Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Louisiana Prison Didn't Isolate Inmates Who Had COVID, Report Finds
The Hill: DOJ Watchdog Finds Louisiana Inmates With Coronavirus Were Not Isolated For A Week
In a report released Tuesday, the Justice Department’s Office of the Inspector General found that a Louisiana prison did not not isolate inmates infected with coronavirus for about one week. The watchdog conducted remote inspections of two Louisiana federal prisons — FCC Oakdale and FCC Pollock — between May 7 and June 16. FCC Oakdale experienced a serious outbreak early in the pandemic, while Pollock’s was not as serious. (Williams, 11/17)
In news from Indiana, Maine and Arkansas —
AP: Indiana Governor Quarantines After Exposure To COVID-19
Indiana Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb and first lady Janet Holcomb are quarantining after several members of his security detail tested positive for COVID-19, his office announced Tuesday. State Health Commissioner Dr. Kris Box advised Holcomb and the first lady to quarantine beginning Tuesday. They are considered close contacts to the security detail and will be tested for COVID-19 later this week, his office said. (11/17)
Bangor Daily News: Most Unemployed Mainers Will Lose Benefits As Virus Spikes
Tens of thousands of Mainers are set to lose unemployment benefits by the end of the year as coronavirus cases spike to record highs, adding to the financial strain of families already struggling due to long-term unemployment during the pandemic. It sets up a perfect storm as winter approaches. Every county in Maine set a record for active cases of the virus in the past week, dashing hopes of further reopening as a seasonal economy makes finding work difficult. Federal unemployment programs that have buoyed the state economy and families are set to run out for many all at once. The prospects of another relief bill during a lame duck session of Congress remain uncertain after months of gridlock. (Piper, 11/18)
Bangor Daily News: Calais Church Takes Radical Approach After COVID-19 Outbreak: Full Transparency
The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention on Monday announced an outbreak of COVID-19 at another church — the Tabernacle of the Congregation in Sweden — the most recent in a handful of investigations involving houses of worship. Churches at the center of outbreaks tend to shy away from the public scrutiny they face in these instances. Some are defiant, but at least one Maine church has decided to take a very open approach to the outbreak in its midst. (Wight, 11/17)
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette: Arkansas Covid-19 Hospitalizations, Ventilator Use Set Daily Records
Covid-19 hospitalizations and ventilator use in the state set daily records Tuesday as total hospitalizations rose by 34 to 895, and those requiring ventilators rose by 14 to 137, according to Health Department data. Another 1,554 new cases were added Tuesday, bringing the cumulative total to 135,902. Deaths from the virus rose by 20 to 2,245. (Roberts, 11/17)
In news from New Mexico, North Dakota and California —
Albuquerque Journal: ‘A Shocking New Record’ – 28 Deaths In 1 Day
New Mexico reported the death of its youngest COVID-19 victim so far – a preteen boy – as it set a number of troubling records Tuesday, including new daily highs in cases, hospitalizations and deaths. The youngster’s identity and age weren’t disclosed because of health privacy rules. But state officials described him as a male 12 or younger from Bernalillo County. (McKay and Boyd, 11/17)
The Hill: North Dakota Records World's Highest COVID-19 Mortality Rate
North Dakota’s coronavirus mortality rate is the highest of any U.S. state or country, according to an analysis of data from last week conducted by the Federation of American Scientists. The analysis, first reported by HuffPost, shows that North Dakota has a rate of 18.2 deaths per 1 million people. South Dakota, meanwhile, has 17.4 deaths per million, the third-worst rate in the world. The states have a total population of under 2 million. (Budryk, 11/17)
KHN: Anger After North Dakota Governor Asks COVID-Positive Health Staff To Stay On Job
Nurse Leslie McKamey has gotten used to the 16-hour shifts, to skipping lunch, to the nightly ritual of throwing all her clothes in the laundry and showering as soon as she walks through the door to avoid potentially infecting her children. She’s even grown accustomed to triaging COVID patients, who often arrive at the emergency room so short of breath they struggle to describe their symptoms. But despite the trauma and exhaustion of the past eight months, she was shocked when North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum said last week that health care workers who test positive for the coronavirus but do not display symptoms could still report to work. (Renwick, 11/18)
KHN: As Broad Shutdowns Return, Weary Californians Ask ‘Is This The Best We Can Do?’
For Tom Davis, being told by the state this week that he must close his Pacific Edge Climbing Gym for the third time in six months is beyond frustrating. The first time the rock-climbing gym and fitness center shut down, co-owners Davis and Diane Russell took out a government loan to pay employees. The second time, they were forced to lay everyone off — themselves included. Now, as they face another surge of COVID cases across California, he fears he may lose the business for good. California’s ping-ponging approach to managing the virus — twice reopening large portions of the service-sector economy only to shut them again — doesn’t seem just or reasonable, Davis said. As of Tuesday evening, he was planning to defy the order, keeping the gym open but with additional restrictions on capacity. (Barry-Jester and Gold, 11/18)
