Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Military, Government Mask Mandates Increase But Tensions Remain
The Hill: Pentagon Mandates Masks For All Personnel Working Indoors And Outdoors
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Thursday ordered all military personnel to wear masks while on Defense Department property or while working anywhere outside their homes for the department, a move intended to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. (Mitchell, 2/4)
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Gov. Evers Issues New Mask Mandate Hour After GOP Lawmakers End It
Democratic Gov. Tony Evers on Thursday issued a new health emergency order requiring face masks in public indoor places just an hour after Wisconsin Republican lawmakers eliminated the same mandate. GOP lawmakers in the Assembly voted Thursday to repeal the statewide mask rule by ending the governor's health emergency order — the first measure passed by the Legislature in response to the COVID-19 pandemic in 10 months. But Evers put the mask requirement back in place almost immediately, saying he was doing so to avoid unnecessary risk to the public's health. If Evers hadn't acted, the state may have been at risk of losing tens of millions of dollars a month in federal food assistance without an emergency order in place. (Beck, 2/4)
The Washington Post: Iowa’s House Speaker Said He Can’t Make Lawmakers Wear Masks — But He Did Enforce A Ban On Jeans
Iowa House Speaker Pat Grassley (R) has repeatedly pushed back against imposing a mask mandate inside the legislature, saying that he cannot force lawmakers to cover their faces — just as he cannot stop someone from voting on the House floor in their bathing suit. But when one Democratic lawmaker attempted to speak during a floor debate on Tuesday — not in a bikini or one-piece but in jeans — Grassley called her out for violating the chamber’s dress code. (Armus, 2/4)
In other news about mask-wearing —
Cincinnati Enquirer: Nursing Home Staff Fail At Mask, PPE Wearing Months Into Pandemic
Months into the novel coronavirus pandemic, inspectors found the staff in 12 Cincinnati-area nursing home failed to properly use face masks and other protective equipment. The lapses occurred mid-July through the end of October, after the time that one expert said anti-infection precautions should have been routine among health care workers. They were revealed in a new Enquirer review of inspection reports from that time period. Inspectors found 10 nursing homes were cited for infection control gaps, many stemming from improper use or lack of personal protective equipment (PPE). At a Westwood nursing home, the Chateau at Mountain Crest Nursing & Rehabilitation Center, the problems were so severe that workers left 40 patients in a dementia care unit presumed positive for COVID-19. (Hine, 2/4)
The Wall Street Journal: Double Face Masks? N95? Protect Yourself Against New Covid-19 Variants With These Mask Upgrades
Most experts say a cloth mask over a surgical mask is the way to go. A cloth mask can also help when worn over a KF94 mask, which are certified in South Korea to filter at least 94% of very small particles, says Dr. Marr. KF94s can be somewhat loose on the sides, so a cloth mask can help pull it tighter to your face. A second mask is generally not necessary when wearing an N95, which are certified to filter out at least 95% of very small particles, or a KN95, the Chinese equivalent of an N95. But it could help protect the N95’s material and extend its use. (Reddy, 2/4)
