‘Great Worry’: Health Experts See Drop In Vaccinations As Parents Cancel Well-Child Checkups

The New York Times: Vaccine Rates Drop Dangerously As Parents Avoid Doctor’s Visits
As parents around the country cancel well-child checkups to avoid coronavirus exposure, public health experts fear they are inadvertently sowing the seeds of another health crisis. Immunizations are dropping at a dangerous rate, putting millions of children at risk for measles, whooping cough and other life-threatening illnesses. “The last thing we want as the collateral damage of Covid-19 are outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases, which we will almost certainly see if there continues to be a drop in vaccine uptake,” said Dr. Sean T. O’Leary, a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics’ committee on infectious diseases. (Hoffman, 4/23)

The Washington Post: Coronavirus Patients Die Alone In Hospitals. This Family Chose Death At Home.
When it came time for the conversation about whether Carmelo Marchese should go to the hospital, his daughter didn’t tell him about her fears — that he’d be taken away in an ambulance and never see his family again. She didn’t mention the images on the news, of black body bags piling up outside hospitals, nor the images in her mind, of her father in one of those bags. She just told him what she thought was most necessary. That northern Italy’s hospitals were overloaded. That a 93-year-old, weakened already with fever, wouldn’t be prioritized. That his odds might be no worse at home. (Harlan, Pitrelli and Panella, 4/22)

Kaiser Health News: The Other COVID Risks: How Race, Income, ZIP Code Influence Who Lives Or Dies
It started with a headache in late March. Then came the body aches. At first, Shalondra Rollins’ doctor thought it was the flu. By April 7, three days after she was finally diagnosed with COVID-19, the 38-year-old teaching assistant told her mom she was feeling winded. Within an hour, she was in an ambulance, conscious but struggling to breathe, bound for a hospital in Jackson, Mississippi. (Szabo and Recht, 4/22)

Stat: Covid Phobia Keeping People With Heart Symptoms Away From ERs 
Stayc Simpson’s blood pressure readings are all over the place. Her heart rate is fluctuating wildly. After struggling with heart failure and coronary artery disease for 15 years, undergoing a double bypass, and living with an implanted pacemaker and defibrillator, she knows her numbers aren’t good. (McFarling, 4/23)

The New York Times: As Leaders Urge Face Masks, Their Behavior Muffles The Message
When Vice President Mike Pence descended onto the tarmac in Colorado Springs last Saturday, his first appearance outside the White House grounds in over a month, he was greeted by the Democratic governor of Colorado, Jared Polis, who was wearing a face mask emblazoned with images from his state flag. Mr. Pence tapped elbows with Mr. Polis, rather than offering a hand, but he kept his face uncovered, a decision in line with President Trump’s position: Mr. Trump said this month that he would not follow guidelines from his own Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and wear a face mask. (Karni and Astor, 4/22)

Boston Globe: Fighting Coronavirus With Sewing Machines, Volunteers Make Over 14,000 Face Masks And Counting 
During an average April, Boston designer David Josef would be up to his eyebrows in tulle, lace, and satin, fitting anxious brides and their mothers for their upcoming nuptials in elaborate frocks. This year his output is slightly less elaborate. The fabric is cotton, the sewing patterns are rectangular, and demand is through the roof. He’s turned his Waltham fashion studio into a small factory where he turns out hundreds of face masks a week. (Muther, 4/22)

The New York Times: Two Cats Are First U.S. Pets To Test Positive For Coronavirus
The first pets in the United States, two cats from New York State, have tested positive for the virus that is causing the worldwide pandemic, the Agriculture Department and the Centers for Disease Control announced Wednesday. The cats, from different parts of the state, are showing only mild symptoms and are expected to be fine. (Gorman, 4/22)

WBUR: Climate Change Worsens Effects Of Global Outbreaks Like Coronavirus, Expert Says
Today marks the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, a day traditionally dedicated to protecting the environment. This year, experts are grappling with a global coronavirus pandemic along with worsening climate change, and some believe the two problems are linked. (Mullins, 4/22)

WBUR: ‘Crisis Schooling’: Educators, Families Balance Learning And Wellbeing Amid Closures 
During the pandemic, parents like Pries are prioritizing emotional well-being over school work. For most Massachusetts schools, meeting kids’ social and emotional needs is also a top priority. Many are under enormous stress to serve all of the needs of their community, from rigorous academic material, to mental health support and a source for food. And they’re doing this all while faced with the new reality that schools across the state will be closed for the rest of the year. (Jung, 4/23)