voted unanimously to recommend the FDA approve emergency use […]
Missouri governor signs law shielding doctors prescribing ivermectin, hydroxychloroquine
A bill signed into law by Gov. Mike Parson Tuesday will shield healthcare providers from losing their medical licenses when prescribing ivermectin or hydroxychloroquine, two medications that have not been shown to be effective in treating COVID-19. The language was included in a bill dealing with professional licensing regulations, and it was not highlighted in […]
Study finds 8,500 COVID deaths may have been prevented if more Missourians were vaccinated
If all of Missouri’s adults were vaccinated against COVID-19, more than half of the over 14,000 deaths attributed to the virus since January 2021 may have been prevented, a new analysis concluded. The analysis, performed by researchers at the Brown School of Public Health, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health […]
‘Seclusion kills’: Missouri lawmakers pass limits on hospital COVID visitor restrictions
Two years into the coronavirus pandemic, Missouri lawmakers sent to Gov. Mike Parson’s desk legislation that aims to ensure residents can access their family members in the face of visitor restrictions at hospitals. A House bill unanimously passed on the final day of the legislative session with 129 votes in support, and shortly after lawmakers […]
Judge dismisses Missouri AG’s mask lawsuit against St. Charles school district
A St. Charles County Circuit Court judge dismissed Attorney General Eric Schmitt’s lawsuit Thursday against the local school district’s now-rescinded mask mandate, leaving few cases from Schmitt’s legal blitz remaining. The City of St. Charles School District was one of 47 districts Schmitt sued earlier this year over mask mandates, and it was one of […]
Capitol Perspectives: Divisive ideological fights in Missouri’s legislature
Missouri’s legislature enters its final days of the 2022 legislative session facing an unusually large pile of partisan and ideological divisive issues. In an election year, it is not unusual that some legislators seek to highlight issues that will inspire their party’s loyalists to vote. This year’s partisan issues include requiring a photo ID to […]
Few mask lawsuits remain as Missouri AG asks legislature to clarify law behind legal blitz
Three months after Attorney General Eric Schmitt launched a legal blitz against 47 school districts across the state, nearly all the cases have petered out as COVID infection rates plummeted and mask mandates were lifted. But four cases live on. While he’s moved to drop nearly every lawsuit he filed, Schmitt has opposed attempts by […]