Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Many Cities, States Are 'Going In The Wrong Direction' As Covid Surges
Bloomberg: U.S. Covid Cases Are Rising Again, Reversing Months Of Progress
Covid cases in the U.S. are rising again, reversing course after months of decline and threatening another setback in the return to normality. The seven-day average of new cases jumped to 57,695 Wednesday, 9.5% above the prior week, marking the biggest increase since Jan. 12, according to Johns Hopkins University data. (Querolo and Court, 3/25)
CNN: US Coronavirus: Dangerous Covid-19 Variants Could Mean All Bets Are Off On The Road To Normalcy, Expert Warns
The evidence that Americans are gearing up for a return to normal life is growing apparent. States are relaxing capacity restrictions for public areas and private gatherings. More school districts are reopening for in-person learning. Travel is increasing, with TSA data showing more than 1 million daily passengers in US airports for two consecutive weeks, the longest such stretch since the Covid-19 pandemic lockdowns in early 2020. However, many experts reiterate that Covid-19 is far from over. (Caldwell, 3/26)
SF Gate: Hawaii Tourist Spots Packed With Spring Breakers From States Without Mask Mandates
Hawaii's famed beaches are nearly back to pre-pandemic levels as a spring break surge of travelers floods the islands — and many are coming from states that do not have outdoor mask mandates, which Hawaii does. Hawaii saw 28,000 travelers enter the state on Saturday, the highest number since the pandemic locked down the state in March, HawaiiNewsNow reported. The local TV station reported many of these tourists aren't wearing masks outdoors, with a number of them telling the station that their home states don't require it. Seventeen states recommend but do not require masks be worn in public. (Dowd, 3/23)
AP: Michigan Sees Virus Surge, But Tighter Restrictions Unlikely
Michigan, which not long ago had one of the country’s lowest COVID-19 infection rates, is confronting an alarming spike that some experts worry could be a harbinger nationally. In what public health authorities across the U.S. have been warning for months might happen around the country, the resurgence is being fueled by loosened restrictions, a more infectious variant and pandemic fatigue. While vaccinations in Michigan are helping to protect senior citizens and other vulnerable people, the upswing is driving up hospitalizations among younger adults and forcing a halt to in-person instruction at some schools. (Eggert and White, 3/26)
In related news —
AP: As Contact Tracing Ebbs In Parts Of US, NYC Stays Committed
Coronavirus contact tracing programs across the U.S. scaled back their ambitions as cases surged in winter, but New York City has leaned into its $600 million tracing initiative. The city hired more tracers during the holiday season surge and in early March hit its goal of reaching at least 90% of people who test positive, a mark it hadn’t reached since around Thanksgiving. Last week, the number hit 96%. Overwhelmed tracing programs elsewhere confronted the wave by switching to automated calls, limiting the types of cases they trace or telling infected people simply to reach out to their contacts themselves. (Peltz, 3/26)
