First Caribbean Cruise Since Sailings Restarted Has A COVID Case
Also in the news: Ticketmaster is working on a plan to verify concertgoers' vaccine status; a child with measles had possible exposures at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport; Ohio State postpones its game against Maryland because of COVID; and more.
CNN:
SeaDream 1: First Caribbean Cruise Since The Pandemic Started Reports Positive Covid-19 Test Result
A Covid-19 scare is the last thing the cruise industry needs as it eases back into the Caribbean. Yet on Wednesday, a passenger on SeaDream Yacht Club's SeaDream 1 received a preliminary positive test result for Covid-19, according to Gene Sloan, a senior reporter for cruise and travel at The Points Guy, who was aboard the ship. (Hunter, 11/11)
The Hill:
Ticketmaster Exploring Verifying Fans' Vaccine Status Before Issuing Concert Passes
Ticketmaster is working on a plan to verify the vaccination status of concertgoers once a coronavirus vaccine is available, Billboard reported Wednesday. Hoping to recover from the decimating effect the coronavirus pandemic had on the entertainment business and venues, Ticketmaster told Billboard it has been working on a framework to verify vaccination status and COVID-19 results through phones. (Choi, 11/11)
The Salt Lake Tribune:
20 More Utah Schools Will Shift To Online Learning After COVID-19 Outbreaks — With 14 Of Those In One Hard-Hit District.
Jordan District will shift 14 of its schools to virtual learning — some for a second or third time — as COVID-19 cases continue to spike among students and staff and the entire state. The action taken by the district’s board of education Wednesday night is the most sweeping to come anywhere in Utah since most classrooms here reopened this fall despite the pandemic. And Jordan has been particularly hard hit by the virus with nearly 1,200 total cases, the highest of the districts in Salt Lake County. (Tanner, 11/11)
KHN:
Nursing Homes Still See Dangerously Long Waits For COVID Test Results
Nursing homes are still taking days to get back COVID-19 test results as many shun the Trump administration’s central strategy to limit the spread of the virus among old and sick Americans. In late summer, federal officials began distributing to nursing homes millions of point-of-care antigen tests, which can be given on-site and report the presence or absence of the virus within minutes. By January, the Department of Health and Human Services is slated to send roughly 23 million rapid tests. (Rau, Weber and Pradhan, 11/12)
KHN:
When False Information Goes Viral, COVID-19 Patient Groups Fight Back
For decades, people struggling with illnesses of all kinds have sought help in online support groups. This year, such groups have been in high demand for COVID-19 patients, who often must recover in isolation. But the fear and uncertainty regarding the coronavirus have made online groups targets for the spread of false information. And to help fellow patients, some of these groups are making it a mission to stamp out misinformation. (Smith, 11/12)
KHN:
Workers Who Lost Jobs Due To COVID May Need Help Getting Coverage This Fall
Michelina Moen lost her job and health insurance in April. Only weeks earlier she had begun to feel ill and not her usual energetic self — in what she describes as a textbook case of “really bad timing.” The Orlando, Florida, resident sought treatment in May. After a series of tests, doctors told Moen she had a rare kidney condition that would require months of treatment. (Findlay, 11/12)
In other public health news —
AP:
Measles Case Confirmed, Possible Sea-Tac Airport Exposure
King County health officials say they’ve confirmed a new measles case in a child, with possible exposures at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Public Health — Seattle & King County officials said Wednesday that the highly-contagious infection likely happened while the child was traveling outside the United States. Before the child was diagnosed, he had been on Nov.5 near the airport’s Gate N-11 and Carousel 13 in the baggage claim area. Health officials are advising anyone who was in that area from 10 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. that they could have been exposed to measles. (11/12)
CIDRAP:
Romaine Lettuce Possible Source For Third Recent US E Coli Outbreak
In the third multistate Escherichia coli O157:H7 outbreak reported this fall—this one affecting 12 people—Tanimura & Antle, of Salinas, California, is recalling its packaged single-head romaine lettuce that was packaged Oct 15 and 16, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said yesterday. Among the 12 E coli infections across six states, 5 patients have been hospitalized. Illinois has 4 cases, and Michigan, California, and Pennsylvania each have 2. Illness-onset dates range from Sep 2 to Oct 14. (11/11)
The New York Times:
UPS To Allow Natural Black Hairstyles And Facial Hair
UPS will allow workers to have facial hair and natural Black hairstyles like Afros and braids as it becomes the latest company to shed policies widely criticized as discriminatory amid nationwide demands for racial justice. The delivery company, which has more than 525,000 employees worldwide, said it was also eliminating gender-specific rules as part of a broader overhaul of its extensive appearance guidelines, which cover hair, piercings, tattoos and uniform length. (Levenson, 11/11)
ESPN:
Maryland Vs. No. 3 Ohio State Off Due To Coronavirus
Maryland's football game against No. 3 Ohio State is canceled and will not be rescheduled after the Terps paused all team-related activities on Wednesday because of an elevated number of coronavirus cases within the Terrapins' program, the school announced on Wednesday. Over the past seven days, eight Maryland football players have tested positive for COVID-19, according to a news release from the school. (Dinich, 11/11)
