Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Coronavirus Mostly Spreads Via Tight Social Clusters Which Scientists See As A Weakness To Be Exploited
The New York Times: The Virus Can Be Stopped, But Only With Harsh Steps, Experts Say
Terrifying though the coronavirus may be, it can be turned back. China, South Korea, Singapore and Taiwan have demonstrated that, with furious efforts, the contagion can be brought to heel. Whether they can keep it suppressed remains to be seen. But for the United States to repeat their successes will take extraordinary levels of coordination and money from the country’s leaders, and extraordinary levels of trust and cooperation from citizens. It will also require international partnerships in an interconnected world. (McNeil, 3/22)
The Wall Street Journal: Why It’s So Difficult To Stop The Spread Of The Coronavirus
One night last week, a 27-year-old man on a business trip in Oklahoma City felt sick, stayed home from work and was later tested for Covid-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. His positive result jump-started a series of events that led to the complete shutdown of American sports. Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert was the first National Basketball Association player widely known to be infected, and his diagnosis has since led to the testing of eight teams and 13 more positives among players, coaches and staff members. (Hernandez and Cohen, 3/22)
The Associated Press: Virus Rebels From France To Florida Flout Lockdown Practices
Young German adults hold “corona parties” and cough toward older people. A Spanish man leashes a goat to go for a walk to skirt confinement orders. From France to Florida to Australia, kitesurfers, college students and others crowd the beaches. Their defiance of lockdown mandates and scientific advice to fight the coronavirus pandemic has prompted crackdowns by authorities on people trying to escape cabin fever brought on by virus restrictions. (Ganley, 3/22)
The Associated Press: Virus Pandemic An Unprecedented Test For A Young Generation
or Jalen Grimes, the virus pandemic is stirring up a slew of emotions. “Annoyed” is the first one the 13-year-old Chicagoan mentions. “Scared, confused, worried.” She was supposed to be enjoying the end of her eighth-grade year, a rite of passage in states like Illinois, with a graduation and a school trip that are not likely to happen. That’s hard enough. But her father is also about to be deployed as a paramedic, a more dangerous than usual job in these times. Her mom, a therapist, also has been on call a lot and is prone to pneumonia. And then there are her grandparents. (Irvine, 3/23)
The New York Times: Deniers And Disbelievers: ‘If I Get Corona, I Get Corona.’
A climbing destination on the remote eastern side of the snow-capped Sierra Nevada, Bishop, Calif., was packed last weekend, as crowded as any holiday, despite growing calls for isolation in advance of a predicted wave of coronavirus cases. “People were like, ‘Social distancing? I’m going to Bishop. Can’t get any more distant than that,’” said Jeff Deikis, a resident and climber. Although the risks of climbing are primarily associated with the heights and terrain, adventurers jammed the coffee shops and the brewery in Bishop. (Branch, 3/22)
Boston Globe: Younger Adults More Vulnerable To Coronavirus Than First Thought
From crowded bars in South Boston to spring break beaches in Florida, throngs of young people have treated the coronavirus as a curiosity, an inconvenience, or a petty nuisance that cannot puncture their shield of invulnerability. Even after Governor Charlie Baker and counterparts in other states shut down restaurants, closed pubs, and limited public gatherings to 10 people or fewer, many Americans in their 20s and 30s stuck to early thinking that older people are much more at risk. (MacQuarrie and Annear, 3/20)
Reuters: Coronavirus Forces States To Order Nearly One In Three Americans To Stay Home
Nearly one in three Americans was under orders on Sunday to stay home to slow the spread of the coronavirus pandemic as Ohio, Louisiana and Delaware became the latest states to enact broad restrictions, along with the city of Philadelphia. (Marte and Goldberg, 3/22)
The New York Times: How The Virus Got Out
The most extensive travel restrictions to stop an outbreak in human history haven’t been enough. We analyzed the movements of hundreds of millions of people to show why. (Wu, Cai, Watkins and Glanz, 3/22)
WBUR: Former Surgeon General Vivek Murthy On Why Loneliness Is A Public Health Crisis
Long before coronavirus spread around the world, former Surgeon General Vivek Murthy was sounding the alarm about a different, quiet epidemic: loneliness. We’ll talk to him about why so many Americans are suffering from loneliness and what we can do to take better care of each other even as we’re asked to be physically apart. (Chakrabarti and Scheimer, 3/23)
The New York Times: Americans Coping With The Coronavirus Are Clogging Toilets
Many Americans seem to be following the recommendations of public health officials to clean and sterilize countertops, doorknobs, faucets and other frequently touched surfaces in their homes. The problem? Many are then tossing the disinfectant wipes, paper towels and other paper products they used into the toilet. The result has been a coast-to-coast surge in backed-up sewer lines and overflowing toilets, according to plumbers and public officials, who have pleaded with Americans to spare the nation’s pipes from further strain. (Levenson, 3/21)
