Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Reckless Travel And Unheeded Warnings Lead To Fallout
The Washington Post: Austin Mayor Told People To Stay Home As He Vacationed In Cabo And Attended His Daughter’s Wedding
When the number of new coronavirus cases in Texas began to rise in early November, the mayor of Austin urged residents to avoid socializing and traveling, especially as the holiday season approached. “We need to stay home if you can,” Mayor Steve Adler (D) said in a Nov. 9 video. “We need to try to keep those numbers down. This is not the time to relax.” Days before he offered that warning, Adler had hosted at a downtown hotel for his daughter and about 20 guests. Then, he and eight wedding guests took a private jet to Cabo San Lucas, where they stayed together in a timeshare. (Shepherd, 12/3)
The Hill: California Sheriff Tests Positive For COVID-19 After Refusing To Enforce State Restrictions
A California sheriff tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday after previously refusing to enforce state restrictions aimed at mitigating spread of the infectious disease. The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office announced on Wednesday that Sheriff Scott Jones received a positive coronavirus test the day prior after developing symptoms late last week. (Coleman, 12/2)
CNN: Couple Arrested After Allegedly Traveling To Hawaii Knowing They Tested Positive For Covid-19
A couple from Hawaii was arrested over the weekend after allegedly flying home knowing that they both had tested positive for Covid-19. Wesley Moribe and Courtney Peterson of Wailua traveled with a child on a United Airlines flight out of San Francisco to Lihue, Hawaii, on November 29. (Rose, 12/3)
The Washington Post: Aide To Maryland Governor Larry Hogan: Korean Virus Tests Not Used
A Maryland official acknowledged publicly Wednesday, for the first time, that none of the 500,000 coronavirus tests the state purchased from South Korea in April were used to diagnose whether people had the virus. More than 496,000 of the tests were handed back to the manufacturer as part of a deal for replacement tests, acting health secretary Dennis Schrader told the Board of Public Works. About 3,500 were used as lab workers tried to validate them. (Thompson, 12/2)
