Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Azar Defends FDA's Moves To Prevent Use Of Subpar Masks
The Hill: Azar: FDA Moved Quickly To Stop Subpar Chinese Masks From Being Sold In US
Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said Tuesday that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) moved quickly to stop subpar Chinese masks from being sold in the U.S. During an interview on Fox Business’s “Mornings with Maria,” Azar responded to a Wall Street Journal analysis that determined the FDA allowed thousands of Chinese manufacturers to sell KN95 masks in the U.S. with little oversight or quality checks. (Coleman, 8/4)
NPR: As Cases Rise Fast, Mississippi Governor Mandates Masks And Delays Start Of School
With Mississippi on track to become the number-one state for new coronavirus infections per capita, Gov. Tate Reeves is implementing a temporary mask mandate and delaying the reopening of schools in certain counties. Reeves announced the new measures at a press conference on Tuesday. (Treisman, 8/4)
In other news —
ABC News: Former Mask Skeptic Joins Public Service Campaign After Getting Coronavirus
Ta'Marsh Pope, 47, of Silverton, Ohio, has gone from COVID-19 skeptic to a harbinger of the pandemic's dangers. The single mother and eligibility technician at Hamilton County Job & Family Services in Cincinnati told ABC News she was one of the many Americans skeptical about mask wearing and the seriousness of the coronavirus back in the spring. At the time, she said that she believed social media posts that questioned the coronavirus data and coverage in the press. (Pereira, 8/4)
AP: No Masks, No Distance: Pandemic Wedding Horrors For Vendors
Wedding planners, photographers and other bridal vendors who make the magic happen have a heap of new worries in the middle of the pandemic: no-mask weddings, rising guest counts and venues not following the rules. Now that weddings have slowly cranked up under a patchwork of ever-shifting state and local restrictions, horror stories from vendors are rolling in. Many are desperate to work after the coronavirus put an abrupt end to their incomes and feel compelled to put on their masks, grab their cameras and hope for the best. (Italie, 8/4)
