Selena Simmons-Duffin

Selena Simmons-Duffin appears in the following:

What the White House's actions on medical debt could mean for consumers

Thursday, April 14, 2022

The Biden administration announced new measures to ease the financial burden of high medical bills. Here's how the measures can help and what's still missing to protect patients.

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Politicians are testing positive for COVID-19 while federal pandemic funds dwindle

Saturday, April 09, 2022

Some of the most powerful people in Washington, including senators and cabinet members, tested positive for COVID-19 this week. Meanwhile, federal funding for the pandemic response is running out.

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Free COVID tests and treatments no longer free for uninsured, as funding runs out

Tuesday, March 29, 2022

The Biden administration has asked Congress to allocate $22.5 billion more for pandemic relief. But the funding is stalled and the effects are already being felt.

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The COVID fund for the uninsured is shutting down, which will likely drive spread

Friday, March 25, 2022

Congress failed to approve billions in new funding to fight COVID-19. Among threatened program cuts are free treatments for COVID patients who are uninsured.

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As states end mask rules, how to make the best choice for you and your family

Friday, February 11, 2022

As states begin to relax mask mandates, individuals have to make their own decisions about how and when to mask.

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If you tested positive and the contact tracer never called, here's why

Tuesday, February 08, 2022

Swamped by thousands of calls a day, contact tracing programs have been forced to adapt. Even though they can't call everyone, experts say it's too early to give up on this pillar of disease control.

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The Biden administration will pay community groups to help boost trust in vaccines

Tuesday, February 08, 2022

The Health Resources and Services Administration is distributing $66.5 million to community groups working across 38 states and Washington, D.C. to help with local vaccine outreach.

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When can babies and kids under age 5 get their shots? Here's the timeline

Wednesday, February 02, 2022

The first big hurdle was crossed when Pfizer shared its clinical trial data with the FDA. Now there are five more steps to get through before this vulnerable population can be vaccinated.

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Getting insurance to reimburse you for a purchased COVID test can be a hassle

Friday, January 21, 2022

The White House launched two new efforts to help Americans get free access to rapid COVID tests. It's still hard to find tests, and reimbursement for tests bought at a store isn't necessarily easy.

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A year in, experts assess Biden's hits and misses on handling the pandemic

Tuesday, January 18, 2022

When he came into office, Biden launched an ambitious seven-point plan for defeating the virus. Here's how experts score his results.

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President Biden announces more tests, masks and emergency hospital staff

Thursday, January 13, 2022

President Biden announced new measures to respond to the COVID surge. He is sending troops to hospitals in some states and said that more tests and masks are being ordered for distribution nationwide.

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CDC is criticized for failing to communicate, promises to do better

Friday, January 07, 2022

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention held only two telebriefings in 2021. That lack of transparency has prompted criticism — and a pledge from director Dr. Rochelle Walensky to be more open.

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Isolation rule changes are the latest case of the CDC's problems with messaging

Thursday, January 06, 2022

The new CDC guidelines for COVID-19 isolation and quarantine have garnered a lot of criticism. And this is just one example of the agency's on going communication problems.

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5 years later, researchers assess how children exposed to Zika are developing

Monday, December 27, 2021

Subtle developmental differences in children whose brains seemed normal at birth underscore the need to follow children long term — a lesson that may be key for babies exposed to COVID-19.

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President Biden addressed growing concerns about the omicron variant in speech

Tuesday, December 21, 2021

President Biden is laying out his next steps for taking on the omicron variant, including giving out more at-home tests and sending support teams to overwhelmed hospitals.

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What the White House is doing as omicron begins to take off in the U.S.

Monday, December 20, 2021

President Biden is expected to address the surge in omicron cases, but is his administration's response fast and sufficient enough to meet what could be the most challenging month yet in the pandemic?

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COVID-19 cases are increasing rapidly across the US

Saturday, December 18, 2021

Coronavirus cases are beginning to surge again in the U.S., just weeks after the discovery of the omicron variant. Data from the U.K. shows it is even more transmissible than delta.

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White House issues a warning to unvaccinated Americans as concerns about omicron grow

Friday, December 17, 2021

The White House continues the same COVID-19 messages and strategies even as models suggest an omicron surge is coming.

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As omicron spreads, health experts push for mask mandates. But few states have one

Thursday, December 16, 2021

Nine states have active mask mandates, even as the new variant is quickly moving in on the U.S. Despite their political unpopularity, research shows masks still work and could save lives.

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As omicron spreads, public health advocates urge states to reinstate mask mandates

Wednesday, December 15, 2021

A new statewide mask mandate in California went into effect Wednesday, bringing the total number of states with mask mandates to 10. That has some public health advocates worried as omicron spreads.

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