Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
In Alaska, Mask Mandates Are Snagged In Fine Print Of State Constitution
Alaska Public Media: On Masks, Alaska Gov. Dunleavy Tells Local Leaders To Use Power They Say They Don’t Have
While more than half of U.S. states have their own [mask] mandates for indoor public spaces, Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy has resisted imposing one and maintains that such decisions are best made by local governments. But municipal officials say there’s a problem with the governor’s position: They argue that Dunleavy is asking local elected leaders to exercise power that they don’t have. In both the Kenai Peninsula Borough and Matanuska-Susitna Borough — two of the places where COVID-19 cases are rising the most quickly — government officials say they lack the legal power to impose a mask mandate. (Herz, 11/3)
Anchorage Daily News: New COVID-19 Outbreak Reported At Goose Creek Correctional Center, Alaska’s Largest Prison
Alaska’s largest prison is now home to the latest outbreak of the coronavirus in the state’s correctional system. Twenty-two inmates and five staff at Goose Creek Correctional Center near Wasilla have tested positive for COVID-19, according to Sarah Gallagher, a spokeswoman for the Alaska Department of Corrections. It’s not clear how many, if any, are showing symptoms of the virus, Gallagher said Monday. None have required hospitalization. (Hollander, 11/3)
From Nevada and California —
Las Vegas Review-Journal: Clark County Declares Systemic Racism A Public Health Crisis
The Clark County Commission declared Tuesday that systemic racism is a public health crisis “causing the single most profound economic and social challenge” facing the county and state. In standing with Nevada lawmakers who passed a nearly identical resolution in August, commissioners essentially acknowledged that racism continues to be a pervasive issue that has been magnified by the pandemic. The resolution highlights that the coronavirus crisis has disproportionately affected minorities, pointing to racial and ethnic disparities in the health care system and a digital divide. (Johnson, 11/3)
KHN: It’s Open Enrollment. Here’s What You Need To Know
California’s annual health insurance enrollment season for individuals and families kicks off this week against a dramatic backdrop: the hotly contested presidential election; a pandemic raging out of control in much of the U.S.; and, on Nov. 10, a Supreme Court hearing of a case that could end the Affordable Care Act and strand millions without coverage. The massive unemployment caused by the pandemic has already stripped employer-based health insurance from millions nationwide and induced severe financial anxiety as families struggle to pay rent and buy food. (Wolfson, 11/4)
