Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
2020 Thanksgiving: Big Happy Reunion Or Red-Hot Problem?
NPR: Thanksgiving In The Time Of COVID-19: Is It Safe To Celebrate With Family?
It's time to gather the family together for the talk. Not that talk — the talk about what to do for Thanksgiving this year as the pandemic rolls on. It has been months since many of us have seen extended family — we're longing to check in on aging parents, to see old friends from back home, etc. But even though Thanksgiving often conjures up pictures of big happy reunions, how safe is it to make them a reality? (Fulton, 10/24)
The Washington Post: As Holidays Near, The Coronavirus Is Spreading Rapidly, Putting Families In A Quandary About Celebrations And Travel
The anticipated surge in interstate travel, family gatherings and indoor socializing is expected to facilitate the spread of covid-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. This isn’t like the run-up to Memorial Day or Independence Day: Barbecues outdoors, or pool parties, aren’t on the itinerary of many people. The fall and winter holidays are homey by nature. Respiratory viruses thrive in dry, warm indoor conditions in which people crowd together. The statistical peak of flu season typically comes close on the heels of Christmas and New Year’s. Colder weather is already driving people indoors. (Achenbach, 10/25)
Also —
CIDRAP: US Toddler Vaccine Rates Steady, But Lack Of Insurance Plays Role
More than 90% of children 2 years and younger who were born in 2016 and 2017 received the recommended measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR); poliovirus; hepatitis B (hepB); and varicella vaccines, according to a report today in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (McLernon, 10/23)
The Hill: Fox News President, Top Anchors Advised To Quarantine After Coronavirus Exposure: Report
Numerous Fox News personalities including anchors Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum, as well as network president Jay Wallace, were reportedly advised to quarantine following their exposure last week to a person who tested positive Sunday for COVID-19. The New York Times reported that the other personalities at the network advised to quarantine included two co-hosts of "The Five," Juan Williams and Dana Perino. (Bowden, 10/25)
