Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
GAO: Shortages In Many States Are Leading To Processing Delays In Testing
The Hill: Government Watchdog Finds Supply Shortages Are Harming US Coronavirus Response
Shortages of supplies and equipment are harming the U.S.'s COVID-19 response almost six months into the pandemic, a government watchdog said in a report issued Monday. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) found that states are still facing shortages of protective equipment and testing supplies because of high global demand and the limited production of those items within the U.S, despite “numerous, significant efforts” taken by the federal government. (Hellmann, 9/21)
In news from Michigan —
Detroit Free Press: Veterans With Just VA Benefits Can't Opt Out Of No-Fault Coverage
Michigan's top insurance regulator said Monday that military veterans who use the U.S. Department of Veterans as their primary health care provider are not eligible for the cheapest coverage option in the state's revamped no-fault auto insurance system that has saved some drivers hundreds of dollars a year. During a virtual auto insurance town hall, Anita Fox, director of Michigan's Department of Insurance and Financial Services, said that drivers whose only health care is through the VA cannot choose to "opt out" of no-fault coverage to save money. (Reindl, 9/21)
Detroit Free Press: In One Michigan County, Almost Half Of COVID-19 Cases Tied To Farm Outbreaks
Seasonal workers who packed asparagus at a west Michigan farm initially chalked up their exhaustion, dizziness and headaches to the demands of working 13 hour-shifts seven days a week. But then some workers lost their sense of taste and smell and had a hard time breathing. By mid-June, it was clear that Todd Greiner Farms in Hart was dealing with a major COVID-19 outbreak among its workforce. At least 94 people tied to the farm tested positive, the largest farm outbreak in Oceana County, according to county health department emails obtained by the Documenting COVID-19 project at the Brown Institute for Media Innovation at Columbia University and provided to the Free Press. (Jackson, Warikoo and Gee, 9/22)
CBS News: Michigan Tourism Businesses Worry About Cold Weather And COVID Spikes
In early July, Heidi Gesiakowski, a restaurant owner in the popular tourist destination of South Haven, Michigan, said keeping her business operating was like "walking into the middle of the war every single day." The critical summer season, when her business usually earns much of its revenue was just beginning. (Brewster, 9/22)
In news from Tennessee, Louisiana and Texas —
NBC News: Ex-Nashville Council Member, A Coronavirus Skeptic, Dies From Covid-19
A former Nashville, Tennessee, council member, who believed the threat of the coronavirus was being radically overblown, died from complications from Covid-19, officials said Monday. The man, Tony Tenpenny, died over the weekend after more than five weeks in the hospital fighting the virus that has sickened more than 6.8 million people in the U.S. and killed at least 200,000 others, Nashville Vice Mayor Jim Shulman said. (Li and Gostanian, 9/21)
New Orleans Times-Picayune: Louisiana Ranks In The Top 10 For Obesity, Making Residents More Susceptible To Coronavirus Complications
A new report has found that about one in three Louisiana residents is obese, making it one of 12 states with an obesity rate over 35%. The report, compiled by the non-profit Trust For America’s Health using new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and state health departments, found that Louisiana ranks 9th in the nation for obese adults at 35.9%. The rates ranged from a low of 23.8 percent in Colorado and the District of Columbia, to a high of 40.8 percent in Mississippi. (Woodruff, 9/21)
NPR: Tropical Storm Beta Brings New Flood Risk To Texas Coast And Louisiana
Tropical Storm Beta's heavy rainfall and slow movement is raising the risk of flooding "from the middle Texas coast to southeast Louisiana," the National Weather Service said. Beta is heading for a part of Louisiana where electricity service for thousands of people hasn't recovered from being knocked out by Hurricane Laura last month. Some isolated areas could see 15 inches of rain. ... The storm could bring a life-threatening storm surge. Areas from Port Aransas to Sabine Pass, Texas, are under a surge warning. The worst-hit spots are projected to see water rise 2 to 4 feet above normal levels, the hurricane center said. The warning zone centers on Matagorda Bay and Galveston Bay, but it extends south near Corpus Christi and north to the Louisiana border. (Chappell, 9/21)
AP: Texas Begins Relaxing Some COVID-19 Restrictions
Texas on Monday began relaxing some coronavirus restrictions, including allowing restaurants to let more people inside. Gov. Greg Abbott announced the changes last week. Bars though still remain closed indefinitely and a mask mandate is still in place following a massive summer spread that became one of the deadliest outbreaks in the U.S. (9/21)
In news from Nevada, California and Hawaii —
USA Today: Wynn Las Vegas Says 548 Employees Have Tested Positive For COVID-19
Wynn Las Vegas has logged almost 500 positive COVID-19 cases among employees since the resort reopened in June. Wynn Resorts on Thursday revealed the data tied to the company’s testing and contact tracing program, which tests groups of up to 700 employees every two weeks, reports the Reno Gazette Journal, which is part of the USA TODAY Network. With the help of University Medical Center, the company has conducted 15,051 tests, aiming to catch any employees who are positive for the virus but asymptomatic. (Komenda, 9/17)
Fox News: Coronavirus Surge Possibly Linked To Labor Day Gatherings In This Area: Officials
Gatherings over Labor Day are possibly behind a recent surge in cases of the novel coronavirus in Los Angeles County, officials there recently said. On Saturday, officials with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health announced 13 new deaths and 1,343 newly confirmed cases of COVID-19, bringing the county’s total number of positive cases to 259,817 and the total number of virus-linked deaths to 6,330. (Farber, 9/21)
The Washington Post: Hawaii Will Reopen To Tourists Oct. 15
Travelers can finally return to Hawaii starting next month. Beginning Oct. 15, travelers can visit the islands if they take a coronavirus test, and test negative, within 72 hours before arriving in the state to avoid a 14-day quarantine once there, Gov. David Ige (D) said during a news conference last week.
