Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Do You Need To Mask Up? Yes, In Almost 70% Of US Counties, CDC Says
Reuters: CDC Says Americans Should Wear Masks In Nearly 70% Of U.S. Counties
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said on Thursday that 69.3% of U.S. counties had transmission rates of COVID-19 high enough to warrant indoor masking in public spaces and should immediately resume the policy. The transmission rate was up from 66.6% as of Wednesday. In total, 52.2% of U.S. counties have high COVID-19 community transmission rates and 17.1% have substantial rates, the CDC said. (Shepardson, 7/29)
The Hill: Capitol Police Asked To Arrest The Maskless
Congressional aides and visitors to the House side of the Capitol will face arrest if they're not wearing masks, the head of the U.S. Capitol Police announced this week. In a Wednesday letter to his officer corps, Capitol Police Chief Thomas Manger ordered that they enforce the new mask guidelines across the Capitol complex. Those new rules, installed by the Capitol physician earlier in the week, include a mask mandate on the House side of the Capitol and all House office buildings. (Lillis, 7/29)
The Hill: House GOP Stages Mask Mandate Protest
Nearly 40 maskless House Republican lawmakers walked across the Capitol and onto the Senate floor in protest of the Capitol physician’s decision to reinstate a mask mandate in the lower chamber but not in the upper chamber. Republicans complained that the policy, backed by Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and other Democrats, is inconsistent, infringes on personal liberty, and is based on politics, not science. (Wong, 7/29)
And masks are now required indoors in the rest of Washington, D.C. —
The Washington Post: D.C. Requires Masks Again As Covid Cases Rise
Masks will again be required indoors in D.C. beginning Saturday, Mayor Muriel E. Bowser ordered, in a reversal of recent policy driven by new federal guidelines that recommend indoor masking in areas where coronavirus transmission is high. The new requirement, which Bowser (D) announced Thursday, will apply to vaccinated and unvaccinated people over the age of 2. (Zauzmer and Elwood, 7/29)
The Washington Post: Smithsonian To Require All Visitors To Wear Masks Indoors Starting Friday, Even If They’re Vaccinated
Starting Friday, all visitors — even those who are vaccinated — must wear masks at the Smithsonian Institution’s museums and indoor spaces, it said Thursday. The move is a reversal from the Smithsonian’s announcement last month that visitors who have been vaccinated didn’t need to wear masks indoors. (Hedgpeth, 7/29)
In other updates on mask mandates across the U.S. —
CNBC: Texas Gov. Abbott Doubles Down Against Covid Health Limits
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott issued an executive order Thursday, reiterating his opposition to mask mandates, Covid-related business restrictions and vaccination requirements and issuing fines of up to $1,000 on those who fail to comply. The governor also called on state hospitals to deliver daily reports on their capacity to the Texas Department of State Health Services to send to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Towey, 7/29)
WUSF 89.7: DeSantis Slams Updated CDC Guidance As State Reports 16K Cases In A Day
A day after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported more than 16,000 new COVID cases in Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis slammed the agency's new masking guidance while speaking at a conservative conference in Utah. On Tuesday, the CDC recommended that even vaccinated people return to wearing masks indoors if they live in areas with high rates of virus transmission. DeSantis told the American Legislative Exchange Council on Wednesday that Americans are free to live their lives free of government-imposed restrictions. (7/29)
Politico: Florida Officials Defy DeSantis As Infections Spike
Florida’s Covid wars are starting again. Local officials across Florida are bucking Gov. Ron DeSantis and his anti-mandate coronavirus strategy as infections soar in the state and nation. They’re imposing vaccine and mask requirements for government workers and even declaring states of emergency. In a sign of how worrisome the new Covid-19 surge is, Disney World is ordering all guests over 2-years-old to wear masks indoors at its Florida theme park, regardless of vaccination status. (Dixon, 7/29)
AP: Officials: Renewed Mask Mandate Frustrating But Necessary
Nevada health officials said Thursday that they understand the return of an indoor mask mandate is frustrating but that it’s a necessary step to protect people as the number of coronavirus infections rises. “Many may feel over having to put a mask back on. We don’t like it either,” said Candice McDaniel, a director in Nevada’s health department. (Price, 7/30)
AP: Renewed Indoor Mask Guidance Applies To Only 1 Maine County
New federal guidance that everyone wear face coverings indoors in areas of high or substantial transmission applied to only one county in Maine on Friday. ... The CDC rates counties as “low,” “moderate,” “substantial” or “high” based on their level of community transmission. Every county in Maine was listed as moderate except Waldo County, which was listed substantial. (7/30)
The Washington Post: St. Louis Public Health Leader Said A Mob Called Him Racist Slurs For Promoting Masks: ‘We Are Not The Enemy’
When Faisal Khan left the St. Louis County council meeting Tuesday after promoting a new mask mandate, he said he was shoulder-bumped and pushed by people in the aisle. When he made it through the door, the St. Louis County Department of Health’s acting director said things got worse. Khan was surrounded by an “angry mob,” he said, and called an expletive and a brown b-----d. Others mocked his accent. (Harkins, 7/29)
