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A seemingly divided Supreme Court struggled Wednesday with its first major abortion case of the Trump era, leaving Chief Justice John Roberts as the likely deciding vote. Roberts did not say enough to tip his hand in an hour of spirited arguments at the high court. The court's election-year look at a Louisiana dispute could reveal how willing the more conservative court is to roll back abortion rights. A decision should come by late June. (Sherman, 3/4)

The members of the court who may hold the key votes — Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. and Justice Kavanaugh — focused their questions on whether they were bound by a 2016 decision by the court that struck down an identical Texas law. They suggested that at least half of the cost-benefit analysis was identical in the two states, and they wondered whether that was sufficient to decide the case. “I understand the idea that the impact might be different in different places,” Chief Justice Roberts said, “but as far as the benefits of the law, that’s going to be the same in each state, isn’t it?” The court’s four liberal members seemed convinced that the Louisiana law, like the one from Texas, imposed the sort of “undue burden” on the right to abortion prohibited by the court’s 1992 decision in Planned Parenthood v. Casey. (Liptak, 3/4)

Roberts appeared to acknowledge in his questions that he might feel bound by the court's 2016 finding that admitting privileges laws provide no health benefit to women. But his questions also indicated he may stray from the 2016 finding about the specific impact of the Texas law, which led to multiple clinic closures, because Louisiana's situation could be viewed differently. Two of Louisiana's three clinics that perform abortions would be forced to close if the law is allowed to take effect, according to lawyers for the clinic. Louisiana officials have said no clinics would be forced to close. (Hurley and Chung, 3/4)

Roberts and Kavanaugh both appeared to probe the scope of that decision Wednesday, with Roberts suggesting at several points that the ruling that the Texas law had no medical benefit would seem to extend to Louisiana and other states. “As far as the benefits of the law, that’s going to be the same in each state, isn’t it?” Roberts asked Louisiana Solicitor General Elizabeth Murrill, who was defending the measure. Murrill resisted that idea, but it suggested that Roberts — who dissented in the 2016 case, Hellerstedt v. Whole Women’s Health — was looking for a way to have the court stand by that decision, rather than overrule it. T.J. Tu, senior counsel with the Center for Reproductive Rights, which argued the case on behalf of the Louisiana clinics, afterward said Roberts’ comment makes him “very confident” of a ruling in their favor. (Ollstein and Gerstein, 3/4)

Even though the high court had struck down the similar Texas law as unconstitutional, the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans upheld the Louisiana law on the grounds that the admitting-privileges rule would have less effect in Louisiana. Kavanaugh agreed with Roberts, saying the issue was not simply whether admitting privileges by themselves are improper, but whether they impose an undue burden. If, for example, all doctors in a state obtained admitting privileges, would a requirement on abortion providers still be unconstitutional, he asked. “Could you say that the law still imposes an undue burden, even if there is no effect?” Rikelman conceded that would be a harder case to win. She stressed, however, the admitting privileges rule “has no medical benefits whatsoever.” (Savage, 3/4)

Gorsuch did not ask a question during the hour-long oral arguments. Kavanaugh’s questioning was similar to that of Roberts, as he wondered whether different conditions in states could afford different outcomes than in the 2016 case, Whole Women’s Health v. Hellerstedt. “Are you saying admitting-privileges requirements are always unconstitutional, such that we don’t have to look at the facts state by state?” Kavanaugh asked attorney Julie Rikelman after posing a hypothetical about a state with 10 clinics and 20 doctors, all with the necessary credentials. Kavanaugh had previously voted to allow the Louisiana law to go into effect, saying it was unclear whether doctors had worked hard enough to secure the privileges. (Barnes and Marimow, 3/4)

Justice Samuel Alito asked early on why abortion providers even had standing to bring legal claims based on alleged burdens faced by patients—those the state is trying to protect from abortion providers. Ms. Rikelman responded that the providers, as those being directly regulated by the state, had proper legal standing. “Well, that’s amazing,” Justice Alito said. Throughout the argument, he returned to the theme that abortion clinics potentially held a conflict of interest with women seeking abortions. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg pointed out prior cases where the court allowed third parties to assert constitutional rights on behalf of their clients. (Bravin and Kendall, 3/5)

Much of the passionate questioning came from justices Samuel A. Alito, Sonia Sotomayor, and Ruth Bader Ginsburg – with the latter two questioning the purpose of the state law. Rikelman stated that 40 percent of abortions in Louisiana are medication abortions rather than surgical procedures, and complications, while rare, would likely only occur when the patient was already at home. Ginsburg argued that because of this, most clinic procedures have no complications, and if a woman did need to go to a hospital, she would likely choose the closest to her home rather than one near the clinic. (Raman, 3/4)

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg led the more liberal-leaning justices in an aggressive attack on the Louisiana law, with questioning primarily focusing on whether admitting privileges have a benefit in the first place. Ginsburg pointed out several times -- calling it "odd" -- that the requirement is for hospitals within 30 miles of a clinic, but how that wouldn't necessarily be close to a patient who experiences complications at home. (Dwyer and Svokos, 3/4)

Justice Elena Kagan said that doctors can be denied privileges under the law for reasons having nothing to do with their medical expertise. She, too, pushed on the claim that in one clinic, thousands of abortions had been performed, but the clinic had only ever transferred four patients to a hospital. "Is it right that there is evidence in the record that Hope Clinic has served over 3,000 women annually for 23 years, so that's around 70,000 women, and has transferred only four patients ever to a hospital?" she asked. (de Vogue, 3/4)

Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr., who only very rarely responds to criticism of federal judges, issued a statement on Wednesday denouncing remarks made by Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the Democratic leader, at a rally outside the Supreme Court. Mr. Schumer, speaking while the court heard arguments in a major abortion case, attacked President Trump’s two Supreme Court appointees, Justices Neil M. Gorsuch and Brett M. Kavanaugh. “You have released the whirlwind, and you will pay the price,” Mr. Schumer said. “You will not know what hit you if you go forward with these awful decisions.” (Liptak, 3/4)

After Roberts’ criticism, Schumer doubled down. A spokesman declined to apologize for the senator’s remarks and argued that Roberts’ rebuke undermined his own impartiality. “Sen. Schumer’s comments were a reference to the political price Senate Republicans will pay for putting these justices on the court, and a warning that the justices will unleash a major grassroots movement on the issue of reproductive rights against the decision,” said Justin Goodman, a Schumer aide. (Gerstein, 3/4)

On the left, Brian Fallon of the liberal nonprofit organization Demand Justice, said: “It takes a certain amount of chutzpah for John Roberts to condemn these comments by Chuck Schumer after saying nothing when President Trump attacked two Democratic-appointed justices just last month.” Schumer’s remarks came during the circuslike atmosphere that plays out in front of the Supreme Court whenever it hears a controversial case, especially abortion. As protesters from both sides of the issue crowded the sidewalk, Schumer spoke to abortion rights supporters. (Barnes and Itkowitz, 3/4)

Abortion rights supporters gathered on the steps of the Supreme Court on Wednesday, while the justices inside heard arguments for a major abortion case that has the potential to chip away at access in Louisiana. The Hope Medical Group for Women in Shreveport is challenging a Louisiana law that requires abortion providers to have admitting privileges at a nearby hospital. If the law is upheld, a district court found that two of the three remaining clinics would close, leaving the state with one abortion provider. (Atkins and Williams, 3/4)

The sidewalk in front of the Supreme Court turned into a microcosm of the national debate over abortion Wednesday, a cacophony from dueling rallies that pressed each side’s legal, legislative and cultural views. Members of Congress on booming public-address systems tried to speak over the din, as the abutting anti-abortion and abortion rights groups waved signs, dressed up their dogs or chanted slogans. (Ruger, 3/4)

Rained out from the initial plan to meet in Lafayette Square, the about 50 participants livestreamed a corresponding Washington, D.C., rally from inside a cozy office building in the middle of the city, and then several people in New Orleans offered remarks. The case, June Medical Services v. Russo, could leave Louisiana with just a single abortion clinic if a state law requiring doctors to have admitting privileges at a hospital is upheld. (Woodruff, 3/4)

Racing to confront a growing public health threat, the House resoundingly approved $8.3 billion in emergency aid on Wednesday to combat the novel coronavirus, hours after congressional leaders reached a deal on the funding. The bipartisan package, which includes nearly $7.8 billion for agencies dealing with the virus and came together after days of intensive negotiations, is substantially larger than what the White House proposed in late February. It also authorizes roughly $500 million to allow Medicare providers to administer telehealth services so that more elderly patients, who are at greater risk from the virus, can receive care at home. (Cochrane, 3/4)

Under the agreement, more than $400 million would be shipped to state and local governments within 30 days after the bill is enacted, with each state receiving no less than $4 million. The package would also authorize $490 million in mandatory spending by lifting constraints on Medicare’s payments for telehealth so beneficiaries can freely consult their doctors remotely, avoiding hospitals and physicians' offices where they might risk exposure to the virus. It would provide $3.1 billion to beef up medical supplies and supplement the Strategic National Stockpile, including $100 million for community health centers. About $826 million would go to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases for the development of coronavirus vaccines, treatments and tests. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention would get $2.2 billion, including a total of $950 million to support the response efforts of state and local health agencies. (Emma and Scholtes, 3/4)

The 415-2 vote came after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi beat a tactical retreat on vaccine price guarantees and followed a debate that lasted only a few minutes. “The government's greatest responsibility is to keep Americans safe,” said House Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Nita Lowey, D-N.Y. “This emergency supplemental addresses the coronavirus and takes critical steps to protect the American people from this deadly and expanding outbreak.” (Taylor, 3/5)

Under the bill, over $3 billion would be devoted to research and development of coronavirus vaccines, test kits and therapeutics. No vaccines or treatments for the virus are currently in place, but patients can receive supportive care. Gaetz said that while the United States was gearing up in the production of virus test kits, "we're not where we want to be. The vice president made that very clear that we've got to get more test assets in place. "In a bid to also help control the spread of the virus outside the United States, $1.25 billion would be available for international efforts. (Morgan and Cowan, 3/4)

Members of both parties have raised concerns about the mixed signals of administration officials have sent about the severity of the virus in the U.S. as well as the availability of testing kits across the country. “I think this is actually a pretty good testament that Congress can work together even in a time of high partisan division in an election year and polarization, and yet here we are moving pretty rapidly,” said Rep. Tom Cole (R., Okla.), a member of the House Appropriations Committee. (Duehren, 3/4)

The House approved the bill just six hours after negotiators clinched a deal and less than 24 hours after talks seemed stuck over a few hurdles, including vaccine affordability. (Brufke, Hellmann and Carney, 3/4)

Lawmakers decided to leave hospital reimbursement for their response to the COVID-19 outbreak to federal agencies and states in an $8.3 billion emergency aid package announced Wednesday. The U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed the funding bill on Wednesday, and the Senate could also vote as soon as Thursday to send the funding bill to President Donald Trump's desk. (Cohrs, 3/4)

As the House of Representatives voted on a $8.3 billion emergency measure to fund the administration's response to the new coronavirus, one lawmaker caught the attention of Capitol Hill when he wore a gas mask onto the floor. Rep. Matt Gaetz, a close ally of President Donald Trump who is serving in his second term, first tweeted a picture showing him wear a gas mask as he reviewed the bill in his office. (Parkinson and Khan, 3/4)

Congressional leaders are planning to keep the Capitol Visitor Center and public galleries in the Capitol open despite growing anxiety about the spread of coronavirus in the U.S., but they say that decision is based on the lack of cases in the Washington, D.C., region so far. Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer told CQ Roll Call on Wednesday that leaders and health and safety officials at the Capitol are prepared with contingency plans if a lawmaker or staffer falls ill with COVID-19. (Tully-McManus and McKinless, 3/4)

Congressional leaders downplayed the possibility that the Capitol would have to close or restrict the public’s access in response to the coronavirus following a Wednesday briefing with Capitol security officials. Given how the Capitol is a bustling hub for hundreds of lawmakers traveling from all over the country and tourists around the world, members of Congress are taking precautions to prevent an outbreak and prepare for what happens if the coronavirus hits their own workplace. (Marcos, 3/4)

On the same day that the House approved emergency spending in response to the coronavirus, senators expressed frustration over challenges to securing air travel against the disease that has killed at least 11 Americans. Also on Wednesday, President Donald Trump said at a meeting with airline chief executives at the White House that it's his view that it remains safe to fly to U.S. and international destinations still being serviced by major U.S. carriers. "I think where these people are flying, it's safe to fly, and large portions of the world are very safe to fly, so we don't want to say anything other than that," the president said. "Yes it's safe, absolutely.” (Wehrman, 3/4)

Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) is asking Amazon for answers on price gouging on its platform amid reports of some items facing up to 2,000 percent markups as the coronavirus spreads globally. Markey, a member of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, sent a letter to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos on Wednesday calling on the company to respond to the reported price gouging on items such as masks and hand sanitizer. (Klar, 3/4)

The U.S. death toll from coronavirus infections rose to 11 on Wednesday as new cases emerged around New York City and Los Angeles, while Seattle-area health officials discouraged social gatherings amid the nation's largest outbreak. The first California death from the virus was an elderly person in Placer County, near Sacramento, health officials said. The person had underlying health problems and likely had been exposed on a cruise ship voyage between San Francisco and Mexico last month. (3/4)

Gov. Gavin Newsom extended his condolences to the patient's loved ones and said the state is working with federal agencies to trace people who might have had contact with the patient. Later Wednesday, Newsom declared a state of emergency over coronavirus in California, which has more than 50 confirmed cases, according to health officials. (Chappell, 3/4)

"This emergency proclamation will help the state further prepare our communities and our health care system in the event it spreads more broadly," he said. (Karimi and Almasy, 3/5)

Newsom said he felt confident that the state could contain the spread of the virus by passengers of the cruise who had already returned to California. “We have the resources,” Newsom said. “We have the capacity. By this evening, we will have contacted every county health official that has someone who came off this cruise. They will have their contact information and begin a process to contact those individuals.” (Luna and Gutierrez, 3/4)

Public health officials described the deceased California patient as an “elderly adult with underlying health conditions.” The patient was probably exposed during a mid-February round trip from San Francisco on a Princess cruise ship, officials said.(Dennis, Greene and Sampson, 3/4)

The person likely had minimal community exposure between returning from the cruise and arriving at the hospital by ambulance on Thursday, health officials said. Ten Kaiser Permanente health workers and five emergency responders who were exposed prior to the patient’s being put in isolation are now in quarantine. None of those 15 workers is exhibiting symptoms, officials said. (Shalby, 3/4)

By the time public health authorities made the connection between the two ill former passengers and the ship, the Grand Princess was at sea again with a new group of about 2,500 passengers.(Allday, Bauman and Koseff, 3/4)

Eleven passengers and 10 crew members who are still on that ship, the Grand Princess, were showing symptoms on Wednesday, Mr. Newsom said in an evening news conference. “That number may significantly understate” the scope of infection, he said, or “it may indeed be abundance of caution.” Public health officials prepared to screen everyone aboard the ship, which was not yet allowed to return to shore, Mr. Newsom said. (Mervosh and Smith, 3/4)

“The CDC is continuing to actively collect information and is collaborating with us to determine what, if any, actions need to be taken during the current Hawaii cruise and upon the ship’s return to San Francisco,” the cruise line said in a statement. “We have shared essential travel and health data with the CDC to facilitate their standard notification to the state and county health authorities in order to follow up with individuals who may have been exposed to the people who became ill.” Sixty-two people on the Hawaii cruise also sailed to Mexico with the passengers who later tested positive, according to the operator. (Sampson, 3/4)

California is also keeping Grand Princess passengers on the current San Francisco-Hawaii trip in the Pacific Ocean indefinitely until state and federal officials can assess how many passengers and crew have coronavirus or have been exposed. “We have a number of passengers and crew members who have developed symptoms on this ship,” Newsom told reporters at a briefing this afternoon to announce a state of emergency. He later specified that 11 passengers and 10 crew members had symptoms, though he described the situation as fluid. (Colliver, 3/4)

On Princess Cruises’s website, Chief Medical Officer Grant Tarling advised guests on the February cruise to immediately seek medical attention if they have experienced any symptoms of the virus, including fever, chills or cough since returning home. Dr. Tarling said in an open letter that the Grand Princess, until today en route to Ensenada, Mexico, about 100 miles south of the U.S.-Mexican border, would turn around and return to San Francisco for further investigation. Passengers were told to remain in their staterooms until they had been cleared by medical staff. “You may order room service while you wait for the medical screening to be completed, and we apologize for any inconvenience,” Dr. Tarling said in the letter. (Carlton, 3/5)

“The first thing I do every morning when I open my eyes is Google ‘coronavirus,’” said Diane Fudge, a travel adviser at All Inclusive Travel Concierge in Homosassa, Fla. Half of Ms. Fudge’s business comes from selling cruise vacations, so she is keeping a close eye on the situation for her clients. She is also checking for herself: As of now, she plans to go ahead with a March cruise to Mexico. Thirty-two million passengers were expected to embark on ocean cruises in 2020, according to the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), and this is the time of year when large cruise ships are most likely to be sailing in Asia, so the coronavirus outbreak couldn’t have come at a worse time. (Weed, 3/4)

Washington also announced another death, bringing its total to 10. Most of those who died were residents of Life Care Center, a nursing home in Kirkland, a suburb east of Seattle. At least 39 cases have been reported in the Seattle area, where researchers say the virus may have been circulating undetected for weeks. Vice President Mike Pence was expected to meet with Washington Gov. Jay Inslee near Olympia on Thursday. (3/5)

There are three main explanations for why more cases of coronavirus may have been detected in Washington State than any other state in the nation. One is that many of the cases are related to a case at a long-term care facility in the Seattle suburb of Kirkland. The coronavirus is more severe in older people with underlying health conditions. That means the coronavirus could be circulating in other communities — in Washington or elsewhere — but causing mild enough symptoms that those who are contracting it do not seek or require medical care, therefore unintentionally passing it on. In another scenario, someone who had become infected in China, where the virus originated, might have returned to Washington weeks ago with a mild infection and passed it on, undetected, until many more people became affected. The longer a virus is circulating in a community, the more likely transmission is to happen. (Weise, Harmon and Fink, 3/4)

Washington state officials urged patience on Wednesday as medical staff reported fear and anger among people told they could not be tested for the coronavirus due to limited capacity in a state facing the United States' deadliest outbreak. Clinics in the Seattle area reported an increase in patients seeking tests as Washington reported 39 cases of coronavirus and 10 deaths. (3/4)

“This is a shifting landscape and is shifting by the hour,” King County Executive Dow Constantine said during a Wednesday news conference. County officials advised people over 60 and with underlying conditions, as well as pregnant women, to stay home and avoid large groups. They also urged employees to telecommute for the next three weeks if possible. (Dennis, Greene and Sampson, 3/4)

Parents keep their children inside. Few people shake hands anymore. More than two dozen firefighters remain in quarantine. Restaurants and hair salons are close to empty. Such is life in Kirkland, Wash., the suburb just east of Seattle known for its folksy downtown and spectacular lakefront views, but now above all as the U.S. epicenter of COVID-19. Of the 11 U.S. deaths from the coronavirus epidemic, eight were residents of a local nursing home that is struggling to care for others who may have been infected. An additional death occurred at a Kirkland hospital. (Read, 3/4)

A medical professional conducting coronavirus screenings at Los Angeles International Airport has tested positive for the virus, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said Wednesday. The person began to exhibit coldlike symptoms on Feb. 29 and visited their primary care doctor for a COVID-19 test the next day. The test came back positive, DHS said in a statement. (Klar, 3/4)

On Wednesday, California officials confirmed the state’s first death from novel coronavirus, as the number of infections nationwide continues to rise. But beyond the serious medical implications of the virus, it is also provoking fear, suspicion and ethnic stereotyping. (Nawaz, Baldwin, Fritz and Kuhn, 3/4)

Over the weekend, a nightmarish scenario unfolded in a Seattle suburb, with the announcement that the coronavirus had struck a nursing home. The outbreak, leaving seven dead and eight others ill through Wednesday morning, exposed the great vulnerability of the nation’s nursing homes and assisted living facilities, and the 2.5 million Americans who live in them. These institutions have been under increasing scrutiny in recent years for a unique role they play in inflaming epidemics. Research shows these homes can be poorly staffed and plagued by lax infection-control practices, and that residents frequently cycle to and from hospitals, bringing germs back and forth. (Richtel, 3/4)

The Trump administration is ramping up infection control in nursing homes, amid a coronavirus outbreak in a Washington state nursing facility that’s contributed to at least seven deaths — and renewed criticism of a proposal to loosen regulations designed to prevent infections at nursing homes. CMS is directing state agencies surveying nursing homes and hospital accrediting organizations to focus their facility inspections exclusively on infection control, as well as serious threats like abuse allegations. Infection control policies include ensuring employees are washing their hands and using personal protective equipment. (Roubein, 3/4)

Kaiser Health News: As Coronavirus Cases Grow, So Does Scrutiny Of Nursing Home Infection Plans

In a call with reporters, nursing home industry leaders said they supported the inspection directive, but they asked White House officials in a Wednesday meeting to address other problems, including potential shortages of supplies, such as masks and gowns, if the contagion continues to spread. “The links in that [supply] chain are getting a little weaker,” said Randy Bury, president of the Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society, which runs skilled rehabilitation facilities and other elderly care centers in 24 states. (Rau, 3/4)

The U.S. Department of Justice on Tuesday unveiled a new task force that aims to rein in "grossly substandard" nursing home care.The national nursing home initiative will focus its efforts on understaffing, inadequate infection control procedures and patient neglect and abuse. It will also develop training materials and other information to help state and local prosecutors and law enforcement fight the abuse, neglect and financial exploitation of seniors in long-term care. The initiative expands DOJ's role in combating nursing home abuse beyond the enforcement of anti-fraud laws. (Brady, 3/4)

Federal health officials announced on Wednesday that anyone who wants a coronavirus test may get one if a doctor agrees. But the nation’s testing capacity is still so limited that experts feared clinics and hospitals could be overwhelmed by an avalanche of requests. Under the new criteria, patients who have fevers, coughs or difficulty breathing qualify for diagnostic testing, depending on their doctor’s judgment. But with flu season in full swing, tens of millions of Americans already have respiratory symptoms, and doctors have no quick way to discern who should be tested. (Rabin and Thomas, 3/4)

The move drew praise from experts who said the previous guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention were far too restrictive in the face of a virus that has spread to more than 75 countries and sickened more than 95,000 people. But other health experts warned the action might inadvertently send the wrong message, prompting a surge in demand for tests from people with mild symptoms who should simply stay home until they recover. They also noted that laboratory capacity for virus testing, while on the rise, is still lagging. Tests that can be done in doctor’s offices don’t exist. (Goldstein, Johnson, Sun and McGinley, 3/4)

The Trump administration met with private lab test developers on Wednesday to discuss increasing the availability of tests for the coronavirus and said that the companies had formed a consortium. Vice President Mike Pence said the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has included coronavirus testing as an essential health benefit for health plans in a bid to increase Americans' access to tests. "We want every American to have access to testing," Pence said. (3/4)

After a weekslong delay, thousands of coronavirus test kits are headed to state and local laboratories, Vice President Mike Pence said Wednesday. But questions remain about when, exactly, those promised test kits will arrive and how well they will work. (Edwards, 3/4)

President Trump sought on Wednesday to deflect criticism of his administration’s response to the coronavirus onto his predecessor, complaining that a federal agency decision under President Barack Obama had made it harder to quickly enact widespread testing for the virus. “The Obama administration made a decision on testing that turned out to be very detrimental to what we’re doing, and we undid that decision a few days ago so that the testing can take place in a much more accurate and rapid fashion,” Mr. Trump said. “That was a decision we disagreed with. I don’t think we would have made it, but for some reason it was made. But we’ve undone that decision.” (Baker and Kaplan, 3/4)

Nearly every time President Donald Trump has talked about a coronavirus vaccine, he has gotten a real-time fact check from a health expert sitting nearby. “So you’re talking over the next few months, you think you could have a vaccine?” Trump asked during a meeting with top health officials on Monday. “You won’t have a vaccine,” corrected Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar after some cross talk. “You’ll have a vaccine to go into testing.” “All right, so you’re talking within a year,” Trump said moments later. (Allen and McGraw, 3/5)

President Trump has adopted a new refrain: A vaccine for the novel coronavirus will be completed in record time. On several occasions, the president has bragged about the speed with which experts and pharmaceutical companies are working on a vaccine. Trump is not wrong in saying that scientists are rapidly developing a vaccine to combat the novel coronavirus. However, he seems to be overstating when a vaccine will be available to the public. (Samuels, 3/4)

Researchers have started to recruit healthy Seattle-area volunteers to participate in the first clinical trial of an experimental coronavirus vaccine, a faster-than-expected start for the first vaccine readied for testing. Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute in Seattle said Wednesday it aims to enroll 45 adults from the region in the trial. The study will test the safety of various doses of the vaccine developed by biotech Moderna Inc. MRNA -1.50% and whether the shots produce an immune response. (Loftus, 3/4)

Dr. Peter Hotez says he made the pitch to anyone who would listen. After years of research, his team of scientists in Texas had helped develop a vaccine to protect against a deadly strain of coronavirus. Now they needed money to begin testing it in humans. But this was 2016. More than a decade had passed since the viral disease known as severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS, had spread through China, killing more than 770 people. That disease, an earlier coronavirus similar to the one now sweeping the globe, was a distant memory by the time Hotez and his team sought funding to test whether their vaccine would work in humans. (Hixenbaugh, 3/5)

One lab is digging into its freezer to thaw out the archived sperm of SARS-susceptible mice. Another is anesthetizing ferrets so they don’t sneeze when the new coronavirus is squirted into their nostrils. Yet others are racing to infect macaques, marmosets, and African green monkeys. Those animals could prove critical for understanding how Covid-19 works — and for concocting vaccines and treatments to stop its sweep. (Boodman, 3/5)

Japanese drugmaker Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. TAK -1.96% said it is trying to develop a drug to treat people infected with the novel coronavirus or at high risk of contracting it. The company’s experimental drug would be derived from the blood of coronavirus patients who have recovered from the respiratory disease, officials said. Researchers hope the antibodies developed by the recovered patients can bolster the immune systems of new patients and defeat the infections. (Hopkins, 3/4)

Anna Alexander, a property manager in Virginia Beach, Virginia, started the day Monday thinking that she might avoid shaking hands because of the coronavirus outbreak. Then somebody stuck out a hand to shake. She took it. “I'm a business person,” Alexander, 65, explained. “But if somebody else does it next time, I might try to be careful because of the coronavirus.” As the viral infections spread across the globe, everybody has to make a decision: How worried should I be about getting infected, and what should I do about it? (Ritter, 3/5)

For two months now, global health and government officials have been trying to stem the coronavirus outbreak, quarantining citizens, locking down towns and creating triage protocols in hospitals where the contagious, deadly novel virus has taken root. As of early March, the coronavirus outbreak had infected more than 90,000 people and killed more than 3,000 people globally, the majority of whom live in China, where the illness was first detected in December. More than 100 people in the United States have been diagnosed, including at least nine people who have died. (Mettler, 3/4)

How deadly is the coronavirus that exploded from China? The answer reflects a hard reality about fast-moving outbreaks: As cases pop up in new places, the first to get counted are the sickest. A straight count of deaths reported worldwide suggests the new virus may be more deadly than the flu, according to the head of the World Health Organization. (Neergaard, 3/4)

When it comes to creating treatments for Covid-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, the first line of defense may be a century-old technology: purified blood plasma. Medical literature published during the Spanish flu pandemic of 1918 includes case reports describing how transfusions of blood products obtained from survivors may have contributed to a 50% reduction in death among severely ill patients. In 1934, a measles outbreak at a Pennsylvania boarding school was halted when serum harvested from the first infected student was used to treat 62 fellow students. Only three of the 62 students developed measles — all mild cases. (Herper and Feuerstein, 3/5)

Face masks? Zinc? Gloves? Americans are grasping for ways to brace for what public health experts say is inevitable: an outbreak of the new coronavirus. Public health experts advise staying calm and following the same precautions recommended for preventing flu or any other respiratory virus. Stick with the basics: Wash your hands, cover your coughs and sneezes, and stay at home from work or school when you’re sick. (Reddy, 3/4)

No cases of the new coronavirus have been confirmed in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Even so, public health officials are urging residents to prepare for local outbreaks. Health officials have said that while stocking up on products like face masks and hand sanitizer won’t necessarily protect you from the illness, there are ways to prepare for the spread of the virus, known as COVID-19. (Marfin and Keomoungkhoun, 3/4)

Scientists from China said they've identified two strains of COVID-19 linked to the recent outbreak. Coronaviruses are a large family of RNA viruses, and when RNA viruses replicate quickly, they often mutate. Researchers analyzed 103 sequenced genomes using strains from China, and found that 70% of strains were one type, which they called "L." The "L" strain was more aggressive than the remaining 30% of strains, which were dubbed "S." (Schumaker, 3/4)

Scientists in China studying the outbreak of disease caused by the new coronavirus say they have found that two main strains of the virus are circulating in humans and causing infections. The researchers, from Peking University's School of Life Sciences and the Institut Pasteur of Shanghai under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, cautioned that their study looked only at a limited range of data, and said follow-up studies of larger data sets were needed to better understand the virus's evolution. (3/4)

At this point in the coronavirus outbreak, we need two metrics: the risk of contracting the disease, which in Massachusetts is currently “low,” per state officials; and the risk of contracting anxiety about the disease, which is currently move out of my way, lady, I saw that Purell first, per everyone doomsday prepping this past weekend.If a person with the actual coronavirus can potentially infect people as far as 6 feet away, a person who’s anxious about coronavirus can infect an entire Costco’s worth of shoppers with second-hand hysteria. (Teitell, 3/4)

Mike Bowen's been a very busy man. Insanely busy. He's executive vice president of Texas-based Prestige Ameritech, one of the few manufacturers of respirators and surgical face masks still making them in the United States. "I've got requests for maybe a billion and a half masks, if you add it up," he says. That's right — 1.5 billion. (Noguchi, 3/5)

Some emergency stockpiles of respirator masks at the Department of Veterans Affairs have deteriorated in storage and can’t be used, according to an internal e-mail warning that the agency’s supplies may be overestimated. The warning about problems in caches of emergency supplies comes after the World Health Organization said Tuesday that disruptions to the global supply of personal protective equipment are putting lives at risk in the novel coronavirus outbreak. (Tozzi, 3/4)

The United States is concealing the true scale of its coronavirus deaths. The United States should learn from China about how to respond to an epidemic. The United States was the origin of the coronavirus — and the global crisis was never China's fault. Welcome to the Chinese Internet this week. As new coronavirus cases and the sense of panic ebb in China, the country that was first struck by the disease has been gripped by a wave of nationalist pride, conspiracy theories, and a perennial mix of anti-American sentiments: suspicion, superiority, schadenfreude. (Shih, 3/5)

Is 15 seconds enough time to learn better health and hygiene practices? The World Health Organization thinks so. Last week, the social media app TikTok, popular with youths and young adults, announced it would be partnering with the WHO in an effort to spread veritable information on the novel coronavirus, or COVID-19, in addition to best public health practices. (Convertino, 3/5)

Hospitals and doctors have a message for patients who want to come in because of fears they might be infected by the novel coronavirus: Try the phone first. Doctor groups, hospitals and health insurers are increasingly steering people with mild or no symptoms toward initial visits conducted by phone, interactive video or secure messaging. They are also starting to use the technology to care remotely for people with suspected or confirmed cases of Covid-19, the respiratory disease caused by the virus. (Mathews and Evans, 3/4)

Scientists who use math and computers to simulate the course of epidemics are taking on the new coronavirus to try to predict how this global outbreak might evolve and how best to tackle it. But some say more could be done to take advantage of these modeling tools and the researchers' findings. "It is sort of an ad hoc, volunteer effort, and I think that's something that we could improve upon," says Caitlin Rivers, an infectious diseases modeler with the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security. (Greenfieldboyce, 3/4)

The person who died in Placer County, Calif., was described by officials as "an elderly adult with underlying health conditions." Most of the people who died in Washington were residents of Life Care Center, a nursing facility in Kirkland. All but three of the victims in Washington were over age 70. The younger people who died include one man in his 40s and two men in their 50s. Officials said these individuals had underlying medical problems that could have made them particularly susceptible to the virus, but officials would not detail what the problems were. (Greenfieldboyce, 3/4)

The number of confirmed cases of coronavirus continues to grow daily. Readers have asked whether the origin of mail and purchased items could affect them. The United States has more than 100 confirmed cases of coronavirus, and new infections are being reported daily. On Tuesday, Amazon said it recently had a Seattle-based employee test positive for covid-19, the disease caused by the virus. A spokesperson for Amazon told The Washington Post that the ill employee is in quarantine. (Beachum, 3/4)

The new coronavirus known as COVID-19 has sickened more than 90,000 people and killed an additional 3,000 people worldwide, as public health officials scramble to learn more about the virus’ severity, and how to slow its spread. Some days, the flurry of questions about the outbreak seems to outpace new infections. Who is at risk? Are most cases mild? How do you find out if you have it? Why are people stockpiling facemasks? What can you do about chapped hands after washing them so many darn times? (Santhanam, 3/4)

We all touch our face. With this new coronavirus outbreak, how do we stop? Touching our faces is a real health risk. So in this new world, not only is nose picking thought to be gross, but so is nose scratching, mouth touching and eye rubbing. All it takes is just one virus to hitch a ride on a contaminated finger and slip into the body through a nostril or a wet part of the face. (Lin, 3/4)

That itching urge to touch your face every few seconds? President Donald Trump is struggling with it too. In a meeting with airline CEOs amid coronavirus sprawling across the globe, White House coronavirus response coordinator Deboroah Birx talked about the importance of washing one’s hands and face as a preventative measure. (Ward, 3/4)

"Realizing basically all I do is touch my face,” tweeted actor Seth Rogen. "Did not realize how often I touch my face until the CDC explicitly told me not to touch my face,” tweeted author Allison Raskin. On social media, scores of people have lamented their fears that their inability to stop touching their faces will cause them to catch the new coronavirus. The anxiety surrounding face touching is just one way stress over the coronavirus has manifested in the general population. (Rosenblatt, 3/5)

The spreading coronavirus outbreak poses a double-barreled threat to U.S. workers who face not only the prospect of lost wages if they are forced to stay home during a quarantine but also a fragile safety net to fall back on during such a crisis. Unlike in other rich countries, the United States provides thin and uneven social assistance for its 130 million full-time workers, and even less for the country's nearly 30 million part-time employees. (3/4)

Nationwide, worries are growing about a lack of hospital beds to quarantine and treat infected patients. Major medical centers are typically full even without a flood of coronavirus patients. “We just don’t have the capacity in the hospitals and health systems to deal with a massive influx of patients and keep them isolated,’’ said Gerard Anderson, a professor of health policy and management at Johns Hopkins University. (Rowland and Whoriskey, 3/4)

The structure of the U.S. health system poses challenges for the nation’s coronavirus response plan, which relies on testing to identify cases, treatment of infected individuals and strategies to minimize spread, such as encouraging people who are sick to stay home. More Americans are becoming uninsured and deferring medical care because of mounting out-of-pocket costs. About half of service workers, who often have direct contact with the public, lack paid sick leave, and immigrants are facing new regulatory barriers to getting health care. (Armour, 3/4)

On a tree-lined block an hour outside Boston sits a secret warehouse filled with hundreds of boxes labeled "pandemic product." The boxes, containing items like IV fluid, medical gloves and protective gowns, remain shrink-wrapped in neat rows inside the facility until the day Massachusetts General Hospital orders an emergency infusion of supplies. With the coronavirus spreading across the U.S., that day may soon be approaching. (Martinez, Breslauer and Gosk, 3/4)

Local and state public health officials wield extraordinary powers in emergency situations such as the current coronavirus outbreak. They can close schools and private businesses. They can restrict or shut down mass transit systems. They can cancel concerts, sporting events and political rallies. They can call up the National Guard. They can suspend medical licensing laws and protect doctors from liability claims. (Ollove and Brown, 3/5)

Kaiser Health News: During A Pandemic, States’ Patchwork Of Crisis Plans Could Mean Uneven Care

A possible coronavirus pandemic could overwhelm the nation’s hospitals and force doctors into difficult decisions about how to allocate limited resources. Yet, experts say, only a handful of states have done the work necessary to prepare for such worst-case scenarios. How would hospitals handle overflowing emergency rooms? What would doctors do if they ran out of medicines or ventilators? How would they decide who gets prioritized if they can’t treat everyone? (Hawryluk, 3/5)

The Indian government may hold 26 pharmaceutical ingredients and drugs made from them amid supply concerns stemming from the coronavirus, stretching an already fragile pharmaceutical supply chain. The spread of COVID-19, which is the disease caused by the most recently discovered coronavirus that's similar to SARS and MERS, has slowed business in China. The Indian government has preemptively restricted the exports of a range of pharmaceuticals and their ingredients, some of which are used in widely used antibiotics, to protect its domestic supply. (Kacik, 3/4)

First, a lawyer who commutes between the suburbs and his midtown Manhattan office was diagnosed with the coronavirus. Then, his wife and two children tested positive, along with a neighbor who drove him to the hospital. By Wednesday afternoon, another friend, his wife and three of their children were also infected. (Guarino, Bailey and Schwartzman, 3/4)

Eleven New Yorkers, including nine members of two Westchester County families, have tested positive for the new coronavirus, and the number of cases is expected to grow, state officials said Wednesday. Gov. Andrew Cuomo said all but one of the cases are tied to one another, with the connection being a 50-year-old lawyer from New Rochelle, N.Y., who was the second person in the state to contract the virus. (West and Vielkind, 3/4)

A New York City public-school teacher who recently traveled to Italy is under self-quarantine after showing symptoms of the new coronavirus, prompting city officials to give her school a deep clean and to have disease specialists retrace her steps, officials said Wednesday. The teacher spent a few days in the classroom before showing signs of the illness, officials said at a City Hall news conference. (Honan and Hawkins, 3/4)

Chris Kippes, director of the Wake County division of public health, spent more than 30 minutes on Wednesday trying to allay the anticipated public concern about North Carolina’s first case of COVID-19, the novel coronavirus spreading around the globe. Wake County Public Health Division Director Chris Kippes takes questions from the media about North Carolina’s first identified COVID-19 patient at a press conference on Tuesday March 3. Roy Cooper and state health officials informed the public on Tuesday that presumptive tests from the North Carolina State Laboratory of Public Health showed a Wake County man had contracted the novel virus. (Blythe and Ovaska, 3/5)

A day after a lone North Carolina patient tested positive for COVID-19, health officials say no one who has been in contact with the Wake County man has shown symptoms or been tested for coronavirus. But the man’s household members have been quarantined. And as a precaution, people outside his family — including some living in other counties across the state — have been asked to limit their travel and interactions with others to see whether they develop symptoms over the next two weeks. (Quillin and Bonner, 3/4)

Wake County health authorities attempted Wednesday to tamp down any public jitters in the wake of their announcement of North Carolina’s first identified case of coronavirus. The man, who had been exposed at a senior facility in Washington state, traveled home to Wake County, passing through Raleigh-Durham International Airport. In a county with more than a million people, the director of Wake County’s division of public health Chris Kippes stressed that the public’s energy would be better spent on prevention methods than panicking about any potential contamination from the man who tested positive for COVID-19. (Ovaska, 3/5)

Gov. Larry Hogan said Wednesday that he plans to seek immediate access to millions of dollars in the state’s rainy day fund to fight the novel coronavirus in addition to $10 million in extra funding in the state budget. There are no confirmed cases in the state, though 21 people have been tested in Maryland for the virus that has infected 159 people across the country and tens of thousands of people in countries across the globe. Ten people in Maryland already have tested negative, according to the Maryland Department of Health. (Cohn, Broadwater and Wood, 3/4)

A private all-girls Jewish school in Baltimore sent three students home early Wednesday because they may have come in contact with someone who tested positive for coronavirus. In an email sent to parents, Bnos Yisroel school leaders said the three girls had “possible indirect contact” with a person who tested positive for coronavirus in New York. The school, at 6300 Park Heights Ave, said it has contacted the Baltimore City and Maryland health departments, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the local rabbi. (Oxenden, 3/5)

Attendees of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) conference may have come into contact with the coronavirus, organizers said Wednesday. Some policy conference attendees from New York were potentially in contact prior to the conference with an individual who contracted the coronavirus, AIPAC President Betsy Berns Korn and AIPAC Chairman Dr. Mort Fridman said in a note to attendees. (Klar, 3/4)

After North Carolina announced the state’s first reported case of novel coronavirus Tuesday, local hospital experts say they expect to see an increase in patient visits in the future. But patients can take precautions against spreading the virus, like using hospitals’ virtual visit options. And Charlotte hospitals are able to help test for the virus. They would send patient samples to the state or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for novel coronavirus testing, according to Atrium Health. (Smoot, 3/5)

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy (D) on Wednesday evening announced the Garden State’s first presumptive case of coronavirus. Murphy said the patient in question was a man in his 30s who has been hospitalized in Bergen County since Tuesday, adding that an investigation is still underway. (Budryk, 3/4)

Kena University in Union, N.J., has suspended travel for its athletes amid the coronavirus outbreak out of an “abundance of caution," a spokesperson said Wednesday. The school has directed five of its 14 intercollegiate varsity programs not to travel, including its softball and baseball teams, which were slated to participate in spring break tournaments in Florida this week, spokeswoman Margaret McCorry said in a statement obtained by NJ.com. (Budryk, 3/4)

Before traveling to China in late January, Holly Bik and her husband watched countless news reports and read as much as they could about the novel coronavirus, which had been detected in the country a few weeks earlier. Bik’s husband is from China. (She prefers not to publicize his name because of the sensitive situation in his homeland, but he is on an academic fellowship at the University of Georgia.) The couple, who live in Athens, had their first baby last June, and wanted the infant to meet his great-grandfather, who was recovering from surgery in a district called Qingpu, a suburb of Shanghai. (Tracy, Laguaite, Carter and Clements, 3/4)

When an employee of the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in New Hampshire showed signs of possible coronavirus last week, a medical worker who had examined him told him to avoid contact with others, pending further tests. Instead, he went to a mixer at a crowded music venue. Three days later, he was confirmed as the state’s first coronavirus case. And now a second case has been confirmed — a “close contact” of the patient’s — raising new questions about what should happen when suspected coronavirus patients ignore requests to self-quarantine. (Stockman, 3/4)

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is treating one patient with the novel coronavirus at its facility in Palo Alto, Calif., VA Secretary Robert Wilkie confirmed Wednesday. The case marks the first confirmation of a veteran testing positive for the virus that has been sweeping the globe and causing fears of a pandemic. (Kheel, 3/4)

Anxiety about the global coronavirus outbreak has catapulted health care to the issue of most concern to more Maryland residents, according to a new poll. Since January, the number of residents who described health care as their top concern tripled to 17 percent, according to a Gonzales Maryland Poll released late Wednesday. The figure was second to crime. Fears over the threat of covid-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, fueled the change, pollster Patrick E. Gonzales said. (Portnoy, 3/5)

Every parent knows a child with a cold can be a leaky, disgusting mess. Snot everywhere. Coughs spread far and wide. Diseases can travel fast when those kids show up at a day care center or school and begin spreading their germs — or novel coronavirus — onto desks, doorknobs and cafeteria tables. And the first instinct of state officials might be to slow the spread of a disease by closing these germ spreading factories — quickly. (Bowie, 3/4)

Gov. Charlie Baker is urging colleges, universities and high schools to cancel upcoming organized international trips, amid concerns about the spread of COVID-19, the flu-like illness caused by the novel coronavirus. (Brown, Cain, McNerney and Jung, 3/4)

Governor Charlie Baker moved to reassure a jittery public that Massachusetts is taking decisive action to prevent the spread of coronavirus, announcing Wednesday the MBTA would begin routine disinfections of its stations and vehicles, and urging colleges and high schools to cancel student travel overseas. Just hours after Baker’s assurances at a Beacon Hill news conference, though, state lawmakers grilled administration officials on whether they are taking enough steps to keep the public safe. (Lazar, Vaccaro and Freyer, 3/4)

A man in Fort Bend County, near Houston, has a “presumptive” case of the novel coronavirus, also known as COVID-19. Local health authorities said in a news release Wednesday that the Fort Bend County resident is a 70-year-old man who recently traveled abroad. He is in a hospital and is stable, according to Fort Bend County Health & Human Services. (Steele, 3/4)

If Dallas-area health care workers are prepared to face the novel coronavirus, they can thank Ebola. And SARS. And swine flu.Experts say the new disease, called COVID-19, could strain the local health care system if it hits during flu season. On Tuesday, the World Health Organization warned that global shortages of personal protective equipment due to hoarding, high demand and misuse are putting lives at risk. (Kuchment, 3/4)

Earlier this week, Public Health Commissioner Kathleen Toomey stood with Gov. Brian Kemp to announce that COVID-19, the disease caused by coronavirus, had come to Georgia. Two patients, diagnosed and isolated quickly, were marking time in home recovery. The virus, they said, was being faced down exactly as planned. (Hart, 3/4)

Late one night, after a test confirmed the stealth invasion of his cells by the new coronavirus, Dale Grizzle was seized with a violent fit of vomiting in his hospital room. Until then, Mr. Grizzle, 69, of Rydal, Ga., had maintained his trademark good spirits. Like most people who have contracted the virus, he had experienced mostly mild symptoms. But in that moment, Mr. Grizzle, a retired house painter with 13 grandchildren, found himself unable to fend off the darkness. “I got to thinking about, ‘Is my life going to end here?’” he recalled in a recent interview. “‘Is this going to be it?’ I had severe anxiety.” (Harmon, 3/4)

As the leader of the World Health Organization team that visited China, Dr. Bruce Aylward feels he has been to the mountaintop — and has seen what’s possible. During a two-week visit in early February, Dr. Aylward saw how China rapidly suppressed the coronavirus outbreak that had engulfed Wuhan, and was threatening the rest of the country. New cases in China have dropped to about 200 a day, from more than 3,000 in early February. The numbers may rise again as China’s economy begins to revive. But for now, far more new cases are appearing elsewhere in the world. (McNeil, 3/4)

In an extensive interview with The New York Times, Dr. Bruce Aylward, of the World Health Organization, described what he learned from close observation of China’s efforts to contain the coronavirus. Here are seven important lessons. (McNeil, 3/4)

Mainland China reported a rise in new confirmed cases of coronavirus on Thursday, reversing three straight days of declines, because of a spike in new infections in Wuhan, the city at the center of the outbreak. Mainland China had 139 new confirmed cases as of Wednesday, the National Health Commission (NHC) said, bringing the total accumulated number of cases to 80,409. Authorities reported 119 new cases the previous day and 125 the day before that. (3/5)

COVID-19 has become endemic to the Chinese city of Shenzhen, and a sharp increase in pediatric infections may indicate that community and intra-family transmissions have become the new mode of spreading the virus, according to a study published yesterday in Emerging Infectious Diseases. Also, in a research letter published yesterday in the Journal of Infection, researchers described and compared the wide range and changing characteristics of COVID-19 infection on computed tomographic (CT) imaging with clinical manifestations to improve diagnosis. (Van Beusekom, 3/4)

Health authorities in the prosperous province of Zhejiang had finally lowered the alert level from one to two after six weeks, satisfied their draconian measures to contain the novel coronavirus had worked. Once the hardest-hit Chinese province beyond Hubei, coastal Zhejiang had placed 30 million people under lockdown, but there were no new cases reported in nine days in the key export and manufacturing base. Then Wang, a 31-year-old waitress who had been working in the northern Italian city of Bergamo, came home to Qingtian county, west of the city of Wenzhou. (Fifield, 3/4)

Driving one evening in Wuhan, China, last month, Zhang Xiaochun pulled her car to the side of the road. She was on the verge of a breakdown. She’d been working nonstop for days at the center of China’s coronavirus outbreak, where she is a doctor. Both of her parents had Covid-19, the disease caused by the virus, as did many of her colleagues. The number of sick and dying was climbing. And on this day, Dr. Zhang had forgotten about her 9-year-old daughter, who was home alone and scared—and who, at that moment, wasn’t picking up the phone. (3/4)

Scientists at a specialized Wuhan laboratory have been at the forefront of China’s response to its continuing coronavirus epidemic but are drawing attention to risks associated with the expanding global study of deadly pathogens. The Wuhan Institute of Virology contributed to China’s fast identification earlier this year of the outbreak’s source as a novel, or previously unknown, coronavirus. It was a monumental achievement for a government that aims to rival the West in high-technology, including bioscience. (Areddy, 3/5)

Researchers at one of China's top universities have designed a robot they say could help save lives on the frontline during the coronavirus outbreak. The machine consists of a robotic arm on wheels that can perform ultrasounds, take mouth swabs and listen to sounds made by a patient's organs, usually done with a stethoscope. (3/5)

More cases of the novel coronavirus were reported globally, from Australia to South Korea, as some health officials warned it would be impossible to fully contain the pathogen now that infections are spreading within many communities. On Thursday, Australian officials said there were now 52 confirmed cases of the virus, up from 41 a day earlier. Six people who tested positive had no history of overseas travel and four of those cases are associated with a nursing home in Sydney, including a 95-year-old who recently died—indicating that transmission among local residents is under way. The source of infection for three other cases is being investigated. (Cherney, 3/5)

Nations around the world girded for months of disruptions from the new virus Thursday as its unrelenting spread brought ballooning infections, economic fallout and sweeping containment measures. “Countries should be preparing for sustained community transmission,” Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, leader of the World Health Organization, said of the 2-month-old virus outbreak. “Our message to all countries is: This is not a one-way street. We can push this virus back. Your actions now will determine the course of the outbreak in your country.” (3/5)

The coronavirus outbreak sweeping through Iran has delivered a jarring blow to the senior ranks of its government, infecting about two dozen members of parliament and at least 15 other current or former top figures, according to official reports. Among those sickened have been a vice president, a deputy health minister and an adviser to the head of the judiciary, and the virus has struck at the pinnacle of power, killing an adviser to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader. (Cunningham and Bennett, 3/4)

The coronavirus epidemic reached deeper into daily life across the world on Wednesday, with a sweeping shutdown of all schools in Italy and warnings of school closures in the United States, intensifying the educational upheaval of nearly 300 million students globally. Only a few weeks ago, China, where the outbreak began, was the only country to suspend classes. But the virus has spread so quickly that by Wednesday, 22 countries on three continents had announced school closures of varying degrees, leading the United Nations to warn that “the global scale and speed of the current educational disruption is unparalleled.” (Wang and Inoue, 3/4)

As Italy tries to contain the new coronavirus outbreak, the government has ordered all schools, universities and daycare facilities nationwide to close for 10 days, starting Thursday. The closures, which will last until at least March 15, are part of an effort to contain the virus, which has hit Italy harder than any other European country. The death toll in Italy has reached 107 — up 28 in just 24 hours — the Civil Protection Agency said on Wednesday. The number of cases across the country has increased to 3,090, contributing to the global total of over 93,000 cases and 3,200 deaths. (Lewis, 3/4)

Some of the world’s busiest airports now look like ghost towns as the coronavirus, which has sickened more than 90,000 people, continues to spread around the world. Passengers who are choosing to travel are sharing photos on social media showing once bustling airports that are nearly empty. (Newcomb, 3/4)

Makers of soju, South Korea's national drink and one of the world's best selling spirits, are jumping into the fight on the largest outbreak of coronavirus outside China by sharing their stockpiles of alcohol with makers of sanitizers. Disinfectants, such as hand sanitizers, are flying off the shelves, along with medical-grade masks, as infections in South Korea have surged past 5,000 in just over a month since its first patient was diagnosed. (3/4)

A federal judge on Wednesday blocked Michigan's Medicaid work requirement, which took effect in January and could have resulted in thousands of low-income adults losing coverage as early as June. U.S. District Judge James Boasberg in Washington vacated HHS' December 2018 approval of Michigan's "community engagement" waiver that required Medicaid expansion enrollees to report 80 hours a month of work or other "community engagement" activities to retain their coverage. He is still considering the legality of new premiums and copays under the waiver. (Meyer, 3/4)

The ruling was welcomed by Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, whose administration had sought a quick decision after unsuccessfully pushing to delay the rules that were enacted by her Republican predecessor and the GOP-controlled Legislature. Prior to the ruling, the state had been preparing to notify more than 80,000 of roughly 675,000 enrollees in Michigan's Medicaid expansion program that they did not comply with reporting requirements for January and would lose their coverage on May 31 if they did not report for February and March. (3/4)

Whitmer’s administration had previously urged the legislature to hold off on implementing the requirements while legal challenges were pending. “I asked the legislature to pause because we knew this was going to happen, and they wouldn’t,” she said. “I’m grateful that the decision came in such a timely way so that we haven’t created a lot of unnecessary anxiety and waste of taxpayer dollars.” (Mack, 3/4)

But Republicans say Whitmer should not move too quickly to un-do the work requirement.“It’s all right to put it in neutral. I just wouldn’t put it in reverse,” said state Senator Peter MacGregor (R-Rockford), who chairs the Senate human services budget subcommittee. MacGregor says the decision will probably be appealed and he wants to wait until a ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court. (Pluta, 3/4)

Health insurers and their trade associations, providers, employer groups and unions have all sounded an alarm over the federal government's recent suggestion that it may stop automatically re-enrolling certain low-income people in Affordable Care Act exchange plans. The CMS in January asked for feedback on whether it should eliminate or reduce tax credits for subsidized exchange enrollees who receive $0 premium plans unless they actively re-enroll in coverage during open enrollment. The agency said the change could reduce the risk that it pays out premium tax credits to ineligible people. (Livingston, 3/3)

Senate lawmakers gave the nation’s top health official on Wednesday a deadline of seven business days to release a controversial report said to detail gross mismanagement by the U.S. Indian Health Service in its handling of a pedophile doctor who abused Native American boys. The report, which the agency maintains is confidential, is “damning to the Indian Health Service” and contains new revelations about the agency’s widespread failings to stop pediatrician Stanley Patrick Weber from abusing his patients, according to a person who has viewed a redacted version. (Frosch and Weaver, 3/4)

Seeking to end a practice that one senator called a “profound betrayal of trust,” legislation was introduced Wednesday in the Senate and House of Representatives to stop the Trump administration from using confidential therapy notes against immigrant children in detention and deportation proceedings. The legislation is one of several efforts underway to protect the confidentiality of young asylum seekers launched after The Washington Post reported that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has been regularly using notes from therapy sessions against unaccompanied minors, often without the consent of the therapists involved, and always without the consent of the minors themselves. (Dreier, 3/4)

The Trump administration has formally revised a proposal that would significantly restrict the type of research that can be used to draft environmental and public health regulations, a measure that experts say amounts to one of the government’s most far-reaching restrictions on science. The revisions made public Tuesday evening mean the Environmental Protection Agency would give preference to studies in which all underlying data is publicly available. That slightly relaxed restrictions in an earlier draft that would have flatly excluded any research that did not offer up its raw data, even if that data included medical information protected by privacy laws or confidentiality agreements. (Friedman, 3/4)

President Trump has tapped Nancy B. Beck, a former chemical industry executive, to lead the Consumer Product Safety Commission, an independent federal agency charged with protecting the public against dangers like toxic substances in products. Dr. Beck previously led the Environmental Protection Agency’s office of chemical safety, a position she came to after serving as the senior director of regulatory science policy at the American Chemistry Council, a lobbying group for the chemical industry. (Friedman, 3/3)

A row has broken out between Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX) and Canadian officials over access to its cystic fibrosis medicines, the latest instance in which the drug maker has locked horns with a government. The drug maker maintained that five separate offers were made over the past several years to the pan-Canadian Pricing Alliance, which conducts joint negotiations on behalf of the provincial, territorial, and federal governments in the country, although provinces make reimbursement decisions. In response to questions, a Vertex spokeswoman claimed the company never received any feedback or opportunity to hold formal talks over three cystic fibrosis treatments that are approved for use in Canada. (Silverman, 3/4)

Sanofi maker of the world’s bestselling insulin, said the price it received for its drugs fell on average just over 11% last year, including rebates it pays to insurers and health pharmacy-benefit managers. It is the latest in a series of drug company pricing disclosures aimed at trying to spread the blame for rising health-care costs. Insulin, in particular, has become a political lightning rod in the drug-price debate. (Roland, 3/4)

Three bills aimed at reducing costs to patients and pharmacists by regulating pharmacy benefit managers passed the Georgia House of Representatives on Wednesday morning. Pharmacy benefit managers act as middlemen between insurance companies, pharmaceutical companies and consumers to negotiate drug prices.They can also play a part in decisions including which drugs are covered, which are eligible for rebates and which pharmacies insurance holders can purchase from. (Coyne, 3/4)

Wholesale retailer Costco is expanding its footprint in the pharmacy benefit management business by purchasing a minor stake in a PBM owned by St. Louis-based hospital system SSM Health. SSM Health said the deal would allow the not-for-profit system to tap into Costco's expertise and expand its transparent PBM model, called Navitus Health Solutions, to more people. The deal also includes a specialty pharmacy subsidiary. (Livingston, 3/4)

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday banned electrical stimulation devices (ESDs) used in curbing self-injurious or aggressive behavior, citing substantial risks of illness or injury to patients. The agency's final decision comes after the devices were found to cause tissue damage and worsen underlying symptoms, leading to depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder. (3/4)

New surveillance data from European Union (EU) member states on pathogenic bacteria from human, animals, and food shows rising resistance to a medically important antibiotic. Analysis of zoonotic and indicator bacteria by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) found that resistance to the critically important antibiotic ciprofloxacin is common in certain species of Salmonella isolated from people, while resistance to ciprofloxacin ranged from high to very high in Campylobacter recovered from people, food-producing animals, and poultry meat. Those findings continue trends observed in previous surveillance reports. (Dall, 3/4)

Taking fish oil as a dietary supplement has a history dating back centuries, but whether it really has a positive effect on our health has been a subject of heated debate. The latest volley is a new study linking regular use of fish oil supplements to a lower risk of premature death and cardiovascular disease (CVD) such as heart attacks and strokes. (Hunt, 3/4)

You can tell the dude sitting next to you in the movie theater is a smoker or vaper; you can smell it on his clothes. But since he's not lighting up and puffing smoke your way, it's OK, right? Not at all. A new study out of Yale University says thirdhand smoke -- the tobacco contaminants that adhere to walls, bedding, carpet and other surfaces until a room smells like an ashtray -- can actually cling to a smoker's body and clothes as well. (LaMotte, 3/4)

Lawyers urged the Michigan Supreme Court on Wednesday to clear the way for Flint residents to sue state officials over lead-contaminated water. The case at the state's highest court is one of many in state and federal courts over the scandal. What's unique, however, is that it could break ground in exposing public officials to liability over alleged violations of the state constitution. (3/4)

In an attempt to modernize Connecticut’s first-in-the-nation “Red Flag” law, lawmakers are proposing a bill that would broaden who can request that guns be removed from people deemed a danger to themselves or others. “As effective as our law has been, it’s not as robust as we have seen in best practices in other states,” said Rep. Steven Stafstrom, a Bridgeport Democrat and co-chair of the Judiciary Committee. “These are critical changes in order to make this law work better for us and for the state of Connecticut.” (Lyons, 3/4)

Every county in Maine voted on Tuesday to decisively reject a people’s veto effort to repeal a stricter vaccine law, with only a handful of mostly small towns across the state voting “yes” on Question 1. The law, which will eliminate religious and philosophical exemptions for mandatory vaccinations, passed largely along partisan lines in the Legislature last year, clearing the Maine Senate by only one vote. Conservatives argued that it infringed on personal and religious freedoms, while Democrats in the Legislature said increasing vaccination rates was important for public health. (Piper, 3/4)

The New York state legislature has passed a measure that would require rear seat passengers age 16 and over, including those in ride-hailing vehicles, to wear a seat belt. The state Senate voted 54-8 to approve the bill, which the Assembly already passed. It now heads to Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who has voiced support for the measure. (Bergal, 3/4)

Sha’id Muwakkil hunched his shoulders against an icy wind blowing along the Bowery, furrowed his brow and considered where he might spend the night. He would probably end up inside the subway system or a 24-hour fast food restaurant, Mr. Muwakkil said. A year ago he might have slept inside the Bowery Mission, one of New York City’s oldest and best-known homeless aid organizations, where he had just finished dinner. (Moynihan, 3/5)

House Bill 719, seeks to lower the state’s criminal penalties for HIV-positive people who have sex, share needles or donate blood without making known their status. Those who don’t disclose face felony charges and up to 10 years in prison even if the virus is not transmitted. The new bill would downgrade penalties to misdemeanors punishable by up to a year behind bars, but only if criminal intent to infect someone can be proven. (Hallerman, 3/4)

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina reported Wednesday that "record-high" medical expenses and lower premiums contributed to a large drop in net income in 2019. Claims and medical expenses for fully insured members reached $7.3 billion last year, a 7.4% increase over 2018. The N.C. Blues affiliate said price increases for injectable drugs and infusions, specialty drugs, and treatments for chronic conditions, including hemophilia and anemia, drove the higher medical costs, which translated to about $5,600 per fully insured member. (Livingston, 3/4)

A Cobb County senator said she wants Georgia to better regulate cosmetic surgery centers, where botched procedures taken a number of lives in recent years. State Sen. Kay Kirkpatrick, a Marietta Republican, said “medispas” receive business licenses through the Secretary of State’s office, but — since they are not categorized as health care facilities — don’t have to adhere to state regulations. (Prabhu, 3/4)

As the Massachusetts House considers a bill to regulate sex education programs, schools in Newton have been implementing their own curriculum, which school officials say is inclusive of LGBTQ students of various ages and gender identities. The Massachusetts Senate passed the latest version of the bill, known as The Healthy Youth Act, on a 33-2 vote in January. The legislation would ensure public schools that choose to offer a sex education program — there is no law requiring it — be medically accurate, age appropriate, and LGBTQ inclusive. (Beiner and Rios, 3/4)

Lots of people worry about paying for health care, and that’s understandable, given the steady rise in insurance premiums, deductibles and copays. Such pocketbook issues discourage many from getting treatment, even when dealing with chronic conditions. But avoiding care isn’t a smart way to curb health spending, not over the long run, and some employers are pushing back by lowering out-of-pocket costs. (Schnurman, 3/2)

The federal government is investigating NYU Langone over Medicare payments it received to cover indirect medical education expenses, according to a disclosure in the health system's financial statements. NYU Langone said that it received a subpoena in January from HHS' Office of the Inspector General that asked for information related to its Medicare cost reports submitted from 2010 to 2019. (LaMantia, 3/4)

Social media has given birth to a long list of dangerous viral trends — the "Tide pod challenge," the "condom snorting challenge," etc. — and now there's a new dangerous challenge circulating on TikTok, endangering American kids. This time, the craze in question involves two people tricking one of their friends into standing side-by-side with them and jumping. Then, they kick his legs out from under him and send him crashing to the floor. (Capatides, 3/4)

Americans who eat a lot of mercury-containing seafood might be at increased risk for skin cancer, suggests a study based on national surveys. Data from 29,000 adults showed those with the highest mercury levels in their blood were 79% more likely to report having had a non-melanoma skin cancer than those with the lowest levels. (3/3)

Even in top positions at U.S. medical schools, women earn less than men, a study suggests. Women who chaired departments at state medical schools were paid less than men with the same job, even after accounting for factors such as length of time in the field, number of papers published and number of government grants obtained, according to the analysis published in JAMA Internal Medicine. (3/2)

Hotter and longer heat waves might increase the rate of preterm birth, new research suggests. Birth before 37 weeks of gestation is a leading cause of infant illness and death. The reasons for it are multiple and complex, but some previous studies have found evidence that one contributor could be extreme hot weather. (Bakalar, 3/2)

A large study of electronic health records in the United Kingdom has found a link between the number of antibiotic prescriptions and the risk of infection-related hospitalization. The study, published today in BMC Medicine, found that patients with more antibiotic prescriptions had a higher risk of infection-related hospital admissions over time, with the risk increasing along with the number of prescriptions. (Dall, 3/2)

A point-prevalence study of 32 US children's hospitals found that prophylactic (preventive) antibiotics were inappropriately given in 33.0% of pediatric surgical patients. The study, published today in Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology, was led by members of the SHARPS Collaborative based at Washington University in St. Louis. The researchers collected chart data from the hospitals' electronic medical records from September 2016 to December 2017, identifying 1,324 children receiving antibiotics (cefazolin, clindamycin, vancomycin, cefoxitin, and piperacillin/tazobactam) for surgical prophylaxis. (3/4)

Pregnant women infected with human papillomavirus (HPV) may be at increased risk for miscarriages and preterm deliveries, a review of past research suggests. Mothers who have HPV are almost twice as likely as those who are not infected to have their water break before babies are full-term and 50% more likely to deliver babies too early, the analysis of data from 38 previous studies found. Women with HPV are also more than twice as likely to experience a miscarriage or stillbirth. (3/2)

As the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 spreads in more than 60 countries, the race to develop a vaccine to prevent the illness has taken on new urgency. In a meeting with CEOs of major drug companies this week, President Trump ramped up the pressure, suggesting that vaccines could come to market faster than the 12- to 18-month timeline most researchers think is realistic. But while the Trump administration is pushing drug companies to meet faster timelines, it hasn’t addressed an equally urgent question: What will be done to ensure the vaccine is accessible for those who need it most? (Gavin Yamey, 3/5)

South Korea has made a concerted effort to identify all the people infected with the virus, creating drive-through testing stations. The U.S.’ testing efforts, in contrast, look almost comically bungled. ...What are the reasons for this institutional breakdown? It’s tempting to blame politics – President Donald Trump is obviously mainly concerned with the health of the stock market, and conservative media outlets have worked to downplay the threat. But the failures of the U.S.’ coronavirus response happened far too quickly to lay most of the blame at the feet of the administration. Instead, it points to long-term decay in the quality of the country’s bureaucracy. (Noah Smith, 3/4)

Pandemics have a way of testing us. Throughout history, societies have responded to plagues by blaming immigration and minority populations. Such approaches usually make matters worse. If pandemics reveal anything, it is that our health depends in no small measure on how we treat the most vulnerable among us. The Covid-19 outbreak is now testing the U.S. Some recent and not-so-recent immigration policies do not put us in a good position to combat it. (Wendy E. Parmet, 3/4)

The incipient spread of the coronavirus in the U.S. has laid bare the precarious nature of a health system in which millions of people lack health insurance. The way to avoid rapid spread of the virus is to make sure that people who need access to care get it as soon as possible. But in this country, 30 million people are uninsured and 44 million more are under-insured because they can barely afford to pay the high deductibles and out-of-pocket costs in their plans. With millions of Americans unable to afford to see a doctor if they become ill with COVID-19, what should we do? (Sara R. Collins and David Blumenthal, 3/5)

Coronavirus has laid bare the extent to which the failure of our nation to require paid sick leave has now endangered all of us. Congress needs to urgently pass paid sick leave laws, but states and cities must not wait for that and take action now. In some jurisdictions, this may require making compromises, such as a sunset provision or some aid to small employers. (Terri Gerstein, 3/4)

As new cases of coronavirus arise in the United States (with a handful of deaths already recorded in Washington state), and amid a largely inept federal response, many organizations are facing a question: Can we still gather? Leaders of the Association of Writers and Writing Programs conference, which was set to potentially bring more than 10,000 people to San Antonio this week decided to keep the event on, spurring AWP co-director Diane Zinna to resign in protest. SXSW kicks off in 10 days, but a few big companies have pulled out. (Jill Filipovic, 3/4)

The news media and politicians concerned about health risks connected to coronavirus have missed a critical fact: Thousands of airport workers on the front lines of exposure to dangerous diseases have no health insurance. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends visiting a doctor when experiencing symptoms, but going to the doctor often means personal financial crises for us. Having multiple sclerosis and a compromised immune system because of it, means I am at risk as I interact with passengers directly as a security officer. (Yvette Stephens, 3/4)

“We can’t be indifferent anymore!” President Xi Jinping of China fumed at top officials early last month, referring to the public health risks of eating wildlife. On Feb. 24, the 13th National People’s Congress issued a decision “Comprehensively Prohibiting the Illegal Trade of Wild Animals, Eliminating the Bad Habits of Wild Animal Consumption and Protecting the Health and Safety of the People.” This and an earlier ban on wildlife markets were direct responses to concerns that the new coronavirus, which is thought to have originated in bats, may have been transmitted to humans via a wild animal for sale at a wet market in Wuhan, a city in central China. Genetic analyses have come up short of pinpointing the culprit so far, but among the prime suspects is the pangolin, a long-snouted, scaly, ant-eating mammal virtually unknown in the West but widely prized in China as a delicacy and for its purported medicinal virtues. (Wufei Yu, 3/5)

Proponents of a national, single-payer health care system, like one favored by presidential candidates Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders, have long argued it would make medical care accessible to millions of Americans who currently can’t afford it and potentially drive down national health care spending overall. Opponents, on the other hand, tend to focus on how it would rework the economy: 2 million jobs lost, higher taxes to pay for it, the concentration of market power in the government. (Christopher Ingraham, 3/5)

Opponents of a woman’s right to an abortion are so relentless that nothing seems to stop them. Even a clear Supreme Court precedent doesn’t serve as a deterrent. Four years ago, the court took on one of the favorite tropes of abortion opponents — that to ensure women’s safety, doctors providing abortions need to have admitting privileges at hospitals near the clinics where they work. In that 2016 decision, Whole Woman’s Health vs. Hellerstedt, the justices struck down a Texas law that required abortion providers to have admitting privileges, finding that it was an unnecessary obstacle (or “undue burden” in court parlance) to women seeking abortions and did not enhance the safety of an already very safe procedure. (3/5)

After nearly five decades of tenuous existence, Roe v. Wade turned 47 this January. This week, a newly minted anti-choice majority on the Supreme Court is scheduled to hear its first major abortion case -- June Medical Services LLC v. Russo. The court is poised to quietly eviscerate Roe, and 2020 will mark the beginning of what I call "the pseudo-Roe era." Here’s what it will look like. (Sarah Boonin, 3/4)

As the Supreme Court gets ready to hear another abortion case, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists—the specialty’s main professional organization—has weighed in with a friend-of-the-court brief. ACOG is offering a medically unsound recommendation in the furtherance of its extreme position on abortion. At issue in June Medical Services v. Russo is a Louisiana law requiring abortion providers to have admitting privileges at a hospital within 30 miles of the site of the abortion. ACOG’s brief argues that the requirement isn’t “medically justified” and therefore constitutes an “undue burden” on a woman’s right to abortion. (Christina Francis, 3/3)

I’ve had an abortion. I was a year out of college, in an unhealthy relationship that didn’t seem overtly toxic until that pregnancy test screamed positive, and was in no way ready, willing, or able to be a parent. Unlike the people who live in 90 percent of the counties who do not have an abortion provider, a local Planned Parenthood was a short five-minute drive (on a bad traffic day) away from the apartment I shared with my then-partner. (Danielle Campoamor, 3/4)

Divining the logic of stock-market moves is tricky business, but that sure was some rally on Wednesday. While coronavirus cases continued to spread, investors seemed pleased that the political threat of a Bernie Sanders Presidency has receded. Stock indexes closed up as much as 4.5%, and notably the rally was led by health-care companies. Insurer stocks in particular such as Molina (16.4%), Centene (15.6%), Anthem (15.6%), UnitedHealth (10.7%) and Cigna (10.7%) soared. Mr. Sanders wants to abolish private health insurance with Medicare for All, and health shares had taken a beating after Mr. Sanders’s surprisingly large victory in Nevada two Saturdays ago. They’ve revived along with Joe Biden’s campaign resurrection. (3/4)

The phrase “maternal deaths” tends to conjure up images of awful complications of delivery: uncontrollable bleeding after birth or the Cesarean section that goes terribly wrong. But these heartbreaking catastrophes account for the minority of maternal deaths. Two-thirds of them happen either before birth or more than a week after delivery. In most cases, the woman is home when whatever will kill her — uncontrolled high blood pressure, heart failure, blood clots, suicide, drug overdose — initially strikes. (Adam Wolfberg, 3/5)

On April 1, 2020, the Trump administration plans to implement the first in a series of three proposed changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the federal safety-net program formerly known as “food stamps.” More than 36 million Americans, the majority of whom are extremely poor, currently receive SNAP benefits of an average of $1.39 per person per meal.1 Forty-four percent of SNAP beneficiaries are children. By restricting eligibility for this program, the proposed changes would represent a retreat from our collective obligation to the most vulnerable members of society. They would also leave millions of Americans hungry and have profound and long-lasting consequences for their health. (Drs. Aaron Richterman and Louise C. Ivers, 3/4)

If there’s one thing we’ve learned over the past 35 years, it’s that housing is health care. But until our nation reinvests in affordable housing, the daily realities of homelessness remain devastating to health. People without homes are far likelier than their housed counterparts to die prematurely. Their deaths result from increased exposure to violence and the elements along with a variety of health conditions, including addiction. (Kevin Lindamood, 3/3)

I believe in the power of yet. Doctors should, too, especially the one who used my daughter’s “case” as grist for a short-sighted article without her permission. The power of yet is a concept promoted by Stanford psychologist Carol Dweck as part of her research on the differences between growth and fixed mindsets. It tells us that there is always room to learn and to grow through practice, discovery, and research. There is — or at least there should be — a lot of “yet” involved in medicine, especially when it comes to diagnosing and treating tick bites. (Sue Ferrara, 3/4)

Each year, Maine receives a significant sum of money as part of a settlement with the tobacco industry. That money, expected to total nearly $45 million this year, is intended to go toward reducing tobacco use, especially among young people, and to other public health efforts, with an emphasis on prevention. But, many times since the settlement money started arriving in 2000, Maine lawmakers, like those in other states, have used the tobacco settlement money for other things, often to fill holes in the state’s Medicaid budget. Next, year the Medicaid payments are expected to total more than $30 million, eating up most of the $35 million the state is projected to receive from the settlement in 2021. (3/3)