Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Mass. Governor Blames Bachelorette Party In Rhode Island For Sickening 19 People
CBS News: Coronavirus Outbreak In Massachusetts Tied To Bachelorette Party In Rhode Island
A cluster of COVID-19 cases in Massachusetts was traced to a bachelorette party in Rhode Island late last month, Gov. Charlie Baker said. Health officials in both states said 19 guests who attended the late July gathering at an undisclosed location were sickened. (8/27)
CNN: Delta Has Banned More Than 200 Passengers For Defying Mask Rule
Delta Airlines' mask policy is not a suggestion, it's mandatory. Passengers refusing to abide by the rule to keep masks on at all times (save eating or drinking) don't get to fly with Delta. It's just that simple. As of August 27, Delta said it has banned roughly 240 people from flying with the carrier. "Although rare, we continue to put passengers who refuse to follow the required face-covering rules on our no-fly list," says Delta CEO Ed Bastian in an internal memo to employees shared with CNN. (Lastoe, 8/27)
In other public health news —
CNN: FDA Warns About Hand Sanitizer Packaged To Look Like Food Or Drinks
The US Food and Drug Administration is warning consumers about alcohol-based hand sanitizers being packaged in containers that look like food or drink packaging. "The agency has discovered that some hand sanitizers are being packaged in beer cans, children's food pouches, water bottles, juice bottles and vodka bottles," a news release from the agency said. "Additionally, the FDA has found hand sanitizers that contain food flavors, such as chocolate or raspberry. (Thomas and Howard, 8/27)
Stat: Some Covid-19 Survivors Feel Stalked By Possibility Of Reinfection
Since Covid-19 flattened him in Southern California in late June, Jarrod Castillo fears that every tickle in his throat and every twinge of pain in his limbs means he’s getting sick again. On Long Island, the thought of enduring the illness a second time fills Sadie Nagamootoo with such dread, she gets sick to her stomach. In upstate New York, where Martha Barrera suffered for more than two months with crushing respiratory symptoms, the idea of reinfection gives her such panic, she’s unable to enter a supermarket. (Glaser, 8/28)
Kaiser Health News: COVID + Influenza: This Is A Good Year To Get A Flu Shot, Experts Advise
Flu season will look different this year, as the country grapples with a coronavirus pandemic that has killed more than 172,000 people. Many Americans are reluctant to visit a doctor’s office and public health officials worry people will shy away from being immunized. Although sometimes incorrectly regarded as just another bad cold, flu also kills tens of thousands of people in the U.S. each year, with the very young, the elderly and those with underlying conditions the most vulnerable. When coupled with the effects of COVID-19, public health experts say it’s more important than ever to get a flu shot. (Appleby and Andrews, 8/28)
Boston Globe: New Study Confirms Staggering Racial Disparities In COVID-19 Cases In Massachusetts
A new study quantifies COVID-19′s disproportionate toll on Black and Latino communities in Massachusetts for the first time, and explores the extent to which other demographic factors — including foreign-born noncitizen status, average household size, and the role of the essential worker — explain racial and ethnic gaps. The results, drawn from an analysis of 351 Massachusetts cities and towns, are staggering: A 10 percentage point increase in the Black population is associated with 312.3 more cases per 100,000 people. The same increase in the Latino population is associated with 258.2 more cases per 100,000. (Moore, 8/27)
Kaiser Health News: How To Weigh Evacuation Options With Both Wildfires And COVID At Your Door
As the smoke thickened near her home in Santa Cruz, California, last week, Amanda Smith kept asking herself the same questions: Should we leave? And where would we go? The wildfire evacuation zone, at the time, ended a few blocks from her house. But she worried about what the air quality — which had reached the second-highest warning level, purple for “very unhealthy” — would do to her children’s lungs. Her 4-year-old twins had spent time in the neonatal intensive care unit; one was later diagnosed with asthma, and last year was hospitalized with pneumonia. (Gold, 8/28)
Sacramento Bee: Does My Mask Protect Me From Smoke? Here’s The Expert Advice
In recent days, Sacramento weather conditions have improved, reducing smoke in the air, but hundreds of wildfires continue to burn across California. This fire season brought novel challenges, since poor air quality limited the potential for outdoor activities — which officials had encouraged as a safer alternative during the pandemic. It’s a complicated time, so The Bee spoke to several experts to get their advice on taking care of our health this fire season. (Kerber, 8/28)
