Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Airlines: Exposed Workers, Passengers Without Masks, 'Little' Travel Demand Returning
The Washington Post: Dozens Of National Airport Workers May Have Been Exposed To Coronavirus
Dozens of workers at Reagan National Airport may have been exposed to the novel coronavirus after attending services at an Alexandria church last month. The possible exposures took place at the Kidane Mehret Church in Alexandria between Aug. 14 and Aug. 17, but it wasn’t until a week later, on Aug. 21, that city health officials were notified of a confirmed case of the virus linked to the church. (Aratani, 9/12)
Detroit Free Press: Metro Airport Delta Flight Delayed After Passenger Refuses To Wear Mask
A Metro Airport flight to Los Angeles returned to the gate Saturday night after a passenger refused to comply with Delta Air Lines's face mask requirement, according to the airline.“We apologize to customers on Flight 201 from DTW to LAX that returned to the gate when a customer did not comply with Delta’s mask-wearing requirement onboard," a Delta spokesperson said in a statement to the Free Press Sunday. "After a short delay, the flight departed to Los Angeles.” (Marini, 9/13)
USA Today: Southwest Airlines Escorts Mother, 2-Year-Old From Flight Over Mask
A woman traveling from Fort Myers, Florida, to Chicago said she was escorted off her Southwest Airline flight on Saturday because her 2-year-old son was snacking prior to takeoff and wasn't wearing his mask. Jodi Degyansky, 34, wants airlines to have more compassion for parents who have toddlers that might have difficulty donning their masks for a long time. "We are trying to get used to it, but he's 2," Degyansky said. (Montoya, 9/13)
In other travel news —
Politico: United CEO Sees Low Air Travel Until A Widely Available Vaccine
United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby said on Sunday that, while he believes it’s safe to fly now, he doesn't see air travel returning to prepandemic levels until a coronavirus vaccine is developed and widely distributed. “Our view is, demand is not coming back, people are not going to get back and travel like they did before until there is a vaccine that’s been widely distributed and available to a large portion of the population,” Kirby said on CBS’ “Face the Nation.” “I hope that happens sooner, but our guess is that's the end of next year.” (Naranjo, 9/13)
MSN.com: Survey Reveals Disparities Between How Men And Women Perceive Travel Safety
The study showed that women are much more likely than men to follow CDC precautions as they travel. While close to 60 percent of women said they would wash their hands or use hand sanitizer more, as well as wear a mask or other protective gear, only 39 percent of men said they would do the same, according to [Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection's] state of Travel Insurance research survey, which was conducted over a span of several months during the pandemic. (Christoff, 9/12)
