New CDC Metrics Coming To Guide Next Phase Of Pandemic Response

CNN: CDC Scientist Says New Metrics To Guide Covid-19 Restrictions Could Come As Early As Friday 
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will announce new metrics to guide Covid-19 restrictions such as mask-wearing as early as Friday or possibly in the early part of next week, according to a CDC scientist directly involved with the process. The CDC currently says that people who live in counties with substantial or high levels of Covid-19 transmission should wear masks indoors. The agency will not be changing that guidance but will be changing the way it assesses "community levels of disease," by shifting from looking at cases alone to looking at "meaningful consequences" of the virus such as hospitalizations, emergency room visits and deaths. (Cohen and Herman, 2/23)

Bloomberg: Fauci Says Vaccines, New Drugs Put U.S. In Position To Ease Covid Restrictions
Covid-19 vaccines, drugs and tests are putting the U.S. in an improved position to pull back on restrictions such as masking that were enacted to limit the spread of the virus, White House medical adviser Anthony Fauci said. Covid drugs like Pfizer Inc.’s Paxlovid that keep high-risk patients from hospitalization and death are becoming plentiful as production ramps up, Fauci said in an interview on Bloomberg Television’s “The Close.” (Rutherford, 2/23)

On federal and local masking policies —

The New York Times: The U.S. Mask Mandate For Air Travel Is Due To Expire In March, But Some Flight Attendants Say That’s Too Soon
With federal in-flight and airport mask mandates scheduled to expire next month, a flight attendants’ union is pushing the Biden administration to extend the mask requirement until more people are vaccinated against the coronavirus. In a statement, the Association of Flight Attendants-C.W.A. said that allowing the mask requirement to lapse on March 18 would endanger medically vulnerable travelers as well as passengers under 5, who are not yet eligible for a vaccine in the United States. “The layered approach to safety and security includes masks,” the union, which represents 50,000 flight attendants at 20 airlines, said in a statement on Tuesday. (Lukpat, 2/23)

Los Angeles Times: L.A. County To Relax Mask Rules At Locations With Vaccine Proof
Fully vaccinated individuals will soon be able to shed their masks indoors at Los Angeles County establishments that screen the inoculation status of visitors and patrons, health officials said Wednesday. While not a complete easing, the revised rules — which take effect at 12:01 a.m. Friday — represent a significant relaxation of the county’s universal indoor mask mandate, which has been in place since July. And depending on how many businesses elect to take advantage, the impact could be both widespread and widely apparent, especially in places like offices, gyms, restaurants, bars and hair salons. (Money and Lin II, 2/23)

AP: Los Angeles County Eases COVID-19 Indoor Mask Mandate
Los Angeles County will began allowing people to remove their masks while indoors if they are vaccinated as the omicron winter surge continues to ease, officials announced Thursday. California’s largest county will relax its public health order on Friday to allow unmasking indoors at restaurants, bars and other businesses for people who show proof of vaccination. Employees also can permit their workers to remove their masks if they are vaccinated. (2/24)

Bloomberg: Texas Sues Dallas Suburb That Wants To Keep Mask Mandate
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton continued his crackdown on mask mandates with a lawsuit against a city north of Dallas that still requires face coverings among its employees. Paxton said Wednesday that he is suing Denton, home of the University of North Texas, a day after the city sued him to preserve its mask rule for municipal employees. Stuart Birdseye, a spokesman, said the city had no comment on Paxton’s suit. (Hagan, 2/23)

Albuquerque Journal: Scrase Says Hospitals Are 'Out Of The Woods'
New Mexico hospitals are “out of the woods,” which is why a mask mandate ended last week and more public health orders will wind down next month, acting Health Secretary Dr. David Scrase said Wednesday. COVID hospital admissions have fallen dramatically in recent weeks. There were 172 COVID patients admitted to hospitals in the state last week. That was down from 430 new admissions the week ending Jan. 31, according to state epidemiology reports. (Boetel, 2/23)

And on covid treatment availability —

NBC News: Covid Pills Are Easier To Find As The Omicron Surge Subsides
The supply of Covid-19 antiviral pills is picking up in the country, state health departments and physicians say, as drug companies like Pfizer churn out more of the treatments. In the initial weeks after their authorization late last year, the pills — hailed by some as a game-changer — were scarce and hard to come by. But now that the omicron surge has largely subsided and the supply of the drugs has increased, the pills are easier to access. (Lovelace Jr., 2/23)