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How hospital pandemic policies hurt perinatal care

caption: Holding baby's hand
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Holding baby's hand

The health and safety rules that hospitals imposed during the pandemic had negative effects for maternity patients and clinical staff treating them, according to a recent University of Washington study. King County officials are closely monitoring the rise in new coronavirus infections and hospitalizations while rolling out at-home vaccinations for people whose health prevents them from leaving the house to get a shot. Also, we hear from our education reporter about the return of middle and high school students to Seattle schools and the recent decision to scrap standardized testing in state schools until the fall.

Individual segments are available in our podcast stream or at www.kuow.org/record.

King County Executive Dow Constantine 04.20

King County Executive discusses the close watch officials are keeping on rising coronavirus cases and hospitalizations in the county, particularly among 18-34 year-olds. He also answers listeners' calls about in-person gatherings and a new program to provide at-home vaccinations for some residents with health conditions.

UW study finds hospital pandemic policies hurt perinatal care

A recent University of Washington study found that safety-related restrictions hospitals placed during the pandemic had a negative outcome on perinatal patients and clinical staff. Molly Altman, an assistant professor in the UW Nursing School, talks with Bill Radke about the study and why BIPOC patients were especially impacted by the telehealth visits and other changes hospitals made during the pandemic to deliver perinatal care.

High school and middle school students return to classrooms

KUOW education reporter Ann Dornfeld talks with Bill Radke about the return of high school and middle school students in Seattle and other parts of the state for in-person instruction and discusses the state's recent decision to postpone standardized testing in public schools until the fall.

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