President-Elect Biden’s Plans on COVID-19 and Health Care

By Nancy Jiang ’23

Staff Writer

After Joe Biden was announced the winner of the presidential election, focus turned toward the policies he will be bringing into office on Jan. 20, 2021. As cases rise around the country, a particular area of interest is Biden’s COVID-19 strategy. 

According to Biden’s Nov. 13 statement, people need to see a change in the approach to the pandemic. Biden said, “I will not be president until next year. The crisis does not respect dates on the calendar, it is accelerating right now.” 

A representative from Biden’s team said that officials from the Department of Health and Human Services have gathered to plan a vaccination campaign for February and March focusing on logistics and policies. They will also consider factors such as prioritizing vaccination and distribution based on socioeconomic and racial equity. 

Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris have promised that their administration will increase testing sites, supply more personal protective equipment and implement comprehensive guidance on social distancing nationwide. Whether these promises will be effective in combating COVID-19 remains uncertain, as details on policy implementation are relatively unknown.

Aside from issues on a national level, Biden promised to restore the relationship between the U.S. and the World Health Organization to fix issues caused by the pandemic. Biden tweeted: “On my first day as President, I will rejoin the @WHO and restore our leadership on the world stage.” Although there is no formal procedure required for rejoining the WHO, similar to Trump’s withdrawal from the organization, returning would be as easy as an executive action. However, given that many other countries are actively improving their own health care systems and contributing to global wellness, it could be difficult for the U.S. to “restore [its] leadership on the world stage.” The U.S. has been hugely impacted by previous failures in preventing and responding to the pandemic.

Biden’s health care policy, which promotes the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, has also recently received attention because it relates to COVID-19 vaccine distribution and vaccination costs.

The Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, requires all U.S. citizens to be enrolled in a health insurance plan approved by ACA guidelines. The ACA is designed to assist both individuals and families who cannot afford a health care plan by reducing their fees. People with preexisting conditions would also have greater options available and would not need to worry about being denied health care by private insurance companies under this plan. Signed by former President Barack Obama in 2010, the ACA has since been challenged as unconstitutional by various district courts. In 2012, the Supreme Court ruled that it was unconstitutional for the ACA to coerce states into expanding Medicaid programs, though it ruled that the law as a whole was constitutional. Moreover, the ACA received massive opposition from members of the Republican Party. One Republican dissenter called the plan a “welfare program disguised” and cited concerns that under ACA, they would pay more in taxes for strangers who may use their money on medical procedures conservatives oppose, such as abortions. In response, Biden aims to “protect the Affordable Care Act from these continued attacks” and make the system less complex to navigate.

One of the key campaign promises that President Donald Trump ran on in the 2016 presidential election was to repeal the ACA. However, the ACA has actually become more favorable among the public during Trump’s presidential term. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, the percentage of those who favor the ACA increased from approximately 40 percent in March 2016 to 55 percent in October 2020. The poll also shows that two-thirds of Republicans, along with 79 percent of all people surveyed, do nott want the court to overturn the protections the ACA gives those with preexisting conditions. Republicans believe that protecting people with preexisting conditions is still important even though they want to overturn the ACA as a whole.

As mandated by Massachusetts law, all Mount Holyoke students are required to have health insurance even if studying remotely. The only exception is for students studying remotely in another country. Mount Holyoke charges all students for the Student Health Insurance Plan, which is ACA compliant. Students whose family insurance meets the Massachusetts state requirements can waive their fees.

Pharmaceutical Companies Release Coronavirus Vaccine Updates

By Lily Cao ’21

Staff Writer

As COVID-19 levels spike across the globe, many places around the world are heading into another round of lockdowns. Along with this growing second wave come announcements from companies working on possible coronavirus vaccinations. 

On Nov. 9, American pharmaceutical corporation Pfizer Inc. and German biotechnology company BioNTech SE shared that their mRNA-based vaccine candidate, BNT162b2, has shown record-breaking early results with over 90 percent efficacy against COVID-19. This finding from Phase 3 of their clinical trial was the first interim efficacy analysis, which tests the vaccine’s effectiveness under ideal circumstances. The vaccine was given in two doses with results collected seven days after the second dose. Even though it is unclear how strong the elicited immune response is and how long it will last in human bodies, this achievement marks a milestone in the vaccine development process and provides hope for the days ahead.

Pfizer and BioNTech SE launched the Phase 3 clinical trial of their vaccine candidate on July 27. As of Nov. 9, they have enrolled 43,538 participants worldwide. This is also the first American trial to have permission to enroll children as young as age 12. On Nov. 8, 94 trial participants had tested positive for COVID-19, enough to allow for the first analysis on all cases.

According to its Nov. 9 press release, Pfizer plans to present a submission for Emergency Use Authorization to the FDA in the third week of November. The FDA requires the safety and manufacturing data of the vaccine to obtain approval. Meanwhile, in order to ensure the safety and long-term protection conferred by the experimental vaccine, clinical trial participants will be monitored for an additional two years after receiving the second dose.

One of the challenges the companies face is the widespread distribution of the vaccine once it is approved. The vaccine requires that the single-stranded mRNA be kept below -80 C to preserve the structural integrity of the genetic material. Consequently, the transportation of the vaccine requires special storage boxes and precise techniques.

Similar to Pfizer and BioNTech SE, Moderna Inc.’s vaccine candidate also uses mRNA technology, and recent results from its trial indicate an efficacy of over 94 percent. Moderna’s vaccine, however, does not require storage at temperatures of -80 C and can be preserved at about -20 C, giving it a slight advantage. At the same time, there are currently 17 vaccine candidates that have entered the Phase 2 safety trials, and 12 have begun Phase 3 trials for large-scale efficacy tests.

If Pfizer and BioNTech SE’s vaccine candidate is approved, the companies expect to manufacture globally up to 50 million doses in 2020 and up to 1.3 billion doses in 2021.

Election Stress Disorder and How To Deal With It

By Nancy Jiang ‘23

Staff Writer

If you are stressed or feeling anxious about the election results, you might be experiencing election stress disorder. (Yes, it’s a real thing.) 

According to the American Psychological Association, 68 percent of Americans claim that the 2020 U.S. presidential election is a major source of stress in their lives, more so than the 2016 election when only 52 percent of Americans reported feeling stressed. The stress level is especially high for specific groups such as African Americans, who saw an increase from 46 percent in 2016 to 71 percent in 2020, and adults experiencing chronic illnesses. Although the exact reason remains unknown, 25 percent of college students reported clinically significant stress symptoms related to the election in 2016, meaning these symptoms were so severe that they needed to see a doctor. 

Uncertainty is considered a major cause of election stress disorder. People worry not only about which candidate will win but also what the future of the nation will look like, especially in an election between two candidates who are extremely divisive. It’s hard to make predictions as the country would be moving in opposite directions based on either one’s administrative plans. 

“No matter who wins, people will protest,” Allison Benguiat ’22 said. “One thing is for sure: the unrest of the crowd.” 

Additionally, international students’ experiences in the U.S. will be hugely affected by the outcome of the election, as they must face additional unknown factors such as the future policies for student visas and U.S. work authorization. “I’m worried about my visa expiring. That will stop me from coming back to Mount Holyoke,” Susan Wang ’23, an international student from China, said. “I hope the pandemic gets more under control after the election. As much as I miss the campus and hope to return, the increasing number of positive cases makes me hesitate.”

Some students appear more comfortable with uncertainty. “We’ll have to figure out what to do based on the new policies,” said Kelly Li ’23, who is also from China, “But as for now, we can do nothing about it. We’ll have to take it as what it will be, so I’m not stressed now.” 

As of Nov. 4, Democratic nominee Joseph Biden had won 50.3 percent of votes while President Donald Trump had won 48.1 percent, according to the Associated Press. 

Li’s strategy of “taking it as it will be” is also suggested by the APA to help deal with election stress disorder. Distracting yourself from constant worrying might also help alleviate anxiety. Watch a few episodes of your favorite TV show, talk to family and friends or focus on schoolwork (although that might cause another type of stress). If that doesn’t work, you can also talk about your concerns with someone from Mount Holyoke’s Counseling Service online.

The Politics of Reproduction in Poland and the United States

Graphic by Trinity Kendrick ‘21

By Kesshini Bhasiin ’22

Health & Science Editor

Content warning: This article contains discussion of abortion. 

Tens of thousands of women braved the cold, possible arrest and a deadly virus as they marched across Poland to fight for their right to choose this October. Dressed as baby incubators from “The Handmaid’s Tale” in red hoods and carrying red lightning bolts, these women banded together in the country’s largest protests since the 1980s following an unappealable ruling to ban almost all abortions in the country. Per this new ruling, the procedure may be carried out only under strict exceptions — conception via criminal acts like rape or incest or when continued pregnancy poses a threat to the woman’s life. Prior exceptions granted for fetal abnormalities have been abrogated under this new law. A sense of despair and vehement anger toward the government and the Catholic Church appears to hang heavy across the European nation, with many visuals depicting smoke, shouts and tears. 

Given the United States’ confirmation of Justice Amy Coney Barrett — the third conservative justice President Donald Trump has appointed to the bench — it is possible to wonder if the U.S. is headed down a similar path. This Supreme Court bench is set to receive cases that could open the doors to overturning Roe v. Wade, especially with the conservatives holding a 6-3 majority and numerous Senate Republicans keen to support such a move. In essence, there appears to be a very real possibility that women could stand to lose their reproductive freedoms. 

Assistant Professor of Politics and expert on reproductive rights in Latin America Cora Fernandez Anderson discussed the importance of these freedoms and the role of government, if any, in regulating reproductive rights. 

Fernandez Anderson said that historical facts and current trends may help anticipate the aftermath of more restrictive abortion laws. The new laws may lead to the birth of great “social injustice,” similar to that in the U.S. and the majority of Latin American countries before 1973, according to Fernandez Anderson. 

“Rich women will still be able to gain access to abortion — they will just travel elsewhere to do it — while women belonging to minority and poor communities will no longer be able to access safe abortions,” she said. 

This lack of access has not historically translated to a decrease in the number of abortions performed in these countries. Women of all communities and economic statuses have still found methods to carry out the procedure, either through self-injury or visiting illegal clinics with little to no protections in case something goes awry. Echoing the concerns of the feminist groups Fernandez Anderson worked with, she believes that such a ruling “would not end abortions, but end safe abortions.” 

However, looking to Latin American nations and certain states today shows that an existing drug may provide some relief. Misoprostol makes self-administered abortion procedures performed with the right information nearly as safe as surgical abortions. Networks have been developed by feminist activists across these regions, and if Roe v. Wade is overturned, they would possibly be “needed even more,” Fernandez Anderson said.

Historical precedent suggests that there are a few reasons why some governments support banning abortions despite the greater possibility of maternal injury or even mortality. One of the leading reasons is the involvement of the Catholic Church. In the case of Poland, a country with nearly 33 million practicing Catholics, the government’s decisions have been heavily influenced by rhetoric from the church on valuing the sanctity of all life. 

When such rhetoric came to a head after SCOTUS’ 1973 opinion in Roe v. Wade and voters began to support the pro-life movement, politicians seemed to acknowledge that discussing women’s reproductive rights in a manner favored by their constituents could almost certainly guarantee them being voted into power. This is now such a pressing issue in some states that, in the documentary “Reversing Roe,” Texas Democrat Donna Howard commented that a candidate’s stance on abortion is deeply important even when voting for unrelated offices, such as agriculture. 

Fernandez Anderson further noted that in countries such as Poland, “a deep history of imperialism” has played a role in decisions to protect the unborn. This is being branded “Polish nationalism” by Jaroslaw Kaczyński, the incumbent leader of the right-wing Law and Justice party. Similarly, in Latin America, it is often believed that abortion came alongside increased involvement of the U.S. government in the region, thereby leading people to believe that such a practice was not a part of their own cultural identity. 

It appears that there is sometimes a choice to be made between standing for women’s reproductive freedoms or standing for one’s church and state. 

Interestingly, the church appears to be “more coherent than the state” on the issue, Fernandez Anderson said. The church has long advocated for welfare programs, increased support for child-rearing and a more holistic approach to childcare that does not simply end after the birth of the child. In the absence of globally subsidized health care, affordable daycare and paid paternity leaves, it appears that governments have a lot more work to do to provide adequate support for a child after its birth. 

Debates still remain about whether governments should truly have a role to play in determining reproductive rights. When considering this, Fernandez Anderson laughed, noting how she had spent a considerable amount of time debating this issue in her courses. “The only role governments should play is to guarantee these rights to all citizens,” she said. If there arises a situation of inaccessibility or harm to a minority, then governments should step in to “ensure equality,” she added. 

There does appear to be some indication that the nearly 50-year-old precedent set by Roe v. Wade will be too strong to overturn; however, a stricter exception policy, similar to the one enacted in Poland, may be fast approaching.

Physicians of Color Spotlighted for Medical Contributions

By Anoushka Kuswaha ’24

Staff Writer

In a recent panel hosted by the American Medical Association, physicians discussed how the COVID-19 pandemic has not only pulled back the curtain on how racism and economic status affect patients worldwide, but also how it continues to affect BIPOC scientists and clinicians in the medical field. 

Given the relevance of broader discussion about racial disparities in the healthcare system, the Mount Holyoke News Health and Science section is spotlighting the legacy of medical advancements made by the BIPOC scientists and clinicians of the distant and nearly forgotten past. 

It is well documented that doctors experience racial barriers in medical practice. While African Americans make up 13 percent of the U.S. population, only 5 percent of physicians are Black, according to the United States Census and Association of American Colleges’ U.S. Physician Workforce data. 

In 1837, after American universities denied him a medical degree due to racist admissions policies, James McCune Smith graduated from the University of Glasgow in Scotland and became the first African American man to receive a medical degree. Howard University became the first school with a medical program for African Americans when it opened a medical department in 1867.  

Before 1892, when racist practices forbade Black physicians from joining medical professional organizations like the AMA, Black medical professionals formed new organizations. The physician Robert Boyd founded the National Medical Association in 1895, of which he became the first president. The NMA would become the oldest and largest national organization representing African American physicians. The NMA worked to combat racism in medicine by establishing the National Hospital Association in 1923 to assess the quality of Black patient care, commissioning studies of diseases impacting minorities and fighting to desegregate nursing and medical schools during the civil rights movement. 

In spite of societal condemnation for being a woman seeking a medical degree in India, Dr. Anandi Gopal Joshi stood by her goals to provide better medical care to Indian women. In 1886, she became the first Indian woman to receive a degree in Western medicine from the Women’s Medical College of Pennsylvania. Less than a year after graduating, she died of tuberculosis at age 21. 

Joshi graduated within four years of other pioneers, such as Keiko Okami (the first Japanese physician to receive a degree in Western medicine from a Western university in 1889), Sabat Islambouli (the first Syrian female physician of Jewish descent to receive a degree in Western medicine from a Western university in 1890), and Susan La Flesche Picotte (the first Native American woman to become a physician in the United States, who graduated in 1889 and went on to represent her Omaha reservation’s interests in campaigning for public health education on issues such as tuberculosis and temperance). All of these people fought against the odds for themselves, their communities and the advancement of science and medicine. 

Researchers Say Hallucinations May Be a COVID-19 Symptom

By Nancy Jiang ’23

Staff Writer

Content Warning: This article contains mention of suicide. 

As of Sept. 22, there are 7.4 million active COVID-19 cases worldwide, with 2.5 million confirmed in the United States. In addition to symptoms of COVID-19 such as fever, headache and respiratory issues, neurologists have discovered that the virus can seriously impact patients’ mental health. 

Neurologists wondered what impact, if any, the virus had on brains. Apart from the drastic increase in the appearance of stress-driven psychological disorders during quarantine, life-threatening neurological symptoms have also emerged for COVID-19 patients. A case study published in the journal Psychosomatics reported a patient who experienced command suicidal hallucination, driven to drink bleach from the kitchen. (This was before President Donald Trump suggested drinking bleach as a potential cure for COVID-19.) According to the patient, he was compelled by a loud and forceful command from an unrecognizable voice, not suicidal intentions. This patient had no prior history of medical or psychiatric illnesses. However, after being saved from ingesting bleach, he remained uncooperative toward the medical team and did not admit to having auditory hallucinations until his 12th day in the hospital. Moreover, his COVID-19 infection developed soon after. Neurologists considered his auditory hallucination to be the first symptom of the virus.          

Other patients have also developed delirium (similar to hallucination, patients develop confused thinking and reduced awareness toward their surroundings) and other neurological manifestations after their coronavirus infections. In another case study published in the British Journal of Psychiatry Open, two days after a patient was hospitalized for COVID-19, she started to become overly alert toward her surroundings and manifested multiple signs of hallucination, saying that the nurses and staff were trying to kill her and regarding her cat as a lion. She behaved abnormally, constantly washing her phone in the sink or brushing her teeth with soap and water. Deficiency in fluency and memory was recorded 10 days after she was hospitalized. She recovered after 52 days with no more ongoing symptoms.

Looking back at one of the first case series from Wuhan, China, published in the journal of JAMA Neurology at the start of 2020, out of 214 people, 36.4 percent had experienced neurological symptoms. According to a study design published in the journal Neurocritical Care, evidence suggests that the SARS-CoV-2 virus can affect the human brain, possibly by passing through the brain-blood barrier (part of the neuroimmune system that prevents foreign solutes in the blood — in this case, the virus from entering the central nervous system) and further cause neuropsychiatric problems. 

Although not as common as the respiratory symptoms, the neuropsychiatric impact of COVID-19 has become a new point of study for some medical professionals, and something to be aware of for those monitoring symptoms. The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke is providing funding for continued research into the neurological symptoms of COVID-19.