Can Masks Save Us From Lockdowns?

PLUS: Her Knee Surgeon Was In-Network. But An Assistant Wasn't, And Billed $1,167

Shots Sean Gardner/Getty Images Wear A Mask To Open The Economy How can communities stop surges of coronavirus cases without crushing the economy? Some scientists say widespread mask wearing may be more than a helpful precaution — it may be the solution. University of Washington scientists recently ran the numbers. “If 95% of people wear cloth masks when they're out and about interacting with other people, it reduces transmission by at least 30%,” NPR’s Nurith Aizenman reports. That’s enough to set in motion an “exponential decay” of cases in the U.S., instead of the current “exponential growth” many places are experiencing. And reducing the number of new cases is key to the safe opening of offices and schools. Read on to learn why a scientist who led that analysis says “there’s a lot of hope here.” Bonus: Try The ‘Birthday Candle Test’ Of Your Mask’s Quality   Newsletter continues after sponsor message Rachel Woolf for KHN How To Avoid Hidden Charges In Surgery  The use of surgical assistants for certain operations isn’t really new, says Dr. Libby Rosenthal of Kaiser Health News. “Some surgeries take two sets of skilled hands, and so the primary surgeon would often call in an assistant.” But what is new, she says, is that now patients “are getting billed – and billed big – for this service.” College student Izzy Benasso and her dad were surprised by just this sort of bill when Izzy tore the cartilage in one knee playing tennis and needed surgery to fix it. The hospital’s negotiated bill was $3,216.60, to be paid by her insurer, plus $357.4 from the Benassos. Then the family got a direct bill from the procedure’s out-of-network Surgical Assistant for $1,167. “Surgical Assistants have become one of the most common causes of surprise bills,” Rosenthal says. Read on to learn how the Benassos fought back. BONUS: 1 In 5 Patients Gets A Surprise Medical Bill After Surgery   Dan Kenyon/Getty Images 'Schools Will Now Be The Experiment' Studies show children have lower rates of COVID-19 and have milder symptoms than adults. But there's less known about how much kids spread the coronavirus -- to each other, or to adults -- and that’s the key question for school districts. "Schools will now be the experiment," says Dr. Alan Carroll, a pediatrician at Indiana University School of Medicine. "We're going to see a bunch of schools open with varying levels of control, and then we will see what happens." Read on to learn why some scientists think kids age 10 and older may be more likely to spread the virus than younger children. BONUS: Why Scientists Say ‘Herd Immunity’ May Never Be Achieved Without A Vaccine   More of this week's health stories from NPR Swamped By Medical Debt? This Can Help Why Shaming Backfires As A Public Health Tool How Long Does COVID-19 Immunity Last?   We hope you enjoyed these stories. Find more of NPR's health journalism on Shots and follow us on Twitter at @NPRHealth. Your Shots editor, Deborah Franklin   What do you think of today's email? We'd love to hear your thoughts, questions and feedback: shots@npr.org Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! They can sign up here. Looking for more great content? Check out all of our newsletter offerings — including Goats & Soda, Daily News, Best of NPR and more! You received this message because you're subscribed to Health emails. This email was sent by National Public Radio, Inc., 1111 North Capitol Street NE, Washington, DC 20002 Unsubscribe  |  Privacy Policy