By Ashley Johnson/Broadcast version by Mary Schuermann Kuhlman
Reporting for the Kent State-Ohio News Connection Collaboration

Dancing in a white-and-black t-shirt and gray sweatpants to Jordyn's "Big Up's," social-media influencer Charli D'Amelio seems like she's just having fun. But her TikTok video is a #distancedance challenge aimed at preventing the spread of COVID-19 among the app's dedicated users.

D'Amelio's video is a part of Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine's effort to encourage young people to stay at home and keep their distance while in public. In March, DeWine reached out to Proctor and Gamble chief executive David Taylor with the idea of creating something that would spread the message to a younger audience.

Taylor, along with chief brand officer Marc Pritchard, reached out to Grey New York CEO Debby Reiner and social-media director Kenny Gold. Together they presented the #distancedance concept with D'Amelio as the leading star.

"They thought, 'Charli's amazing, she's got a lot of followers, she can create a distance dance, and then we can challenge other TikTokers and others to do the distance dance,'" Pritchard said. "And then when they post it, what we can do is donate product."

As an incentive to circulate the video on the mobile-video app, P&G promised to donate a product to those in need for every new #distancedance video shared. D'Amelio promoted #distancedance on "Entertainment Tonight "in May and "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" in March. The number of videos (and products donated through the relief organizations Feeding America and Matthew 25:Ministries) then climbed to 3.5 million.

Since its release, D'Amelio's video has garnered 15.9 billion views. The #distancedance challenge is TikTok's most viewed hashtag challenge to date, and D'Amelio now is the most followed account on the platform with 60 million followers.

DeWine's own TikTok account features six videos educating people on social distancing and letting viewers know that "we are in this together." Celebrities such as Cleveland Cavaliers basketball player Kevin Love, Olympicgold-medal runner Mary Wineberg and Cincinnati Bengals football player Joe Burrow also make appearances to help inform Ohio citizens.

One video, "Social distancing works," breaks down what can happen when distancing isn't practiced, and ihas been aired locally in television commercials.

The governor isn't the only public-health advocate in Ohio using TikTok to reach young people. Dr. Nicole Baldwin, a Cincinnati pediatrician, made national headlines when she posted a video on Jan. 11 advocating for vaccines.

The video quickly went viral and Baldwin encountered both positive and negative responses. While Baldwin received backlash from anti-vaccinators on TikTok, she said most of the negativity came from Facebook and Twitter. Baldwin still is creating videos and believes young people are listening.

"I get a lot of DMs from people who saw me on TikTok," Baldwin said, "young adults who have questions about medicine and going to medical school and different things."

Baldwin turned to TikTok because she wanted to reach a different, younger demographic than she does on her other social-media accounts. She said she tries to share public-health information that is evidence-based from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or the World Health Organization.

Since then, Baldwin has created more videos on TikTok highlighting how to properly wear a face mask and achieve appropriate hygiene. Through her videos, she also has urged viewers to stay at home and given advice to future medical students. Along with her various social-media platforms, the pediatrician also runs a blog with tips on how to stay healthy and other advice for parents and children.

Although Pritchard said the #distancedance campaign is the only one he and DeWine have planned so far, he'd be open to working with the Ohio governor again in the future.

Eve Mueller, DeWine's deputy director of communications, said the idea of using TikTok to spread the message of social distancing was a great way to get a younger audience to listen.

"I think it's smart to engage the tools in a way that people communicate,' she said, "and communicate it the way that they communicate it."

This collaboration is produced in association with Media in the Public Interest and funded in part by The George Gund Foundation.



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After more than 50 years of use, some Michigan lawmakers say naloxone may not be the best choice in an overdose situation.

Naloxone is sometimes called the "Lazarus drug" because of its powerful ability to seemingly resurrect people after a drug overdose.

Sen. Kevin Hertel, D-St. Clair Shores, and some of his colleagues have introduced a bill which would open the door for what they say are more costly, but more powerful, antidotes.

"Given the prevalence of fentanyl in our communities, and how much stronger some of these drugs that we're now seeing are, we believe -- and in talking with others -- that there should be other tools to respond to an overdose," Hertel explained. "To make sure we're doing everything we can to save somebody's life."

Not everyone is on board with the proposed legislation, Senate Bill 542. Opponents argued the more expensive naloxone alternatives are not necessary, and using them would only increase profits for the pharmaceutical industry.

Jonathan Stoltman, director of the Opioid Policy Institute in Grand Rapids, said while the naloxone alternatives do help in overdose situations, they can also cause nasty side effects.

"The newer approaches, they put people into more severe withdrawal," Stoltman pointed out. "That's a pretty profound negative side effect. The one approach is very inexpensive and works great; the other approach is far more expensive and has this strong negative side effect."

Sponsors of the bill say they're hoping to give Michigan residents a chance to chime in on the issue in a public hearing sometime in June. Michigan saw more than 3,000 opioid overdose deaths in 2021.


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New Mexico saw record enrollment numbers for the Affordable Care Act this year and is now setting its sights on lowering out-of-pocket costs - those not reimbursed by insurance. More than 56,000 New Mexicans are enrolled in a medical health insurance plan on the state exchange - an increase of 12,000 people overall.

Colin Baillio, deputy superintendent with the state's Office of Insurance, said the state has boosted its outreach and made efforts to improve the overall consumer experience.

"We saw a 40% year-over-year increase, and New Mexico saw the biggest percentage increase during the open-enrollment period among all of the state-based marketplaces," he explained

Part of the enrollment increase is due to what's called the "unwinding" - a federal directive that required all states to redetermine Medicaid eligibility following a three-year pause on checks during the COVID pandemic. He said by using expanded tools made available by the federal and state government, 8% of New Mexico's population is now uninsured - down from 23% in 2010.

Following approval by lawmakers in the 2024 legislative session, the New Mexico governor signed seven health care-related bills into law - one of which requires annual reporting of prescription drug pricing. Baililo said the Affordable Care Act built the foundation that has allowed the state to pursue additional affordability initiatives.

"I'm really glad to see that there's so much interest in the next step of health reform, really leaning into these out-of-pocket cost issues and making it easier for people to afford to stay covered and see their doctors," he continued.

Two years ago, the state also passed a one-of-a-kind law that did away with behavioral health co-pays for people in certain insurance plans.

New York's medical aid-in-dying bill is gaining further support. The Medical Society of the State of New York is supporting the bill. New York's bill allows terminally ill people with only six months to live to use this option, with safeguards requiring two physicians' approval.

The bill's Assembly sponsor Amy Paulin, D-Westchester, said despite the growing support, other hurdles lie ahead.

"Now we have what I believe, if it came to the floor, a majority. There's still a hesitation on the part of leadership. You know, we need members to assure leadership that they no longer have reservations," she said.

Other newly resolved concerns center on making sure insurance companies and doctors who don't support this aren't held liable. She's optimistic the bill will pass after nine years in the Legislature. New York would be the 11th state along with Washington, D.C. to have medical aid in dying legislation.

Corinne Carey, senior New York campaign director with Compassion and Choices finds the pandemic drew a vivid picture of a person's end-of-life experience. There were images of people dying on ventilators, apart from loved ones, and unable to communicate. She said people began thinking about a "good death."

"And, what is a good death is being surrounded by loved ones, having some measure of control, experiencing the touch of your loved ones, and being the one in the driver's seat," she explained.

Now people have different options for end-of-life care, each of which presents various challenges. Polls show medical aid in dying has garnered considerable support since being introduced in 2015. A 2022 Compassion and Choices poll finds 57% of nurses support medical aid in dying professionally, although fewer support it personally.