Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
No More Frown: Updated Emoji Is Wearing A Mask And Smiling
CBS News: Apple's New Mask-Wearing Emoji Will Be Smiling, Not Frowning
Apple is giving its mask-wearing emoji an update: The keyboard character donning a medical face mask will be smiling under the face covering rather than frowning, according to the Emojipedia blog. Apple is rolling out the new emoji as part of the latest update to its operating system. The iOS 14.2 software, which was released to developers last week, is expected to be released publicly this month. (Cerullo, 10/7)
The Washington Post: SNL Drops Morgan Wallen As Musical Guest After Viral Videos Of Him Partying Without A Mask
Country music star Morgan Wallen was dropped by “Saturday Night Live” as this week’s musical guest, the singer announced on his Instagram account Wednesday evening. Wallen drew backlash after TikTok videos were posted in which he was partying without a mask at the University of Alabama days before. (Yahr, 10/7)
NPR: A Vaccine That Protects Against COVID-19 May Be Right Under Our Noses
In case you were still procrastinating getting a flu shot this year, here's another reason to make it a priority. There's a chance the vaccine could offer some protection against COVID-19 itself, says virologist Robert Gallo, who directs the Institute of Human Virology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and is chairman of the Global Virus Network. The key is getting the right flu vaccine, says Gallo, who was one of the main scientists credited with discovering HIV. "The vaccine has to have a live virus in it. The virus is attenuated so it doesn't cause disease, but otherwise the virus is alive." (Doucleff, 10/8)
CNN: Teen Mental Health: How To Support Your Child In A Pandemic
Less than a month into the academic year at Brophy College Preparatory in Phoenix, Alex, a 17-year-old high school senior, is feeling the strain of life in an uncertain time. Growing up, he saw tests, grades and applications as part of a predictable, step-by-step process leading toward college. Not so much in a pandemic. (Smith, 10/8)
KHN: Hard Lives Made Harder By COVID: Homeless Endure A ‘Slow-Moving Train Wreck’
The message wasn’t lost on Daniel Gonzalez. Early in the pandemic, one of the first things Imperial County did to ward off the virus was close the public bathrooms and, later, public cooling centers. In this sprawling Southern California desert, where summer brings blistering triple-digit heat, that lack of access could amount to a death sentence for people without shelter. People like Gonzalez, homeless the past two years, were simply not a priority. (Barry-Jester and Hart, 10/8)
Also —
USA Today: Jacob Blake, Shot By Kenosha Officer, Moved To Chicago Rehab Center
Jacob Blake, whose shooting by a Kenosha police officer led to unrest in the city and sparked protests around the nation, has left the Wisconsin hospital where he'd been recovering and moved to a spinal cord injury rehabilitation center in Chicago. Attorney Patrick Cafferty, who represents Blake on potential criminal charges, said he had no other details about Blake's condition. (Vielmetti, 10/7)
