Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
As Covid Surges Again, Masking Rules Are On The Table. Again
CNN: New York Mayor Says He's Not Reinstating Mask Mandates As Health Officials Say City At 'High' Covid Alert Level
As health officials warn of rising Covid-19 infections and hospitalizations, the mayor of New York said the city would not reinstate mask mandates at this time. "I'm proud of what we are doing and how we are not allowing Covid to outstmart us," Mayor Eric Adams said during a Wednesday news conference, after he was asked about reinstating a mandate, specifically in the city's schools. "We're staying prepared and not panicking." To defend his stance, Adams cited what he said were stable hospitalization numbers and deaths across the city, as well as Covid-19 testing in schools. (Alsharif, Ly and Maxouris, 5/18)
The Boston Globe: Health Experts Call For Stricter COVID Measures In Massachusetts As Cases And Hospitalizations Rise
A coalition of public health leaders, infectious disease doctors, and community organizers called on the Baker administration Wednesday to reinstitute mask mandates in public schools and on transportation, amid rising numbers of people infected and hospitalized for COVID-19 in Massachusetts. The group is also urging the state’s Department of Public Health to issue an “immediate advisory” recommending use of masks inside public spaces and for people to avoid large gatherings until the current COVID surge subsides. (Lazar, 5/18)
Des Moines Register: Des Moines Mayor Says City May Require Masks In Buildings Again
Des Moines is considering making people wear masks in all city facilities again as Polk County enters the latest wave in the COVID-19 pandemic. In February, Des Moines dropped its mask mandate in city buildings, because the number of COVID-19 cases declined significantly. Community transmission at the time was "low" in Polk County, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Polk County is still classified as having "low" levels of community transmission, according to the CDC, but cases have risen significantly recently. (Joens, 5/18)
In other mask news —
Science: Hate Your Face Mask? There’s Hope
In the shipping room of his factory here, Richard Gordon pulls open the drawer of a restaurant-style convection oven to show off a tray filled with his company’s new, freshly sterilized product: multicolored face masks that feature an origami design. “I thought masks were a total horror,” Gordon says. “They looked awful, felt awful, were hard to breathe in, were hot, and leaked.” So he and Min Xiao, his wife, started a company named Air99 in 2016 to produce something much better. Now, their mask, named the Airgami, is vying for part of the half-million dollar purse in the final phase of the Mask Innovation Challenge, run by the U.S. Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA). (Cohen, 5/18)
Tacoma News Tribune: COVID Masks Could Make Concrete Stronger, WA Researchers Say
During the COVID-19 pandemic, disposable face masks became a staple for millions of people. But what should you do with them once they’ve been worn? Researchers at Washington State University may have found a purpose for those used masks: using them to make concrete more durable. (Ravikumar, 5/18)
On vaccine mandates —
AP: COVID-19 Vaccine No Longer Required, For Louisiana Students
Gov. John Bel Edwards’ administration has agreed to remove the COVID-19 vaccine from the list of vaccines students are required to get to enroll in school in the state, officials said Wednesday. The state health department said in a news release that it will continue to strongly recommend the vaccine, in accordance with recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Academy of Pediatrics, but acknowledged that the vaccine had not yet received full U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval for those under age 16. (5/18)
San Francisco Chronicle: S.F. Firefighters Who Refused Vaccines Fought Their Firings With Misinformation And Conspiracy Theories
Termination proceedings for San Francisco firefighters who have refused COVID-19 vaccines are nearing a bruising conclusion, after more than 50 hours of hearings in which the department’s last holdouts — and their supporters — denigrated the public health order, brandished conspiracy theories and compared the city government to an authoritarian regime. Seventeen of the Fire Department’s 1,735 employees refused to get vaccinated, and 13 have been fired to date, each one entitled to a videoconferenced hearing before the Fire Commission and often featuring a drawn-out, vitriolic period of public comment, according to videos and documents reviewed by The Chronicle. (Swan, 5/18)
CIDRAP: On-Campus COVID-19 Measures Couldn't Contain Omicron
A study assessing Cornell University's COVID-19 surveillance and vaccination programs during the Omicron variant surge suggests that vaccination protected against severe infection, but it and other mitigation measures—including mass testing—didn't prevent rapid viral transmission. The study, published today in JAMA Network Open, describes the outcomes of the university's SARS-CoV-2 transmission-prevention programs implemented after the campus reopened for in-person instruction in fall 2021. Steps included mandatory vaccination for students, urging of vaccination for employees, and an on-campus mask requirement. In addition, isolation and contact tracing took place within hours of all COVID-19–positive tests. (Van Beusekom, 5/18)
