Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Biden Might Soon End Trump-Era Public Health Policy On Immigration
CNN: Biden Administration Plans To End Pandemic Border Restrictions In May, Sources Say
The Biden administration is planning to end Trump-era pandemic restrictions on the US-Mexico border by May 23 that have largely blocked migrants from entering the US, according to three US officials. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is finalizing its assessment of the public health authority, known as Title 42, according to CDC spokeswoman Kathleen Conley, and is expected to announce a decision this week on whether to repeal, modify or extend the authority. The Biden administration has been under mounting pressure from Democrats and immigrant advocates to end the public health authority, which critics say was never justified by science and puts migrants in harm's way. (Alvarez, Collins, Liptak and Goodman, 3/30)
Politico: Biden Weighs Phased Out End Of Trump-Era Deportation Policy
The decision is not yet final, though administration officials have suggested in private conversations with lawmakers and advocates that a phase out is their most likely path. Earlier this month, the Biden administration announced it would no longer apply Title 42 to unaccompanied migrant children arriving at the U.S.-Mexico border. An announcement could come as early as Thursday evening, those sources said, though the implementation of the new policy would take longer. (Barron-Lopez, Ferris and Cancryn, 3/30)
In other updates on border and travel restrictions —
NPR: CDC Drops Risk Advisory For Cruise Ship Travel, 2 Years Into The COVID Pandemic
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention has lifted its risk advisory for cruise ship travel Wednesday following two years of issuing warnings to travelers about the possibility of contracting COVID-19 onboard a cruise. In an update posted online, the agency removed its "Cruise Ship Travel Health Notice," a notice that recommended individuals against traveling onboard cruise ships. Three months ago, the CDC increased its travel warnings for cruises to Level 4 — the highest level — following investigations of ships that had COVID outbreaks. While the CDC has lifted its travel health notice, officials say it's up to the passengers to determine their own health risks before going onboard a cruise ship. (Franklin, 3/30)
CNN: CDC Adds No New Destinations To Its Highest-Risk Category
The CDC's weekly update of travel health advisories has some of the most encouraging news for tourists it's had in months. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention did not add a single new destination on Monday to its highest-risk category for travel. This hopeful respite comes after months and months of discouraging additions to its Level 4 category, in which destinations are considered "very high" risk for Covid-19. (Brown and Hunter, 3/28)
CNBC: Delta's Health Chief Thinks The Plane Mask Mandate Will Soon Be Lifted
Delta Air Lines Chief Health Officer Henry Ting said that he believes that the federal mask mandate for airports and airplanes will be lifted on “April 18th or shortly thereafter.” Speaking at CNBC’s Healthy Returns event on Wednesday, Ting said that while he does not know if the mandate will come down on April 18, the CDC, TSA, and the White House are all “looking closely at this” and will “certainly provide a roadmap.” “We’ve always known from the beginning of the pandemic that all restrictions should be lifted as soon as it’s safe to do so,” Ting said, adding that there is a transition occurring right now from “a global pandemic to a seasonal respiratory virus.” (Thomas, 3/30)
