Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
NYC Mayor: Covid Masks Should Be Briefly Doffed At Store Doorways
The New York Times: Mayor Adams to New York City Shoppers: Drop That Mask
Not long ago, New Yorkers were required to wear a face mask if they wanted to enter a store. But Mayor Eric Adams has now said the city’s shopkeepers should adopt the opposite approach: People who refuse to pull down their mask when they first come into a store should be barred, in case they plan to rob the place. “We are putting out a clear call to all of our shops, do not allow people to enter the store without taking off their face mask,” the mayor said in a radio interview on 1010 WINS on Monday. “And then once they’re inside, they can continue to wear it if they so desire to do so.” (Stack, 3/6)
On long covid —
The New York Times: Long Covid Patients More Likely To Have Gastrointestinal Problems, Study Finds
Stomach pain, constipation, diarrhea, vomiting, bloating — these are symptoms frequently reported by people with long Covid. Now, a large new study reports that Covid patients were significantly more likely to experience gastrointestinal problems a year after infection than people who were not infected. (Belluck, 3/7)
Bloomberg: Scientists Hope Viruses Hiding Out In Patients Hold Answers To Long COVID
Tracking microbes through a malodorous network of sewer lines led virologist Marc Johnson to the source of unusual coronavirus mutants. After months of sampling effluent, the University of Missouri School of Medicine microbiologist found exactly where the mutants originated: from a regular user of restrooms at a specific Wisconsin business. (Gale, 3/6)
In other pandemic news —
AP: Arkansas Tyson Workers Sue Over Lack Of COVID Protections
Thirty-four Tyson Foods employees, former employees and family members filed a lawsuit against the company Monday, saying it failed to take appropriate precautions at its meat-packing plants during the early days of the COVID pandemic. In the lawsuit, filed in Pulaski County Circuit Court in Tyson’s home state of Arkansas, the plaintiffs said Tyson’s negligence and disregard for its workers led to emotional distress, illness and death. Several of the plaintiffs are the spouses or children of Tyson workers who died after contracting COVID. (Durbin, 3/6)
Detroit Free Press: Lt. Gov: Legacy Of Racial Disparities Task Force To Live On
After nearly three years, the Michigan Coronavirus Task Force on Racial Disparities has issued its final report, and the federal COVID-19 public health emergency is expected to end in May. Although the coronavirus hasn't disappeared — it continues to infect, hospitalize and kill people, though at a far lower rate than earlier in the pandemic — the focus on COVID-19 among policymakers is fading. (Jordan Shamus, 3/6)
KHN: Covid Aid Papered Over Colorado Hospital’s Financial Shortcomings
Less than two years after opening a state-of-the-art $26 million hospital in Leadville, Colorado, St. Vincent Health nearly ran out of money. Hospital officials said in early December that without a cash infusion they would be unable to pay their bills or meet payroll by the end of the week. The eight-bed rural hospital had turned a $2.2 million profit in 2021, but the windfall was largely a mirage. Pandemic relief payments masked problems in the way the hospital billed for services and collected payments. (Hawryluk, 3/7)
On the origins of covid —
Roll Call: COVID-19 Origins Probe Plods On With No Clear Resolution
Republicans are continuing the search for answers on the origins of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, but the path forward is mired in stalled investigations, classified documents and stonewalling from the Chinese government. Top Republicans are increasingly convinced the virus leaked from the Wuhan Institute of Virology in China and are once again homing in on U.S. intelligence in the wake of a report that another federal agency believes the virus may have escaped from the lab. (Clason, 3/6)
How the end of the covid emergency is affecting food benefits —
The Washington Post: A Mile-Long Line For Free Food Offers A Warning As Covid Benefits End
For those waiting in line for food in Kentucky, the last year has been jarring. Some said they can now only afford to eat once a day. Others limit expensive items like meat for specific family members like growing teenage boys. All described feeling hunger. (Craig, 3/4)
NPR: Extra SNAP Benefits Are Ending. Here's What To Know
This month, as many as 16 million American households have received a sharp reduction in the size of their benefits under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as SNAP, as part of a federal unwinding of pandemic-era assistance. On average, participants will receive about $82 less this month in SNAP benefits, according to the Food Research & Action Center, an advocacy group that works to end hunger. Some households will see reductions of $250 or more. (Sullivan, 3/7)
