Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Mask Safety: Silk Or Cotton? Filters Or Filterless? Stay Tuned For Answers
The New York Times: How Effective Is The Mask You’re Wearing? You May Know Soon
More than 100,000 varieties of face masks are currently for sale. They come in silk, cotton and synthetics; with filters and without; over-the-head and over-the-ears. They have sparkles and sunflowers; friendly greetings and insults; cartoon characters and teeny reindeer. What they don’t have is a label that shows how well they block infectious particles, an omission that has frustrated public health officials during the coronavirus pandemic. ... That may change soon. A division of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is working to develop minimum filter efficiency standards, and labels showing which products meet them, for the vast and bewildering marketplace for masks and other face coverings. (Kaplan, 12/16)
New York Post: For COVID-19 Protection, Wearing A Used Mask Could Be Worse Than No Mask: Study
Wearing a used mask could be more dangerous than not wearing one at all when it comes to warding off COVID-19, a new study has found. A new three-layer surgical mask is 65 percent efficient in filtering particles in the air — but when used, that number drops to 25 percent, according to the study published Tuesday in the Physics of Fluids. Researchers from the University of Massachusetts Lowell and California Baptist University say that masks slow down airflow, making people more susceptible to breathing in particles — and a dirty face mask can’t effectively filter out the tiniest of droplets. (Eustachewich, 12/16)
In other developments about mask-wearing —
The Hill: Kamala Harris Says There Will Be No 'Punishment' For Not Wearing Masks Under Biden
Vice President-elect Kamala Harris said Wednesday that President-elect Joe Biden’s administration is not seeking “punishment” for people who do not wear masks, despite his call for a nationwide mandate. “There's no punishment ... they don't have to. But [Biden] is saying, as a leader, ‘Please, everybody work with me here. For the first 100 days, let's everybody just wear a mask ... and see the outcomes there,’” Harris told ABC News’s Robin Roberts. (Budryk, 12/16)
The Hill: Army Issues Combat Face Masks For Soldiers In 2021
The U.S. Army will begin issuing camouflage-print official combat cloth face coverings to new soldiers next year, the service announced Wednesday. The Army Uniform Board (UAB) recommended the move this summer and and Army Chief of Staff Gen. James McConville approved the recommendation, according to an official release. (Deese, 12/16)
AP: Montana Lawmakers Reject Mask Mandate Ahead Of Session
Republican state lawmakers in Montana rejected proposals Wednesday by Democrats to require masks at next month’s legislative session or meet remotely, opting instead to form a panel that will assess what’s needed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Republicans, who hold majorities in both legislative chambers, also declined to delay the session until the vaccine is widely available. (Samuels, 12/17)
The Hill: Chris Christie Posts Video To People Refusing To Wear A Mask: 'Learn From My Experience'
Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R), who has opened up in recent months about his own experience battling COVID-19 earlier this year, has released a new video urging all Americans to wear a mask amid the ongoing pandemic. “This message isn’t for everyone. It’s for all those people who refuse to wear a mask,” he said in a video posted on Twitter Wednesday. “You know, lying in isolation in ICU for seven days, I thought about how wrong I was to remove my mask at the White House.” (Folley, 12/16)
