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At least so far, the two most glaring failures of the U.S. response to the pandemic are in testing and public communication. Both came together this week when the CDC changed its testing guidelines in a way that had public health scientists baffled. The new guidelines say people who don’t have symptoms of Covid-19 don’t need to be tested — even if they think they were exposed. “CDC is driving us all crazy,” says Barry Bloom, a professor of public health at Harvard. “This just makes absolutely no sense.”You don’t have to be a scientist to see this as bizarre, after mass fear of asymptomatic spread caused millions to be shut up in our homes last spring, and remains the impetus behind mask mandates and other restrictions that treat all of us as potentially contagious no matter how healthy we feel. (Faye Flam, 8/27)

If it’s true, it’s incredible. On Monday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention unveiled new testing guidelines, which suggested asymptomatic people with known exposure to covid-19 didn’t need to be tested, even though asymptomatic transmission is a known problem. On Wednesday, it was reported that this change may have been made under pressure from the administration. (Megan McArdle, 8/28)

If you walked into the offices of the Food and Drug Administration tomorrow and claimed a miracle cure that could save 35 percent of those infected with COVID-19, the first thing the FDA would do is examine those claims rigorously. Validating claims of effectiveness is one of the most important and painstaking of the FDA's jobs. If those claims turned out to be false, your company could face massive civil and criminal liability. (Andy Slavitt, 8/31)

As a neonatal intensivist, helping families and newborns in distress is part of my job. In the intensive care unit, the distress is obvious. Covid-19 is shining a light on distress in children and families that has been largely hidden. (Stephen Patrick, 8/31)

Although President Trump has said the military is “all mobilized” to help distribute a coronavirus vaccine, in the end that process will almost certainly rely heavily on the pharmacies, doctors and community hospitals we’re all familiar with. The big picture: Deciding how to distribute a vaccine is, for now, a government-driven task, and Trump has invoked the logistical expertise of the military as a way to do the job. For the public, though, this won’t feel like a military exercise, with heavy trucks rolling into town and people lining up outside medical tents. It’ll feel like going to CVS. (Drew Altman, 8/31)

On night one of the 2020 Republican National Convention, President Donald Trump was praised for his management of the coronavirus pandemic. “As a healthcare professional, I can tell you without hesitation Donald Trump's quick action and leadership saved thousands of lives during Covid-19,” said Amy Ford, a registered nurse from West Virginia. Even Trump gave himself a pat on the back during his acceptance speech: “When the China virus hit, we launched the largest national mobilization since World War II.”But with over 180,000 deaths from the virus and millions of people unemployed, just how successful has Trump been in leading the nation’s pandemic response? Bloomberg Opinion columnists have been tracking his progress from the start. (Jessica Karl, 8/29)

After five months without in-person services at synagogue, I miss the singing. I miss the rabbis’ sermons. I miss seeing my friends. But mostly I miss being in my seat — that fixed place I could return to week in, week out.I miss the routine. I miss knowing that whatever life has thrown my way — work stress, awful news in the headlines, tension or disappointment or celebration — I could return at week’s end to that same spot. I could watch the light stream through the window at the same angle. I could stare at the same ceiling. I could close my eyes and hear familiar voices from all sides singing the same prayers. Yes, I’ve tried Zoom services, even enjoyed them. But I end up missing my spot even more — and contemplating why I go to synagogue in the first place. Theological conviction? A sense of obligation? Or just rote habit? (Tom Fields-Meyer, 8/31)

For more than six months now, many workers deemed essential have had to strap on face masks for shifts at meatpacking plants, Walmarts, grocery stores, hardware stores and restaurants. It is a necessary sacrifice for the nation’s well-being. But at universities across the country, while scores of professors, staff and students start the academic year remotely to curb the spread of the coronavirus, another class of worker will be asked to strap on protective gear to do their job — without the face coverings: college football players. Never has the inaccuracy of the term “student-athlete” been put in starker relief than in the misguided and dangerous attempt by the Big 12, Atlantic Coast Conference and Southeastern Conference to press forward with a nearly full season of football games beginning next month —  as nonathlete classmates are sent home for their safety. (8/29)

As he often does, however, Mr. Trump took the bait and fired off tweets that CNN and Democrats spun as incitement. “The big backlash going on in Portland cannot be unexpected after 95 days of watching and incompetent Mayor admit that he has no idea what he is doing. The people of Portland won’t put up with no safety any longer. The Mayor is a FOOL. Bring in the National Guard!” he tweeted. He’s right about the National Guard, but Mr. Trump would help Portland and his own political cause more if he called for calm on all sides. That includes his supporters who rolled into Portland for a counter-protest on Saturday. According to news reports, the man who was killed in the streets was wearing a hat for “Patriot Prayer,” the right-wing group that sometimes clashes with Antifa. Mr. Trump should tell his supporters to stay away from Portland, Kenosha, Wis., and other cities where rioters reign. (8/30)

Some Americans pay directly for their health care. Many others have it covered by their health insurance. Both groups should pay the same amount for the same services, but don’t. The “deep pocket” concept may be at work. (Jackson Williams, 8/31)

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has resisted inquiries by the press and his own Democratic Legislature into how his policy of returning Covid-19 patients to nursing homes contributed to an untold number of elderly deaths. But New Yorkers may finally get an honest accounting thanks to the Trump Justice Department. Justice on Wednesday sent letters to Mr. Cuomo and the governors of Michigan, Pennsylvania and New Jersey requesting virus data from their nursing homes. DOJ says it wants to determine whether the states’ orders “requiring admission of COVID-19 patients to nursing homes is responsible for the deaths of nursing home residents.” (8/28)