Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Covid Deaths At This Stage Of Pandemic Hit Families Especially Hard
Stat: With Light At The End Of The Tunnel, Loved Ones Feel The Anguish Of Covid-19 Deaths Particularly Hard
Mark Collins received his Covid-19 vaccine earlier this year through work. His husband, Tony Murray — his partner of 25 years, his co-host for front yard barbecues, his accomplice for getaways to Las Vegas and Atlantic City — had not yet gotten his. And then this month, Murray started feeling sick. Collins did not. “And then he just kept getting sicker and sicker,” said Collins, who lived with Murray in New York’s Rockaway Beach. “And it was just so overwhelming.” (Joseph, 3/31)
AP: USA Football Recommends 8 Procedures For Youth Safety
USA Football has introduced eight procedures to enhance safety and health for youth players, with all of those methods endorsed by some major medical organizations. USA Football’s Athlete Health & Wellness Recommendations for youth football play have been supported by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA), and the National Youth Sports Health & Safety Institute (NYSHSI). Using new training and practice standards, the eight recommendations include use of the two-point stance and days of rest between full-contact games and scrimmages. (Wilner, 3/31)
In other public health news —
CNN: Toxic Chemical 'Hall Of Shame' Calls Out Major Retailers For Failing To Act
A dozen major companies earned an F for failing to publicly address the growing problem of toxic chemicals that may be in the products they sell to consumers, according to the 2021 Who's Minding the Store? A Report Card on Retailer Actions to Eliminate Toxic Chemicals. The report is a collaboration of nonprofit partner organizations, including the environmental advocacy groups Toxic-Free Future, WE ACT for Environmental Justice and Defend Our Health. (LaMotte, 3/30)
KHN: Dramatic Drop In Common Viruses Raises Question: Masks Forever?
Masks and physical distancing are proving to have major fringe benefits, keeping people from getting all kinds of illnesses — not just covid-19. But it’s unclear whether the protocols will be worth the pain in the long run. The teachers at New Hope Academy in Franklin, Tennessee, were chatting the other day. The private Christian school has met in person throughout much of the pandemic — requiring masks and trying to keep kids apart, to the degree it is possible with young children. And Nicole Grayson, who teaches fourth grade, said they realized something peculiar. (Farmer, 3/31)
