Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
State Officials Scramble With Every Pocket Of US In Virus Crisis
Clarion-Ledger: Mississippians Told To Avoid All Contact With Others To Stop COVID-19
Wearing a mask in public isn't enough to protect a person from contact with the coronavirus, State Health Officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs said Wednesday at a Zoom conference with members of the media. He is recommending everyone avoid any and all contact with other people outside their immediate family unless they are going to work or school or buying food for their families. (Beveridge, 12/2)
Los Angeles Times: L.A. Issues Stay-At-Home Rules Amid COVID-19 Spike
The city of Los Angeles issued a modified stay-at-home order Wednesday night that mirrors L.A. County rules that went into effect Monday. The city order prohibits gatherings of people outside immediate households, with some exceptions such as religious services and protests. (Smith, 12/2)
KHN: As LA County Sets New Infection Record, State Leaders’ Behavior Sends Mixed Messages
California, like the rest of the nation, is seeing a dramatic rise in COVID infections and deaths — and Los Angeles County has some of the most dire statistics. Health officials reported more than 7,500 new cases in the county on Tuesday, shattering the old record, set last week. Hospitalizations tripled in the past month, and on average 30 people are dying of COVID-19 in the county every day. (Fortier, 12/3)
The Hill: Arizona Chief Medical Officers Call For Curfew, Ban On Indoor Dining
Arizona chief medical officers called on Tuesday for a statewide curfew and a ban on indoor dining in a letter to the state’s head health official, warning the state is approaching a “life-threatening COVID-19 surge.” Eight medical officers addressed the letter obtained by The Arizona Republic to Arizona Department of Health Services Director Cara Christ, requesting Arizona officials take action within the next 72 hours. (Coleman, 12/2)
Courier-Journal: Kentucky Reports Most COVID-19 Deaths Ever For Second Day In A Row
Kentucky had its worst day for COVID-19 deaths for the second consecutive day, with Gov. Andy Beshear announcing 37 more deaths Wednesday. The previous record for coronavirus-related deaths reported in a single day had been set Tuesday, with 35 additional deaths. Wednesday's total included six people under age 60, Beshear said. (Austin and Yetter, 12/2)
The Hill: New Jersey COVID-19 Hospitalizations Surge 34 Percent In The Past 2 Weeks
New Jersey coronavirus hospitalizations climbed 34 percent over a two-week period, reaching a six-month high, according to the latest data from the Garden State. Hospitalizations reached 3,287 over the last two weeks, according to Bloomberg, including a 6 percent rise in the last 24 hours alone. (Budryk, 12/2)
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AP: Judge Refuses To Block Ban On Michigan Indoor Dining
Bars and restaurants lost a challenge Wednesday to Michigan’s ban on indoor dining and immediately warned about business failures and deep job losses if the restriction linked to the coronavirus is extended past next week. U.S. District Judge Paul Maloney turned down a request for an injunction with seven days left in the three-week ban. It was ordered in mid-November by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s administration in response to a distressing rise in virus cases. (White, 12/2)
NPR: Virginia County Votes To Reject Gov. Northam's Coronavirus Restrictions
Campbell County, Va., is taking a stand against Gov. Ralph Northam's COVID-19 restrictions as its Board of Supervisors endorsed a measure Tuesday night that calls on county agencies not to enforce Northam's crowd-size limits and other orders. The board declared Campbell County to be a "First Amendment Sanctuary" and deemed Northam's orders to violate people's constitutional rights. The move echoes the county's declaration of itself as a "Second Amendment Sanctuary" one year ago in support of gun owners' rights. (Chappell, 12/2)
USA Today: These Four States Have Been Hit Hard By COVID-19 Yet Balked At Strict Mask Mandates. What Is It Like To Live There?
If anything is consistent about the coronavirus pandemic, it's a lack of consistency. While states and cities receive attention when they impose restrictions, other locales feel confident that their citizens are no worse off with a hands-off approach. To get a sense of how states without strict rules concerning the virus are coping, we looked at four of them – Texas, Wyoming, South Dakota and Florida – and talked to officials and residents. Here are some snapshots. (Woodyard, 12/1)
The Washington Post: Staten Island Bar Mac's Public House Shuttered Over Covid Violations, Owner Arrested
Hundreds of mostly maskless protesters stood shoulder to shoulder outside a Staten Island bar on Wednesday night to demonstrate against the state’s coronavirus restrictions and support a tavern that was forced to shut down for flouting those guidelines. The raucous scene of about 400 demonstrators in front of Mac’s Public House came a day after plainclothes city sheriff’s deputies busted the bar, which had been operating without a liquor license, for serving food and alcohol to patrons indoors past the 10 p.m. citywide curfew in exchange for a mandatory $40 “donation,” authorities said. The bar’s owners previously declared the establishment an “autonomous zone,” and had publicly taunted New York Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo (D) and Mayor Bill de Blasio (D). (Bella, 12/3)
