This story also ran on .James “Mike” Anderson was a hospital employee in suburban Philadelphia with a low-profile though critical job: changing air filters in COVID patients’ rooms.By late March, new COVID cases in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, had ramped up to as many as . At the hospital, Anderson handled air filters and other surfaces that might have been contaminated with the deadly virus, also known to hang in the air.In early April, Anderson, 51, came down with what he thought was a cold, according to his family’s lawyer, David Stern. On April 13 Anderson was rushed to the hospital,...…This story also ran on .James “Mike” Anderson was a hospital employee in suburban Philadelphia with a low-profile though critical job: changing air filters in COVID patients’ rooms.By late March, new COVID cases in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, had ramped up to as many as . At the hospital, Anderson handled air filters and other surfaces that might have been contaminated with the deadly virus, also known to hang in the air.In early April, Anderson, 51, came down with what he thought was a cold, according to his family’s lawyer, David Stern. On April 13 Anderson was rushed to the hospital,...WW…

This story also ran on .[UPDATED on April 30]With medical supplies in high demand, federal authorities say health workers can wear surgical masks for protection while treating COVID-19 patients — but growing evidence suggests the practice is putting workers in jeopardy.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently said surgical masks are “an acceptable alternative” to N95 masks unless workers are performing an intubation or another procedure on a COVID patient that could unleash a high volume of virus particles.But scholars, nonprofit leaders and former regulators in the...…This story also ran on .[UPDATED on April 30]With medical supplies in high demand, federal authorities say health workers can wear surgical masks for protection while treating COVID-19 patients — but growing evidence suggests the practice is putting workers in jeopardy.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently said surgical masks are “an acceptable alternative” to N95 masks unless workers are performing an intubation or another procedure on a COVID patient that could unleash a high volume of virus particles.But scholars, nonprofit leaders and former regulators in the...WW…

August 10, 2020These stories are co-published with .America’s health care workers are dying. In some states, medical personnel account for as many as 20% of known coronavirus cases. They tend to patients in hospitals, treating them, serving them food and cleaning their rooms. Others at risk work in nursing homes or are employed as home health aides.“Lost on the Frontline,” a collaboration between KHN and The Guardian, has identified such workers who likely died of COVID-19 after helping patients during the pandemic.We have published profiles for workers whose deaths have been confirmed by...…August 10, 2020These stories are co-published with .America’s health care workers are dying. In some states, medical personnel account for as many as 20% of known coronavirus cases. They tend to patients in hospitals, treating them, serving them food and cleaning their rooms. Others at risk work in nursing homes or are employed as home health aides.“Lost on the Frontline,” a collaboration between KHN and The Guardian, has identified such workers who likely died of COVID-19 after helping patients during the pandemic.We have published profiles for workers whose deaths have been confirmed by...WW…

Federal officials announced new measures to help get fresh, new N95 masks to health care workers and expand their use in other industries after scientists argued that the highly protective masks are essential to keep workers safe from covid-19.It can beThe changes come as U.S. mask-makers say the demand from hospitals is so sluggish that they’ve laid off 2,000 workers and fear some new protective gear companies could collapse. Yet in a letter to lawmakers, hospitals cite ongoing concerns about scarce supplies, saying limits on which workers should get N95s must stay in place.Among the new...…Federal officials announced new measures to help get fresh, new N95 masks to health care workers and expand their use in other industries after scientists argued that the highly protective masks are essential to keep workers safe from covid-19.It can beThe changes come as U.S. mask-makers say the demand from hospitals is so sluggish that they’ve laid off 2,000 workers and fear some new protective gear companies could collapse. Yet in a letter to lawmakers, hospitals cite ongoing concerns about scarce supplies, saying limits on which workers should get N95s must stay in place.Among the new...WW…

Dr. Robert Redfield, former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, has , lending his scientific credibility to a company division that says its ion-generating technology the coronavirus. The company charges for a fan with technology that academic air quality experts question.This story also ran on . It can beAs strategic health and safety adviser, he follows Dr. Deborah Birx, former White House coronavirus response coordinator, into the booming air purifying industry. Last month, she signed on with ActivePure, a company that also makes a pitch about virus-destroying...…Dr. Robert Redfield, former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, has , lending his scientific credibility to a company division that says its ion-generating technology the coronavirus. The company charges for a fan with technology that academic air quality experts question.This story also ran on . It can beAs strategic health and safety adviser, he follows Dr. Deborah Birx, former White House coronavirus response coordinator, into the booming air purifying industry. Last month, she signed on with ActivePure, a company that also makes a pitch about virus-destroying...WW…

More than 3,600 U.S. health care workers perished in the first year of the pandemic, according to “,” a 12-month investigation by The Guardian and KHN to track such deaths.This story also ran on . It can beLost on the Frontline is the most complete accounting of U.S. health care worker deaths. The federal government has not comprehensively tracked this data. But for the Biden administration to undertake a count as the KHN/Guardian project comes to a close today.The project, which tracked who died and why, provides a window into the workings — and failings — of the U.S. health system during...…More than 3,600 U.S. health care workers perished in the first year of the pandemic, according to “,” a 12-month investigation by The Guardian and KHN to track such deaths.This story also ran on . It can beLost on the Frontline is the most complete accounting of U.S. health care worker deaths. The federal government has not comprehensively tracked this data. But for the Biden administration to undertake a count as the KHN/Guardian project comes to a close today.The project, which tracked who died and why, provides a window into the workings — and failings — of the U.S. health system during...WW…

This article is more than 1 year oldThis article is more than 1 year oldEx-White House coronavirus adviser under Trump is now chief medical adviser of ActivePure, one of many companies in a race to capture Covid federal fundingLast modified on Wed 24 Mar 2021 13.56 EDTThe former top White House coronavirus adviser under President Donald Trump, Dr Deborah Birx, has joined an air-cleaning company that built its business, in part, on technology that is now banned in California due to health .The company is one of many in a footrace to capture some of the $193bn in federal funding to...…This article is more than 1 year oldThis article is more than 1 year oldEx-White House coronavirus adviser under Trump is now chief medical adviser of ActivePure, one of many companies in a race to capture Covid federal fundingLast modified on Wed 24 Mar 2021 13.56 EDTThe former top White House coronavirus adviser under President Donald Trump, Dr Deborah Birx, has joined an air-cleaning company that built its business, in part, on technology that is now banned in California due to health .The company is one of many in a footrace to capture some of the $193bn in federal funding to...WW…

The former top White House coronavirus adviser under President Donald Trump, Dr. Deborah Birx, has joined an air-cleaning company that built its business, in part, on technology that is now banned in California due to health .This story also ran on . It can beThe company is one of many in a footrace to capture some of the $193 billion in federal funding to schools.Birx is now of ActivePure Technology, a company that counts 50 million customers since its 1924 start as the Electrolux vacuum company and does nearly $500 million annually in sales. Its marketing includes photos of outer space, a...…The former top White House coronavirus adviser under President Donald Trump, Dr. Deborah Birx, has joined an air-cleaning company that built its business, in part, on technology that is now banned in California due to health .This story also ran on . It can beThe company is one of many in a footrace to capture some of the $193 billion in federal funding to schools.Birx is now of ActivePure Technology, a company that counts 50 million customers since its 1924 start as the Electrolux vacuum company and does nearly $500 million annually in sales. Its marketing includes photos of outer space, a...WW…

Since the start of the pandemic, the most terrifying task in health care was thought to be when a doctor put a breathing tube down the trachea of a critically ill covid patient.This story also ran on . It can beThose performing such “aerosol-generating” procedures, often in an intensive care unit, got the best protective gear even if there wasn’t enough to go around, per Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines. And for anyone else working with covid patients, until a month ago, a surgical mask was considered sufficient.A new wave of research now shows that several of those...…Since the start of the pandemic, the most terrifying task in health care was thought to be when a doctor put a breathing tube down the trachea of a critically ill covid patient.This story also ran on . It can beThose performing such “aerosol-generating” procedures, often in an intensive care unit, got the best protective gear even if there wasn’t enough to go around, per Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines. And for anyone else working with covid patients, until a month ago, a surgical mask was considered sufficient.A new wave of research now shows that several of those...WW…

August 10, 2020These stories are co-published with .America’s health care workers are dying. In some states, medical personnel account for as many as 20% of known coronavirus cases. They tend to patients in hospitals, treating them, serving them food and cleaning their rooms. Others at risk work in nursing homes or are employed as home health aides.“Lost on the Frontline,” a collaboration between KHN and The Guardian, has identified such workers who likely died of COVID-19 after helping patients during the pandemic.We have published profiles for workers whose deaths have been confirmed by...…August 10, 2020These stories are co-published with .America’s health care workers are dying. In some states, medical personnel account for as many as 20% of known coronavirus cases. They tend to patients in hospitals, treating them, serving them food and cleaning their rooms. Others at risk work in nursing homes or are employed as home health aides.“Lost on the Frontline,” a collaboration between KHN and The Guardian, has identified such workers who likely died of COVID-19 after helping patients during the pandemic.We have published profiles for workers whose deaths have been confirmed by...WW…