Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
New Drinking Water Standards Take Effect In Michigan
Detroit Free Press: New, Tougher PFAS Standards In Michigan Drinking Water Now In Effect
Michigan officials were frustrated waiting on the federal government to adopt health-protecting standards for the nonstick, so-called "forever chemicals" that have become a leading emerging contaminant in the state and across the country. So they made their own. Michigan's new standards for seven per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) compounds in drinking water — some of the toughest, most comprehensive standards on the chemicals anywhere in the country — took effect Monday. (Matheny, 8/3)
San Francisco Chronicle: How California Reduced Its Inmate Population To A 30-Year Low
California’s prison population of 99,000 is its lowest since 1990 and 74,000 below its peak in 2006. Court rulings, new state laws and policies on imprisonment, and changes in voters’ attitudes have all contributed to the reduction, which has not led to any statewide increase in crime. But the events look somewhat different through a broader historical lens. In 1976, the state’s prison population was 20,000, and the crime rate was only slightly higher than it is today. (Egelko, 8/3)
Boston Globe: Here’s What Opened In Phase 3 — And Could Potentially Be At Stake If Mass. Reopening Is Rolled Back
Concerned about trends in the public health metrics, some experts say the state is nearing the threshold for rolling back its phased reopening plan. The move from Phase 2 to Phase 3 happened less than a month ago, becoming effective July 6 statewide and July 13 in Boston. (Somerville has put Phase 3 of reopening on hold.) (Finucane and Reiss, 8/3)
In case updates from the states —
CNN: Florida Coronavirus: Two Teens Die Of Complications
Two teenagers in Florida have died from Covid-19 complications, according to data posted by the Florida Department of Health. The teens were between the ages of 14 and 17, the department said. This brings the total number of minors who have died in relation to the virus in Florida to seven. The others were a 9-year-old girl from Putnam County, an 11-year-old boy in Miami-Dade County, an 11-year-old girl in Broward County, a 16-year-old girl in Lee County, and a 17-year-old boy in Pasco County. (Colbert, 8/3)
AP: Hawaii Governor Warns Of Travel Plan Delay As Cases Spike
Hawaii continued to experience a sharp spike in the number of COVID-19 cases on Monday, prompting Gov. David Ige to warn that the state may have to once again delay the start of a pre-travel testing program for travelers if the trend doesn’t change. “If there are too many cases here and we haven’t stopped the increase, then we would be looking at delaying the September 1st date,” Ige said, referring to the current timeline for allowing out-of state visitors to bypass a 14-day traveler quarantine if they test negative. (McAvoy, 8/3)
Boston Globe: Experts Urge Rollback Of Reopening As COVID-19 Cases Rise In Mass.
Massachusetts must revert to stricter shutdown rules to ward off a resurgence of COVID-19 in the state, according to some epidemiologists and doctors who have watched the small but unmistakable increase in cases with growing alarm in recent days. Though new cases on Monday totaled a relatively low 165, the state reported 643 new cases over the weekend, up from 483 last weekend and 395 the weekend before that. For nine of the past 14 days, new cases exceeded 200. (Moore and Lazar, 8/3)
Billings Gazette: Another Death Reported In Yellowstone County, Bringing County Total To 27
Another Yellowstone County resident has died of COVID-19, bringing the county death total to 27. The person who died was a woman in her 80s, according to RiverStone Health. She died Sunday at a Yellowstone County hospital. Yellowstone County has had 23 people die since July 6, including 16 residents of senior care facilities. (Kordenbrock, 8/3)
Cincinnati Enquirer: KY Gov. Beshear Expects 'Tough Month Ahead,' Reports 323 New Cases
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear started his Monday press conference on the coronavirus by saying July was the toughest month the state had endured so far in terms of cases, noting that last week had the largest number of positive cases. "What we find is we lose Kentuckians several weeks to about a month after they test positive," Beshear said. "So having a rough month in terms of overall cases in July will likely mean a rough month of Kentuckians that we lose in August. All of that means we should be concerned." (Brown and Mazade, 8/3)
