Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
From The Swimming Pool To The Dating Pool, How People Are Reclaiming Their 'Normal' Lives
The New York Times: Amid A Pandemic, Churches Offer Prayer, Hope — And Testing
Ten days in May. Twenty-four churches around New York City. Nearly 20,000 coronavirus tests. Over the past few weeks, churches serving communities of color have been transformed overnight into mini-clinics offering free coronavirus tests to all comers. The initiative, a partnership of the churches, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo’s office and Northwell Health, is an effort to expand testing among black and Hispanic citizens, who have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic. (Lee and Rabin, 6/10)
The Associated Press: Is It Safe To Go Swimming During The Coronavirus Pandemic?
Is it safe to swim at a beach or pool during the coronavirus pandemic? Health officials say it can be safe, as long as swimmers stick to social distancing guidelines in and out of the water. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there is no evidence that the virus that causes COVID-19 can spread from person to person in water in pools, hot tubs, oceans or lakes. Pool disinfectants like chlorine should also kill the virus, providing another layer of protection. (6/11)
The New York Times: Masks, No Kissing And ‘A Little Kinky’: Dating And Sex In A Pandemic
Pandemic life is tough on everyone. But for a single person, the prospect of dating and sex — while social distancing to avoid a potentially life-threatening respiratory illness — feels impossible. How do you date without touching or kissing? How do you have sex without breathing on your partner and putting each other at risk? “I’ve gone at least two months without sex or other physical connection, and even in my 50s, that’s a long time,” said one man from Austin, who asked not to be named to protect his privacy. “My only venture outside has been to walk the dogs and run a very rare errand, for Pete’s sake. Dating seems even a more remote possibility.” (Parker-Pope, 6/11)
CNN: Can This Super-Simple Device Stop Virus Spreading On Airplanes?
It's not flashy or futuristic-looking, but it's simple, cheap and apparently effective: British aircraft interior company RAS Completions says its new personal protection shield could help protect fliers from Covid-19. The shield, says RAS Completions, is designed to be installed between seats and doesn't involve taking the middle seat out of action. (Street, 6/11)
CNN: Summer Is Here, And Your Mask Is Sweaty. We've Got Solutions
It's hot. You're sweaty. And if you're still coronavirus-conscious, then you're wearing your mask. Not that the thick humidity of summer makes it any easier. You may have the impulse to forgo a face mask until the fall. Don't, said Anne Rimoin, professor of epidemiology at UCLA and director of the university's Center for Global and Immigrant Health. (Andrew, 6/10)
The Washington Post: Pregnant With Covid-19, She Gave Birth On A Ventilator In Louisiana
A new baby was coming, so the aunts, uncles and cousins arrived by the dozens, their cars taking up the entire block and the lawn across the street, as they always did for Allen family parties. Carrying diapers and wipes, they gathered on the cracked driveway beneath the arching branches of an oak tree, waiting to learn whether Kenna Allen was having a boy or a girl. It was Saturday, March 7, just days before they would learn how dangerous gatherings like this one had become. In 48 hours, Louisiana would report its first case of a lethal new virus, a distant worry that no one mentioned as they boiled crawfish and took photos in matching shirts with the words “He or she, what will baby bee?" (Schmidt, 6/10)
The Washington Post: United Will Require Passengers To Complete Health Assessments Before They Fly
First face masks and now health questionnaires. United Airlines on Wednesday became at least the second U.S. carrier to ask travelers to answer questions about their health status before they fly. It’s all part of a strategy to ease the mind of travelers concerned about flying in the midst of the novel coronavirus pandemic. (Aratani, 6/10)
