Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Biden To Urge All Americans To Wear Masks For 100 Days
AP: Among First Acts, Biden To Call For 100 Days Of Mask-Wearing
Joe Biden said Thursday that he will ask Americans to commit to 100 days of wearing masks as one of his first acts as president, stopping just short of the nationwide mandate he’s pushed before to stop the spread of the coronavirus. The move marks a notable shift from President Donald Trump, whose own skepticism of mask-wearing has contributed to a politicization of the issue. That’s made many people reticent to embrace a practice that public health experts say is one of the easiest ways to manage the pandemic, which has killed more than 275,000 Americans. The president-elect has frequently emphasized mask-wearing as a “patriotic duty” and during the campaign floated the idea of instituting a nationwide mask mandate, which he later acknowledged would be beyond the ability of the president to enforce. (Jaffe, 12/4)
CNN: President-Elect Says He Will Ask Americans To Wear Masks For The First 100 Days After He Takes Office
Biden said that where he has authority, like in federal buildings or in interstate transportation on airplanes and buses, he will issue a standing order that masks must be worn. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says masks can help protect both the people wearing them and those around them from transmitting the virus. (Merica, 12/3)
The Hill: Biden To Urge Wearing Masks For First 100 Days In Office
While Biden wants everyone to wear masks, he will not have the constitutional authority to directly order a nationwide mask mandate. Some experts have suggested he could tie federal funding to state mask laws and have said he could pressure local mayors to enact mandates on their own if governors are uncooperative. (Weixel, 12/3)
Newsweek: Biden's Mask Plea Stirs Outrage Among Trump Supporters As COVID Cases Top 14 Million
President-elect Joe Biden's plea for Americans to wear masks for 100 days was met with anger and defiance from supporters of President Donald Trump, underscoring the challenge of fighting a politicized pandemic in a deeply divided nation. As cases of COVID-19 surged past 14 million, Biden's opponents flooded social media with posts that questioned the science behind the mask appeal and other government responses that have wrecked the economy and constrained civil liberties. (Martin, 12/3)
