Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Zika's Wide-Ranging Impact: From Mixing Up Abortion Debate To Creating Business Opportunities
For years, most Americans have opposed abortions late in pregnancy. Zika could change that, potentially undermining support for a national ban on abortion after 20 weeks of pregnancy as more women infected with the virus find themselves in the crosshairs of the abortion wars if they choose to end their pregnancies. (Haberkorn, 8/22)
The Zika threat has led to economic opportunities for some businesses in Maryland and elsewhere as the state and federal governments have launched efforts to prevent spread of the virus. Millions have already been spent or committed in Maryland, and that's just a fraction of the billions Zika is expected to cost the United States, as well as Central and South America, where there have been far more cases. (Cohn, 8/22)
Gov. Rick Scott said Monday the state is sending $5 million to Miami-Dade County to help in the ongoing effort to stem an outbreak of the Zika virus. As part of $26.2 million in emergency state funding authorized by Scott, the governor said Miami-Dade would receive the money for additional mosquito-control staff, mosquito spraying and community outreach. (8/23)
More than 7,000聽students in Miami-Dade County started the new school year Monday聽in a Zika zone.聽The reopening of school came with more than the usual first-day jitters.聽With mosquito-spread Zika infections in the area up to 37 now, parents worried about the kids they sent out the door and off to class.聽The science of the mosquito-borne virus was part of the first day鈥檚 lesson plan at a middle school in Wynwood, CBS News correspondent David Begnaud reported. (8/22)
A consumer鈥檚 advocacy group is calling out Gov. Rick Scott for telling pregnant women concerned about Zika to contact their doctors, because that won鈥檛 work for 300,000 women who don鈥檛 have doctors due to Florida not expanding Medicaid coverage. The Florida Health Alliance, with more than 100 organizations in various medical fields, began asking members Monday to send letters to Scott and Florida lawmakers demanding they expand Medicaid in light of the growing Zika threat. (Freeman, 8/22)
