Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
CDC Tweaks Covid Guidelines For K-12 Schools
CNN: CDC Updates Covid-19 Prevention Guidance For K-12 Schools
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated its guidance for Covid-19 prevention in K-12 schools on Thursday, aligning the recommendations with the agency's recently updated Covid-19 quarantine and isolation guidelines for the general public. It also expands its recommendations for screening testing and urges canceling or going virtual with some extracurricular and sports activities in order to protect in-person learning. The new K-12 school recommendations say children who have not been fully vaccinated and are exposed to the coronavirus should quarantine for at least five days after their last close contact with a person who has Covid-19. Adults who are not vaccinated against Covid-19 or who have not received a booster shot are advised to follow this recommendation, too. (Bonifield, 1/6)
San Francisco Chronicle: Surge And Sickout: 20% Of S.F. Educators Absent As District Struggles To Supervise Classrooms
Nearly 900 San Francisco teachers and aides were not in their classrooms Thursday, a significant increase in absences over the previous day, deepening a crisis that’s been unfolding since Monday as district officials scrambled to make sure enough qualified adults could fill in and families worried about whether their children’s education would be interrupted — again. A group of teachers called for a sickout Thursday, arguing the district had not adequately protected them during the omicron surge, but it was unclear how many were participating in the sickout and how many were actually ill or caring for sick family members. (Tucker, 1/6)
AP: Georgia Loosens Quarantine And Contact Tracing In Schools
Georgia is easing COVID-19 quarantine and contact tracing requirements in schools as Gov. Brian Kemp urges superintendents to keep students attending in person.Kemp and Public Health Commissioner Kathleen Toomey released a letter Thursday saying that school employees no longer have to quarantine after they are exposed to the virus, even if they are unvaccinated or test positive for the virus as long as they wear a mask and don’t develop symptoms. (Amy, 1/7)
In other news about state mandates and emergency measures —
The Kansas City Star: After Pleas From Hospital Officials, Kelly Announces New COVID-19 Emergency In Kansas
Kansas has once again entered a state of emergency as COVID-19 patients threaten to overwhelm hospitals struggling with staffing shortages nearly two years into the pandemic.Gov. Laura Kelly issued a new disaster declaration on Thursday, suspending a series of rules and regulations to help health care facilities respond more rapidly to the rising demand for care. (Bernard and Gutierrez, 1/6)
Houston Public Media: Harris County Can Now Impose Mask Mandates, A State Appeals Court Rules
A Texas appeals court on Thursday ruled that Harris County can impose mask mandates, blocking enforcement of Gov. Greg Abbott’s ban on such policies. The Texas Third District Court of Appeals upheld a previous lower court ruling, saying that Abbott exceeded his authority in barring local governments from adopting mask mandates to slow the spread of COVID-19. Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee hailed the decision as a victory. (Schneider, 1/6)
Indianapolis Star: Indiana Vaccine Mandate Bill Would Ensure Unemployment Benefits
Just days after lawmakers returned to the Statehouse for session and amid record-breaking COVID-19 cases, a House committee advanced legislation that would significantly discourage business vaccine mandates. Lawmakers also amended House Bill 1001 Thursday to ensure that anyone who is forced to resign because their request for an exemption is denied would be guaranteed unemployment benefits. Because companies are penalized based on how many former employees claim unemployment benefits, the new language would essentially penalize employers for firing workers who refuse to get vaccinated. Already the business community, a group historically courted by Republicans, was opposed to the bill in its original form. (Lange and Huang, 1/6)
Idaho Statesman: After A Delay, Idaho Hospitals Revived COVID-19 Vaccine Mandates. What Was The Outcome?
St. Luke’s Health System, the state’s largest hospital system, announced a COVID-19 vaccination requirement last summer. The mandate was put on hold when many hospitals entered crisis standards of care in September, but the hospital resumed enforcement on Nov. 22, when crisis standards were deactivated in most regions of the state. ... Six employees, or just 0.04% of St. Luke’s workforce, were fired due to noncompliance. (Stevenson, 1/6)
