Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
The Vaccinated Can Travel, CDC Advises
Roll Call: CDC: Fully Vaccinated People Can Travel Safely
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated its travel guidelines on Friday to say people who are fully vaccinated for COVID-19 can safely travel in the United States and overseas without self-quarantine or a coronavirus test, as long as they wear a mask in public spaces. This guidance does not change the guidelines for unvaccinated individuals. (Cohen, 4/2)
Axios: TSA Reports Most Passenger Screenings Since Beginning Of The Pandemic
TSA on Friday screened 1,580,785 people across U.S. airports, a record high since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. The numbers come one day after Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director Rochelle Walensky said that while the agency now says fully vaccinated people can travel at low risk, the CDC is still not recommending nonessential travel due to the rise in virus cases, NPR reports. (Gonzalez, 4/3)
AP: Delta Cancels Over 100 Flights, Opens Some Middle Seats
Delta Air Lines canceled about 100 flights Sunday due to staff shortages, and it opened up middle seats a month earlier than expected in order to carry more passengers. The airline says it had over 1 million passengers during the past few days, the highest number since before the coronavirus pandemic began last year. (Krisher, 4/4)
The Washington Post: He Said He Spent $15,000 On A Disney World Trip. He Refused A Temperature Check And Got Arrested.
Kelly Sills paid a small fortune for an enchanting trip to “the most magical place on Earth.” Instead, the Baton Rouge resident — like several other Disney World guests who have defied coronavirus restrictions — visited the Orange County jail. Amid heightened precautions for the virus at the major Florida tourist attraction, Sills, 47, skipped the temperature screening required of guests, authorities said. He was confronted by security about it at a Disney Springs restaurant, the Boathouse, when he yelled and refused to leave, according to an Orange County Sheriff’s Office arrest report from Feb. 13. When deputies insisted he would be charged with trespassing, he pointed to how much he spent on his vacation, according to body-camera footage released this week. (Kornfield, 4/3)
In updates on vaccine "passports" —
Bay Area News Group: ‘Vaccine Passports’ Are Headed To California, But Some Could Be Left Behind
California crossed a major threshold last week: For the first time, state officials moved to adopt a policy that that would give residents who are vaccinated access to different events and activities than those who aren’t. New requirements for a “vaccine passport” — showing proof of vaccination to attend gatherings like weddings, conferences, concerts or theater shows — set California apart from states looking to ban such requirements and raise questions surrounding vaccine access and privilege in a region that has repeatedly failed to protect its most vulnerable populations. (Kelliher and Castañeda, 4/3)
WUSF 89.7: DeSantis Bans COVID-19 'Passports' Under Executive Order
Gov. Ron DeSantis on Friday issued an executive order barring government agencies from issuing COVID-19 “passports” and preventing Florida businesses from requiring customers to show documentation that they have been vaccinated or have recovered from COVID-19 before gaining entrance. The order directs state agencies --- such as the Department of Business and Professional Regulation and the Agency for Health Care Administration, which regulate bars and restaurants and nursing homes and hospitals, respectively --- to “work to ensure businesses comply with this order.” (Sexton, 4/2)
