Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Mask Policy Tightens At Costco; NYC Parties Shut Down; Stockpiling Again?
USA Today: Costco Face Mask Policy Update Requires All Shoppers To Wear A Mask Or Shield Amid Coronavirus Surges
Costco will no longer make an exemption for people who say they can’t wear a face covering because of a medical condition. The wholesale club’s updated face mask policy goes into effect Monday and requires all members, guests and employees to wear a face mask or a face shield in order to shop in its nearly 560 clubs nationwide. (Tyko, 11/16)
The New York Times: ‘Rumble In The Bronx’ Fight Club Drew 200. The Sheriff Shut It Down.
More than 200 people stood shoulder to shoulder shouting as two men sparred at the center of a Bronx warehouse. Some people hung over the barricades, social media showed, craning their necks for a better view. When one man knocked out the other, the crowd erupted in a thunderous roar. The amateur fight would have been illegal before the pandemic, but with coronavirus cases spiking in the city, it risked being a dangerous underground event. (Ransom, 11/15)
Reuters: Lockdown 2.0: Food Companies Overhauled Production To Put More Toilet Paper, Pasta Sauce In Stores
When rumors first began to circulate that the UK would go back into lockdown, Leanne Barnes despaired as bread and toilet roll flew off the shelves again at her local supermarket. But to her surprise, shelves were back to being fully stocked within a few days. Barnes stocked her pantry last time around with a few additional comfort foods - macaroni cheese, ravioli, soup and spaghetti. But as of last week, she said she felt no urge to stockpile goods. (Naidu, Waldersee and Cavale, 11/13)
AP: Here Comes Santa Claus - With Face Masks And Plexiglass
Santa Claus is coming to the mall — just don’t try to sit on his lap. Despite the pandemic — and the fact that Santa’s age and weight put him at high risk for severe illness from the coronavirus — mall owners are going ahead with plans to bring him back this year. But they are doing all they can to keep the jolly old man safe, including banning kids from sitting on his knee, no matter if they’ve been naughty or nice. (Pisani, 11/16)
The New York Times: Sex-Abuse Claims Against Boy Scouts Now Surpass 82,000
More than 82,000 people have come forward with sex-abuse claims against the Boy Scouts of America, describing a decades-long accumulation of assaults at the hands of scout leaders across the nation who had been trusted as role models. The claims, which lawyers said far eclipsed the number of abuse accusations filed in Catholic Church cases, continued to mount ahead of a Monday deadline established in bankruptcy court in Delaware, where the Boy Scouts had sought refuge this year in a bid to survive the demands for damages. (Baker, 11/15)
Also —
AP: Syracuse Coach Jim Boeheim Tests Positive For Virus
Syracuse basketball coach Jim Boeheim has tested positive for the novel coronavirus, and the Orange have paused all team activities. The 75-year-old Boeheim said in a statement posted on both Twitter and the university website Sunday that he was informed after the team’s most recent testing and is in isolation at home. (11/16)
The Hill: Elon Musk Says He 'Most Likely' Has COVID-19, Questions Tests
Tech mogul Elon Musk on Saturday said he “most likely” has a moderate case of COVID-19 while continuing to question the accuracy of coronavirus tests. In response to a Twitter user asking if he had the coronavirus the Tesla CEO tweeted, “Am getting wildly different results from different labs, but most likely I have a moderate case of covid. My symptoms are that of a minor cold, which is no surprise, since a coronavirus is a type of cold.” (Choi, 11/15)
