Coronavirus (COVID-19)

At almost 27 weeks since the first coronavirus case appeared in the United States, we have reached 4 million cumulative cases — only 15 days since crossing 3 million. While cases are climbing at increasing rates and the economy continues to suffer, the debate around the safety and feasibility of reopening schools for in-person instruction continued this week as state and local officials released their decisions around in person or online learning and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released its own guidance on reopening schools.

A new KFF analysis finds that 80 percent of people who have died of COVID-19 in the U.S. to date were age 65 or older, though the share varies considerably by state — from a high of 94 percent in Idaho to a low of 70 percent in the District…

This analysis examines the extent of state-level variation in the share of COVID-19 deaths accounted for by older adults, using data from the CDC as of July 22, 2020, for the week ending July 11, 2020.

The pandemic is increasingly taking an emotional toll, with a majority of U.S. adults (53%) saying that worry and stress related to coronavirus has had a negative impact on their mental health. It’s the highest share so far. Women, young adults, Black people and those struggling financially are among the most affected. Learn more in this Chart of the Week.

Most Say Things Will Get Worse Before They Get Better, and Just Over Half Now Say Their Mental Health is Worse Because of Coronavirus Worry and Stress As state and local officials prepare for the new school year amid the COVID-19 pandemic, parents with children who normally attend school overwhelmingly…

The temporary boost in federal Medicaid funding enacted as part of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) will soften the economic blow of COVID-19 on states, but is unlikely to fully offset state revenue declines or forestall budget shortfalls stemming from the pandemic, finds a new KFF analysis. The…

This brief examines how much fiscal relief states can expect from the increase in the Medicaid FMAP under FFCRA under different assumptions about the duration of the relief, how the FMAP increase provides broad fiscal relief to states and the factors that affect how much relief is available across states.

In his Axios column, Drew Altman discusses new data on the surge of new infections in long-term care facilities in COVID-19 hotspots. The dominant narrative about the Sunbelt surge in new cases is that the infected population is younger, but he says that’s not the whole story. There is also a…

In his Axios column, Drew Altman discusses new data on the surge of new infections in long-term care facilities in COVID-19 hotspots. The dominant narrative about the Sunbelt surge in new cases is that the infected population is younger, but he says that’s not the whole story. There is also a spike in cases in long-term care facilities, especially in Florida and Texas.

LTC cases in hotspot states are increasing at 4x the rate as LTC cases in non-hotspot states. Media has largely focused on the share of cases attributed to a younger population. However, increased cases in long-term care facilities are cause for concern, given that nearly half of all COVID-19 deaths have been in long-term care facilities. This piece provides state-level data, including data that shows that long-term care cases in Texas and Florida have increased by over 50% in 2 weeks.