Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
CDC Drops 14-Day Quarantine For Travelers But Not Social Distancing, Masking Wearing
USA Today: COVID-19 Quarantine: CDC Drops 14-Day Recommendation For Travelers
Travelers returning from a trip outside the country or their state no longer face recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to self-quarantine for 14 days upon return. The CDC updated its travel requirements online Friday, advising travelers to "follow state, territorial, tribal and local recommendations or requirements after travel." Previous guidelines recommended a 14-day quarantine for those returning from international destinations or areas with a high concentration of coronavirus cases. (Yasharoff, 8/23)
ABC News: Longer Wait Times Expected At US Border Under New COVID-19 Protocols
The U.S. will slow down the flow of traffic at select ports of entry on the Southwest border to further limit the spread of novel coronavirus by travelers coming from Mexico, a Customs and Border Protection official confirmed on Saturday. Non-essential travel has been limited since March, but the new measures may increase wait times at ports of entry in San Diego, California; Tucson, Arizona; and El Paso and Laredo, Texas. Reuters first reported on the additional lane closures and customs inspections that will likely delay anyone traveling for non-essential reasons. (Owen, 8/22)
Reuters: EPA To OK American Airlines Use Of Surface Coating To Fight COVID-19
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is set to announce on Monday it will issue an emergency exemption to the state of Texas permitting it to allow American Airlines Group Inc (AAL.O) to use a new surface coating that kills coronaviruses for up to seven days, sources briefed on the matter said. EPA officials said the agency would approve the emergency exemption requests under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) to allow the use of SurfaceWise2 — a product manufactured by Allied BioScience Inc - by both American Airlines and Texas-based Total Orthopedics Sports & Spine’s two clinics for up to a year. (Shepardson and Rucinski, 8/23)
