Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Indoor Mask Mandate Returns To LA County To Stave Off Delta Cases
Los Angeles Times: L.A. County Will Require Masks Indoors Amid COVID-19 Surge
Starting Saturday night, residents will again be required to wear masks in indoor public spaces, regardless of their vaccination status. The latest order not only puts the county further at odds with both the California Department of Public Health and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — both of which continue to maintain that vaccinated people need not cover their faces indoors — but puts officials in the precarious position of asking the inoculated to forfeit one of the benefits recently enjoyed. “This is an all-hands-on-deck moment,” said Dr. Muntu Davis, the county’s health officer. (Money, Lin II and Hernandez, 7/15)
Los Angeles Daily News: Pandemic-Weary LA County Crestfallen Over News Of Masks’ Return, Mere Weeks After Restrictions Eased
Disappointment. It was in the air on Thursday; July 15, as medical leaders lamented the the reluctance of so many Los Angeles County residents to get vaccinated against the coronavirus, stalling the onset of the much-coveted herd immunity. It was on the lips of business owners– just starting to see the fruits of returning foot traffic after the human and economic toll of the pandemic — worried what renewed mask-wearing indoors would mean to their clientele. (Carter, 7/15)
Los Angeles Times: Be Wary Of Travel To Nevada, Florida Amid COVID Surge, L.A. County Health Officer Says
The Los Angeles County health officer has suggested that residents reconsider travel to states with the nation’s worst rates of coronavirus transmission, including Nevada and Florida. “I do want to recommend — especially if you’re unvaccinated — reconsider traveling to places where the seven-day COVID-19 case rates are increasingly high, like Nevada, our neighbor, or Missouri, Florida, Arkansas and Louisiana and others,” Dr. Muntu Davis said in his briefing to the county Board of Supervisors this week. (Lin II and Money, 7/15)
Politico: Newsom Faces Backlash Over Masks In California Schools
California Gov. Gavin Newsom is facing sudden backlash over his student mask rules, the latest sign that the recall-threatened leader must tread lightly as schools prepare to open next month. Students will return to classrooms just as recall ballots land in mailboxes across the state, and Newsom has to strike the right tone with parents and voters after a tumultuous stretch marked by some of the nation's longest school closures. The governor has built momentum this summer, making his ouster a long shot, but schools remain a sensitive political topic in California. (Mays, 7/15)
And Hawaii and Chicago hit the pause button —
AP: Hawaii Keeps Indoor Mask Requirement Amid COVID-19 Surge
Hawaii Gov. David Ige said Thursday he will maintain a requirement that people wear masks indoors as the spread of the COVID-19 delta variant fuels a spike in cases. Ige told a news conference the number of new cases in Hawaii has exceeded 100 during three of the last five days. That contrasts to the past couple of months when the seven-day average of new hovered around 50. (7/16)
AP: Chicago Restarts COVID Travel Rules With Cases Up In States
Rising COVID-19 infections in other states have prompted Chicago to restart a travel order after several weeks without travel restrictions, city officials announced Tuesday. The Chicago Department of Public Health said starting Friday unvaccinated travelers from Missouri and Arkansas have to either quarantine for 10 days or have a negative COVID-19 test. (7/16)
