The newest Omicron subvariant could be the reason Arizona starts to see COVID-19 cases rise again.
The Arizona Department of Health Services reported more than 7,000 new cases in the state last week. The week before, it was about 5,000.
Public health officials are concerned the latest subvariant, known as XBB.1.5, could fuel a new surge in cases.
Martiza Cota, a volunteer at a vaccination clinic in Nogales, it’s personal. She lost her mom to COVID in November, who contracted the virus in the hospital. The Hispanic Access Foundation has provided grants to churches, like hers, which have opened their doors for those at the Arizona-Mexico border who want to be vaccinated.
“One of the recommendations that we do to get vaccinated is that it’s protecting from the COVID-19 and other variants,” Cota pointed out. “And the second thing we are doing is that it helps their economy, and our economy.”
It has been almost three years since COVID put the world on pause. Cota noted she does not see it happening again, but supports the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s continued encouragement for individuals to be vaccinated. People who have questions about it should check with their health care provider.
This Saturday, El Mesias United Methodist Church will operate its mobile clinic from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Cota added since they work in a border town, they have seen a recent increase in the number of Mexican nationals crossing the border to get vaccinations.
She stressed the church mobile clinic tries to make the process as easy as possible, including picking up those who may have difficulty driving.
“When they get here, people from Mexico or any people, to our nurses, we are informed, and we give them any information they ask for,” Cota explained.
With the recent holiday season, Cota predicted Arizona will not see the full impact of larger gatherings for some weeks to come. The CDC said close to 28% of new COVID cases nationwide are linked to the new variant, with the highest concentration in the Northeast.
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Several hospital systems and community health centers in Connecticut have been awarded grants to help fight health inequity.
The Connecticut Health Foundation awarded 24 grants, totaling just over $1 million, for health centers and medical systems across the state. The largest number of grants are focused on getting more and better data about race, ethnicity and language preferences.
A 2021 law requires health care providers to collect the data from patients.
Tiffany Donelson, president and CEO of the Connecticut Health Foundation, described why the information is so important.
“We recognized, just on a granular basis from different health systems and others, that COVID-19 was disproportionately impacting people of color,” Donelson pointed out. “But we were struggling, in some areas and for some organizations, to get the data to substantiate that.”
Data maps created by the University of Connecticut show people of color dying from the coronavirus at higher rates than white or Hispanic patients in the first two years of the pandemic.
Donelson noted at the time, there was not enough accurate data to track where health inequities existed. The grants should help to better pinpoint disparities in future research.
Donelson added collecting the data is not as simple as it sounds. But knowing where the health inequities are is the first step in being able to effectively address them.
“We know that there are health disparities across the state of Connecticut,” Donelson pointed out. “The issue is that we often don’t have the data to pinpoint exactly where the issues are so that we can establish intervention.”
Other Connecticut Health Foundation grants are targeted toward health solutions, outreach with health information, and diversity in advocacy and policy.
Disclosure: The Connecticut Health Foundation contributes to our fund for reporting on Children’s Issues, Health Issues, Human Rights/Racial Justice, and Mental Health. If you would like to help support news in the public interest,
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Open enrollment for health insurance through the Affordable Care Act ends on Jan. 15 at midnight ET.
The federal government reports nearly 16 million Americans have signed up since Nov. 1, with more than 3 million new enrollees.
In Nebraska, the nonprofit Health Center Association of Nebraska’s certified application counselors and navigators have helped more than 20,000 Nebraskans enroll so far.
Amy Behnke, CEO of the association, encouraged everyone to apply, even if they are unsure they will qualify for a tax credit subsidy to help pay their monthly premiums.
“Right now, with the way the marketplace plans are going, almost four out of every five consumers should be able to find plans that are incredibly affordable, even as little at $10 a month for a plan,” Behnke pointed out.
The Internal Revenue Service has fixed what is known as the “family glitch” for 2023, which means many families who might not have qualified for subsidies in the past may qualify this year.
People currently enrolled and up-to-date on their payments do not have to reapply, but anyone who wants to change their insurance plan must do so by Jan. 15. Free application assistance is available online at howtogetcare.org.
Nebraskans can choose between four carriers this year: Ambetter, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Medica and Oscar Health.
Sarah Maresh, health care access program director at Nebraska Appleseed, said when people have health insurance, they are more likely to get the care they need.
“Whether that be preventative care, like going to the doctor to get those regular screenings or treatments, or going to the doctor when they’re sick,” Maresh explained. “We encourage folks to get the coverage they need to stay healthy, and having that in place is a great way to start your new year.”
New enrollees under the Affordable Care Act will have their coverage start on Feb. 1, but Behnke stressed the application must be completed by the end of open enrollment on Jan. 15, and offered some advice to procrastinators.
“As we get closer to the deadline, we know — as with technology — not everything is guaranteed, and so you hate perhaps to have somebody wait to the last minute and have a website crash or freeze, or something like that,” Behnke emphasized. “We always encourage people to apply sooner rather than later.”
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New research makes a compelling case for expanding Medicaid coverage in states like Georgia that have not.
The study examines postpartum hospitalizations, and found a 17% reduction in hospitalizations in the 60 days after giving birth in states that have expanded their Medicaid programs.
That’s significant in Georgia, which already has the nation’s highest maternal mortality rate, according to the National Institutes of Health.
Study co-author Maria Steenland – an assistant professor of health services, policy and practice at Brown University – said they compared the rates of hospitalization among pregnant, low-income patients whose deliveries were Medicaid-funded, versus those that were not, for six months after giving birth.
“Increasing insurance continuity or postpartum insurance is actually a way that we can improve health for postpartum people in the United States,” said Steenland. “The main finding is basically that Medicaid expansion reduced postpartum hospitalizations in the first 60 days postpartum.”
She added that some states are now opting to keep people with Medicaid coverage insured for a longer time after a pregnancy – up to 12 months postpartum, rather than just 60 days.
Other research has shown Medicaid coverage also results in more prenatal care and healthier pregnancies.
Steenland said they found in the first two months postpartum, nearly 70% of the mothers’ hospitalizations are related to pregnancy complications. But between two and six months after giving birth, that drops to less than 10%.
“Some of the more common ones are these digestive system and mental health conditions. Diseases of the genitourinary system, and injury and poisoning, are among the most common reasons throughout the first six months,” said Steenland. “But are more common relative to reasons directly related to childbirth, in the later postpartum periods.”
Steenland added that this study examined hospitalizations for mothers after childbirth, but didn’t address the impact of Medicaid coverage for their babies. Medicaid covers four in ten births in the U.S.
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