Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Mississippi Drops Mask Mandate; NYC Imposes Fines For Maskless
Forbes: Mississippi Becomes First State To Lift Mask Mandate
Mississippi is lifting its statewide mask-wearing mandate, Gov. Tate Reeves (R) said Wednesday, making it the first state to institute and end a public health measure that experts say is one of the most effective ways to stem the spread of coronavirus. (9/30)
NPR: New York City Imposes Fines Of Up To $1,000 For Those Who Refuse To Wear Face Masks
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said Tuesday that the city will impose fines on people who refuse to wear face coverings, after it saw a positivity rate for coronavirus tests of over 3% for the first time since June. The fine is up to $1,000, the mayor's office told NPR. (Penaloza, 9/30)
AP: North Dakota Tries Ad Campaign, Not Mask Rule, To Stem Virus
Executives at a Bismarck marketing agency hired to help stem the tide of rising virus cases in central North Dakota say that’s the mindset facing them with their campaign in the hot spot of a state that for weeks has been among the nation’s leaders in the number of new virus cases per capita, according to The COVID Tracking Project. (Kolpack, 9/30)
NBC News: Pastor Linked To Superspreader Wedding In Maine Told To Wear Mask At Son's Marriage
A Maine pastor who presided over a wedding-turned-superspreader event that has been linked to at least eight Covid-19 deaths and over a hundred more infections will be taking part in another wedding next month — his son’s. The Rev. Todd Bell’s son is tying the knot on Oct. 17 across the state line at the South Church in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, the church confirmed. And if Bell refuses to wear a mask at this ceremony, he could get the boot. (Siemaszko, 9/30)
NBC News: Texas Teacher Loses Job For Wearing 'Black Lives Matter' Mask
A Texas art teacher says she was fired for wearing a Black Lives Matter mask, but school administrators say she "effectively resigned" by refusing to follow the dress code policy. Lillian White, a teacher at Great Hearts Western Hills, a K-12 charter school in San Antonio, said she started wearing her handmade mask with the slogan "Black Lives Matter" to in-person teacher training days once the school reopened in July during the coronavirus pandemic. (Salam and Gostanian, 9/29)
In other news about masks —
Fox News: Coronavirus Face Masks Made With Silk Are Better Than Cotton, Study Finds
When choosing a fabric to make a homemade face mask to protect against the novel coronavirus, silk is better than cotton, namely when used in conjunction with a respirator, according to a new study from researchers with the University of Cincinnati. In an analysis of what types of fabric would be best when making a homemade mask, silk took the cake, with researchers saying this material is not only comfortable but also is breathable and repels moisture – a “desirable trait in fighting an airborne virus,” per a news release on the findings. (Farber, 9/30)
Miami Herald: App Wants You To Swipe And Report Who’s Wearing A Face Mask
Instead of swiping right for your next date, you can now swipe left to let local researchers and public health professionals know when someone near you is not wearing a face mask. MaskCount is a new, web-based app that allows users to “easily and anonymously” document the number of people wearing or not wearing face coverings. Its purpose? To help understand local outbreaks and inform policy decisions based on real-time data. (Camero, 9/30)
Kaiser Health News: We Freely Wear Seat Belts. Why Can’t We Learn To Wear Masks?
I was a reporter in Rome in 2005 when Italy banned smoking in restaurants. I was skeptical. For many Italians, having a cigarette with after-dinner coffee was simply part of the meal, like dessert. Also, Italians are famously lax about following rules: They dodge their taxes and park on sidewalks. As I wrote back then: “Smokers declared — basta! — they would never comply.” But to my shock (and ease of breathing, since I have asthma), very quickly everyone did. (Rosenthal, 10/1)
Kaiser Health News: The Mask Hypocrisy: How COVID Memos Contradict The White House’s Public Face
While the president and vice president forgo masks at rallies, the White House is quietly encouraging governors to implement mask mandates and, for some, enforce them with fines. In reports issued to governors on Sept. 20, the White House Coronavirus Task Force recommended statewide mask mandates in Iowa, Missouri and Oklahoma. The weekly memos, some of which have been made public by the Center for Public Integrity, advocate mask usage for other states and have even encouraged doling out fines in Alaska, Idaho and, recently, Montana. (Weber and Houghton, 10/1)
