Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Potential Super-Spreader Event, A Massive Wedding, Averted
The New York Times: N.Y. Shuts Down Hasidic Wedding That Could Have Had 10,000 Guests
New York State health officials have taken extraordinary steps to shut down an ultra-Orthodox wedding planned for Monday that could have had brought up to 10,000 guests to Brooklyn, near one of New York City’s coronavirus hot spots. The state health commissioner personally intervened to have sheriff’s deputies deliver the order to the Hasidic synagogue on Friday, warning that it must follow health protocols, including limiting gatherings to fewer than 50 people. (Haag, 10/18)
The Washington Post: How The Sturgis Motorcycle Rally May Have Spread Coronavirus Across The Upper Midwest
It had been a long ride back from Sturgis, S.D., so when he first felt an ache at the back of his throat, Kenny Cervantes figured he was just tired. He’d traveled the 400-some miles on his Harley, rumbling through wide-open farm and prairie land on his way home to Riverdale, Neb., where his girlfriend was waiting. A lifelong motorcycle enthusiast, the 50-year-old construction worker and father of five had been determined to go to the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, a holy grail for bikers. Even when his girlfriend, Angie Balcom, decided to stay back because she was worried about being around so many people during a pandemic, Cervantes was adamant about going. “I don’t think there was nothing that was going to stop me,” he said. (Shammas and Sun, 10/17)
AP: Illinois Gov Says Trump Partly To Blame For COVID-19 Spike
Gov. J.B. Pritzker said Sunday that President Donald Trump and his allies in Illinois are partly to blame for the coronavirus spike in the state. Pritzker spoke to CNN’s “State of the Union” the same day health officials announced 4,245 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 22 additional deaths. (10/17)
The Washington Post: As Coronavirus Cases Rise, Red-State Governors Resist Measures To Slow The Spread, Preach ‘Personal Responsibility’
With cases surging to new highs and hospital capacity running low, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum teared up describing a state “caught in the middle of a covid storm. ”To weather it, he said at a news conference last week, people would need to keep their distance, wear masks and avoid gatherings. But the one thing North Dakota did not need were legal limits on reckless behavior. (Witte and Romm, 10/18)
In other state news —
The New York Times: Man Arrested After Threatening Wichita Mayor Over Face Masks, Police Say
Mayor Brandon Whipple of Wichita, Kan., said he often gets “goofy” threats, like the time someone said they wanted to attack him with a Goodyear blimp. But those threats took a serious turn on Friday after someone reported to the police that they had received text messages threatening to kidnap and kill Mr. Whipple, a Democrat. Although the messages weren’t sent directly to Mr. Whipple, he said a detective read them to him. (Morales and Levenson, 10/18)
AP: New Hampshire Gets Funding To Set Up Drug Court Program
New Hampshire’s congressional delegation announced the state has been awarded $1.75 million to establish a new family drug court program. The grant will fund a Family Treatment Court pilot project in Sullivan County to improve access to services for children and families experiencing abuse and neglect as well as those facing substance abuse and mental health issues. (10/17)
