Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
As Variant Threat Lingers, California Prepares For Reopening
The Washington Post: California Set To Lift Distancing Curbs As Vaccinations Pass 40 Million
California will fully reopen its economy and lift most social distancing curbs on Tuesday, after having administered more than 40 million vaccine doses. “It’s been a long road, but our future is BRIGHT,” said Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) in a Sunday tweet, adding that the nation’s most populous state had injected 16 million more shots than anyone else. (Ang, 6/14)
San Francisco Chronicle: California's Reopening Dangers: Scary Variants, Unvaccinated Pockets
Marin County is the most vaccinated place in California, but last month it got a taste of the hazards that may lie ahead as the state reopens and pockets of people remain vulnerable to the coronavirus. County health officials first spotted a handful of cases across Ross Valley, a cozy part of Marin County that has mostly avoided the worst of the pandemic. Over two weeks in early May, the outbreak grew to 19. All but two were people who hadn’t been vaccinated. Later, officials linked the outbreak to the delta variant — the highly contagious strain first identified in India that has caused a resurgence in cases in the United Kingdom. (Allday, 6/13)
Southern California News Group: How California Theme Parks Will Verify Visitors Have Been Vaccinated
Coronavirus guidelines call for Disney, Universal and other California theme parks to verify that visitors have been vaccinated once the state’s economy fully reopens on June 15 — but what does that mean and how are the parks supposed to pull off that massive undertaking?Fully vaccinated Californians will no longer be required to wear masks at the state’s theme parks on June 15, but people attending “mega events” must provide either proof of vaccination or a recent negative COVID-19 test. Turns out, the new state requirements sound more onerous than they really are — for both theme parks and their unvaccinated visitors. But as has often been the case throughout the pandemic, the state’s COVID-19 health and safety guidelines are complex and confusing. (Macdonald, 6/13)
Los Angeles Times: L.A. Archdiocese To Drop COVID-19 Limits For The Vaccinated
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles has issued new instructions to its more than 300 parishes to host full indoor masses without restrictions for vaccinated parishioners, such as social distancing and mask-wearing, beginning Saturday and June 20. Archbishop José Gomez sent out a letter over the weekend acknowledging “the significant progress in our fight against the pandemic” and established next weekend as homecoming dates for area Catholics. (Campa, 6/13)
Also —
Bay Area News Group: Stricter COVID Rules Didn't Hurt California's Economy: Report
Regulations aimed at preventing the spread of COVID-19 did not come at the expense of California’s economy, according to a new report that found states that took a more hands-off approach to the pandemic did not see an economic boost from their limited regulation. The findings from the UCLA Anderson Forecast are “diametrically opposed” to the narrative common among some COVID-19 regulation opponents that the public health orders undermined economic recovery, said Director Jerry Nickelsburg. (Castañeda, 6/13)
