Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Public Health Officials Plead With Trump To Cancel Tulsa Rally; Judge Refuses To Block Event
The New York Times: Trump's Rally In Tulsa Could Spread Virus
Officials in Tulsa, Okla., are warning that President Trump’s planned campaign rally on Saturday — his first in over three months — is likely to worsen an already troubling spike in coronavirus infections and could become a disastrous “super spreader.” They are pleading with the Trump campaign to cancel the event, slated for a 20,000-person indoor arena — or at least move it outdoors. “It’s the perfect storm of potential over-the-top disease transmission,” said Bruce Dart, the executive director of the Tulsa health department. “It’s a perfect storm that we can’t afford to have.” (Weiland, 6/16)
NPR: Trump Rally In Oklahoma On Saturday: What To Know
Acknowledging the concern, the campaign is taking precautions. "We are doing temperature checks. You have not seen those at protests, where there are mass gatherings of individuals," said Perrine, comparing rally plans to the protests for racial justice in cities and towns across the country in recent weeks. "We are providing masks — again not something you have seen at protests. But we are providing those to make sure individuals feel comfortable at a rally. And we are providing hand sanitizer. We are taking necessary steps." (Keith, 6/16)
The Washington Post: Judge Denies Oklahoma Residents’ Bid To Block Trump’s Rally Because Of Coronavirus Fears
A Tulsa judge on Tuesday denied an effort by city residents and business owners to block President Trump from holding an indoor campaign rally this weekend that some fear could further the spread of the coronavirus. The lawsuit in the district court of Tulsa County sought a temporary injunction against the company that manages the 19,000-seat venue, the BOK Center, “to protect against a substantial, imminent, and deadly risk to the community,” according to a copy of the complaint. Judge Rebecca Nightingale denied the request. (Brown, Gowen and Partlow, 6/16)
Politico: Judge Denies Injunction On Tulsa Trump Rally Over Social-Distancing Guidelines
The plaintiffs asked an Oklahoma court to impose social-distancing requirements for the rally, including the mandatory use of face masks, or else bar the rally until organizers agreed to implement them. But the plaintiffs were notified by phone later in the day that the judge denied their request for an injunction, according to court records. Oklahoma currently leaves social-distancing guidelines at the discretion of business owners. Sporting venues have been permitted to reopen since May 1. Coronavirus cases have been rising in Tulsa since the beginning of the month, when some lockdown restrictions were lifted. (Choi, 6/16)
The Hill: Judge Denies Request To Stop Trump Rally Due To Coronavirus Concerns
The plaintiffs had specifically sought to block the event based on Oklahoma’s public nuisance laws and had sought assurances that the event would implement “mandatory use of face masks and social distancing rules for all guests and employees, as recommended by the state, local and federal authorities, and by every credible and qualified medical expert who has studied the issue.” (Axelrod, 6/16)
CNN: Judge Denies Emergency Request To Stop Trump's Tulsa Campaign Rally Due To Coronavirus Fears
A judge on Tuesday denied an emergency motion to stop President Donald Trump's campaign rally in The rally would be Trump's first major campaign event since the coronavirus pandemic shut down most of American life, and officials are expecting hundreds of thousands of supporters to attempt to attend. The Bank of Oklahoma Center holds about 20,000 people but the Trump campaign has claimed that more than 1 million individuals have made an online RSVP to attend, though it's dubious how many actually plan on doing so. (Holmes and Nobles, 6/17)
The Associated Press: White House Steps Up Effort To Downplay Coronavirus Concerns
President Donald Trump has long been fond of crafting his own version of the facts. But when he said “if we stop testing right now we’d have very few cases” of coronavirus, he may have written a new line of attack for critics who question his commitment to following the science. His statement overlooks other important measures of the ongoing coronavirus threat, including hospitalizations and deaths. (Madhani and Stobbe, 6/16)
Meanwhile, The Washington Post fact checks Trump's statements on an HIV vaccine —
The Associated Press Fact Check: Trump On An AIDS Vaccine That Doesn't Exist
Seizing on a medical milestone that doesn’t exist, President Donald Trump said Tuesday he thinks the same scientific expertise that produced a vaccine for AIDS can deliver one soon for COVID-19, too. There is no vaccine for AIDS. Trump also accused the previous administration of making no effort to stop abusive policing, ignoring a conspicuous drive by President Barack Obama to do just that. (Woodward and Yen, 6/17)
