Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Texas, Other States Halt Reopening As Coronavirus Cases Soar
AP: Governors Who Quickly Reopened Backpedal As Virus Surges
When Texas began lifting coronavirus restrictions, Republican Gov. Greg Abbott didn’t wear a mask. He wouldn’t let mayors enact extra precautions during one of America’s swiftest efforts to reopen. He pointed out that the White House backed his plan and gave assurances there were safe ways to go out again. Two months later, a sharp reversal is unfolding as infections surge. (Weber, 6/26)
The Wall Street Journal: Texas Pauses Reopening, As CDC Says Millions More May Have Had Coronavirus
Texas paused reopening plans Thursday, as new coronavirus cases and hospitalizations increased in many U.S. states, and a government estimate showed more than 20 million Americans may have contracted the virus, far exceeding diagnosed infections. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that only about 1 in every 10 Covid-19 cases in the U.S. has been identified, Director Robert Redfield said during a briefing with reporters Thursday. He also noted that most Americans are still susceptible to the virus. (Calfas, Abbott and Restuccia, 6/25)
Reuters: U.S. Sets One-Day Record For COVID-19 Cases, Texas Pauses Reopening
Texas, which has been at the forefront of efforts to reopen devastated economies shut down in the face of the coronavirus pandemic, has seen one of the biggest jumps in new cases, reporting more than 6,000 in a single day on Monday. “This temporary pause will help our state corral the spread until we can safely enter the next phase of opening our state for business,” Governor Greg Abbott, a two-term Republican, said in a statement. (Brooks, 6/25)
The New York Times: Texas Governor Pauses Reopening As Coronavirus Cases Soar In Region
Just 55 days after reopening Texas restaurants and other businesses, Gov. Greg Abbott on Thursday hit the pause button, stopping additional phases of the state’s reopening as new coronavirus cases and hospitalizations soared and as the governor struggled to pull off the seemingly impossible task of keeping both the state open and the virus under control. The announcement by Mr. Abbott — which allows the many shopping malls, restaurants, bars, gyms and other businesses already open to continue operating — was an abrupt turnaround and came as a growing number of states paused reopenings amid rising case counts. (Fernandez and Mervosh, 6/25)
CIDRAP: US Sets Daily COVID-19 Record As Texas Halts Opening
Oregon, Nevada, Kansas, Louisiana, and North Carolina have also announced reopening pauses or delays in the past week in light of increasing case counts. Today Abbott also suspended elective surgeries and medical procedures in Bexar, Dallas, Harris, and Travis counties in an effort to free up hospital beds. The counties represent San Antonio, Dallas, Houston, and Austin. Texas Public Radio said yesterday that San Antonio's ventilator availability dropped below 70%, and one Houston hospital's intensive care unit capacity was already at 120%. (Soucheray, 6/25)
Dallas Morning News: Gov. Greg Abbott Halts Elective Surgeries In Big Metros, Pauses Further Reopenings As Texas’ Coronavirus Cases Spike
Gov. Greg Abbott, a day after a key coronavirus metric he’s been watching hit “red flag” territory, again has moved to conserve hospital beds by halting elective surgeries. He also announced Thursday that he’s pausing any further reopening of businesses and other public activities until Texas can “corral” a recent surge in COVID-19 infections. And Thursday afternoon, he hinted in an interview with Victoria TV station KAVU that Texans “should anticipate more orders up in the coming days.” (Garrett, 6/25)
Dallas Morning News: Feeling Unsafe From COVID-19, Some Texans May Skip Voting In Primary Runoffs
Pincu is among scores of Texans who are weighing the risks of in-person voting during the COVID-19 global pandemic. The state saw more than 5,000 new cases on Tuesday and Wednesday. And after reaching an all-time high of new cases on Wednesday, Gov. Greg Abbott was forced to pause the state’s reopening, canceling elective surgeries and limiting outdoor gatherings. (Barragán, 6/26)
Albuquerque Journal: NM’s Next Reopening Phase On ‘Hold’ For Now
In a public briefing Thursday, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said she and state health officials are monitoring a “very concerning” climb in the transmission rate of the disease and waiting to see whether it’s a longer-term trend. The state’s business restrictions – allowing restaurants and salons, for example, to operate at partial capacity – will remain in place for now. They are set to expire Wednesday, though the governor said she expects to decide before then whether to extend the order or make changes. (McKay, 6/25)
