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State and local governments imposed social distancing measures in March and April of 2020 to contain the spread of novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). These included large event bans, school closures, closures of entertainment venues, gyms, bars, and restaurant dining areas, and shelter-in-place orders (SIPOs). We evaluated the impact of these measures on the growth rate of confirmed COVID-19 cases across US counties between March 1, 2020 and April 27, 2020. An event-study design allowed each policy’s impact on COVID-19 case growth to evolve over time. (Courtemanche et al, 5/14)

The current administration’s new public charge rule took effect in February 2020, significantly expanding the criteria for determining whether applicants for permanent residency, or green cards, may be denied based on past or potential use of government benefit programs. Even before the rule took effect, evidence shows the proposed rule produced widespread chilling effects nationally, meaning eligible immigrant families—including those who would not be subject to the rule—avoided enrolling in public benefit programs for fear of immigration consequences. (Bernstein et al, 5/18

The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically changed how outpatient care is delivered in health care practices. To decrease the risk of transmitting the virus to either patients or health care workers within their practice, providers are deferring elective and preventive visits, such as annual physicals. When possible, they are also converting in-person visits to telemedicine visits. For their part, many patients are also avoiding visits because they do not want to leave their homes and risk exposure. Also influencing both provider and patient behavior are the evolving local and state recommendations restricting travel and nonessential services. (Mehrotra, 5/19)

Although firearms are a highly lethal means of attempting suicide1 and were used in 24 432 of 48 344 US suicide deaths (50.5%) in 2018, little is known about factors associated with firearm suicide risk. Much of the previous research describing firearm suicide compared suicide decedents using firearms with other methods.2 Without prospectively evaluating firearm suicide risk among living populations, however, these analyses did not yield firearm suicide rates and thus have limited utility for identifying high-risk groups. (Olfson et al, 5/18)

Generic patient portal reminders were effective in minimally increasing influenza vaccination rates, but more intensive or more targeted patient motivational strategies appear to be needed. (Szilagyi et al, 5/18)