Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Medical Marijuana Recall Under Way; 2 More Die From Church Virus Outbreak
The Oklahoman: Marijuana Recall: Check Your Stash For These Supplies That Failed Testing
State officials have issued a recall notice for medical marijuana products after a failed lab test. The recall includes marijuana from Empire Strains and KushCandy 420, which are processors in the Oklahoma County Area, according to an announcement Wednesday from the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority. (Denwalt, 11/5)
In other public health news —
Charlotte Observer: Charlotte, NC Church COVID-19 Outbreak: 8 Deaths, 187 Cases
Two more people have died of coronavirus-related complications tied to October convocation events at a Charlotte church, bringing the death toll to at least eight. That includes seven Mecklenburg County residents and one Gaston County resident, Mecklenburg Public Health Director Gibbie Harris told county commissioners during their Wednesday night board meeting. (Kuznitz, 11/4)
Axios: The Coronavirus Raises New Challenges For The Homeless
The challenge of helping homeless people during the pandemic has spurred some cities to action and prompted bitter divisions in others, as shelters struggle with the new challenges of adhering to the CDC's social distancing, PPE and sanitary guidelines. Some cities have tried new ways to help, such as buying up vacant hotels, apartments and other buildings to use as housing. Some feel grief as outdoor homeless encampments grow. (Kingson, 11/5)
AP: In Virus Era, Bubbles Provide Game-Changing Lessons Learned
The NBA wants to be back in December. The NHL is aiming at games resuming in January. Baseball’s spring training may begin in February, like normal. They almost certainly won’t be in bubbles if and when any or all of that happens. But many of the lessons learned from being in some form of a bubble environment — where the NBA, NHL and Major League Baseball each crowned a champion after finding a way to finish their seasons in most unusual circumstances — could apply to whatever the new definition of normal is for those and other sports. (Reynolds and Whyno, 11/5)
AP: Mob Figure Granted Compassionate Release From Prison
A former high-ranking member of the Patriarca organized crime family was granted compassionate release from prison Wednesday by a federal judge in Boston who ruled his poor health puts him at greater risk from the coronavirus if he remains behind bars. Robert DeLuca, 75, is also not a threat to the community and was serving time for nonviolent crimes, U.S. District Judge Denise Casper said in her decision. (11/4)
Stat: After A Breast Cancer Diagnosis, Many Black Women Face Delays In Care
Tamiko Byrd was only 43 when she was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer in October 2015. The diagnosis shook Byrd, who had spent years as a fitness instructor and health educator in underserved Black communities, to her core. So did the prospect of navigating cancer treatment. Byrd had just moved to Houston for graduate school, had kids to take care of, and also needed to keep her job as a Xerox technician, which gave her health insurance. (Runwal, 11/5)
KHN: Poor And Minority Children With Food Allergies Overlooked And In Danger
As Emily Brown stood in a food pantry looking at her options, she felt alone. Up to that point, she had never struggled financially. But there she was, desperate to find safe food for her young daughter with food allergies. What she found was a jar of salsa and some potatoes. “That was all that was available,” said Brown, who lives in Kansas City, Kansas. “It was just a desperate place.” (West, 11/5)
KHN: Behind The Byline: How Do You Say …?
When KHN correspondent Victoria Knight began reporting on the coronavirus risk migrant workers brave to harvest crops, she struggled to find farmworkers willing to speak on record. Many of the workers who are undocumented worry about possible detention by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or fear the Trump administration’s “public charge rule.” The rule allows immigration officers to deny someone admission to the country based on the entry seeker’s lack of economic resources. (Knight, 11/5)
