Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
US Will Not Revert To Lockdowns, White House Covid Adviser Says
CNBC: White House Says No Covid Lockdowns As European Nations Implement Restrictions
The Biden administration has no plans to curb future Covid-19 surges using a nationwide lockdown, White House coronavirus response coordinator Jeff Zients said at a briefing Monday. Zients’ comments come as Austria enters its fourth nationwide lockdown and the Netherlands institute a partial lockdown amid a Covid surge rampaging across Europe in recent weeks. Instead of locking down the U.S., Zients said the federal government would rely on vaccines and therapeutic treatments to keep the country running in the event of another devastating Covid wave. (Towey, 11/22)
Reuters: U.S. Not Heading Toward COVID Lockdown, White House Says
The United States does not need to impose a lockdown or shut down its economy to curb the spread of COVID-19 and will rely on other tools, White House COVID-19 response coordinator Jeff Zients said on Monday. "We are not headed in that direction. We have the tools to accelerate the path out of this pandemic; widely available vaccinations, booster shots, kid shots, therapeutics," Zients told reporters at a White House briefing. "We can curb the spread of the virus without having to in any way shut down our economy." (Aboulenein and Shepardson, 11/23)
As Thanksgiving approaches —
AP: Beshear Outlines COVID-19 Recommendations For Thanksgiving
Kentuckians should [get] vaccinated for COVID-19 in order to protect fellow family and community members this Thanksgiving holiday, Gov. Andy Beshear announced Monday. Vaccinated Kentuckians should also get a booster shot if they are eligible, he advised. “If everybody’s vaccinated for Thanksgiving dinner, you are the safest that you’ve been at a holiday since the beginning of the pandemic,” the Democratic governor said at a virtual news briefing. (Hudspeth Blackburn, 11/23)
CapRadio: Welcoming Family Into Your Home For Thanksgiving? Here's How To Keep COVID Out
Here's one thing to be thankful for this year: It's not Thanksgiving 2020. A year ago vaccines had not yet been approved, daily deaths were rising sharply — surging to more than 2,000 a day by December — and many Americans hunkered down and skipped holiday celebrations to reduce their risks. This year, 80% of people 12 and up are now vaccinated with at least one shot, and about half of Americans are planning to gather in groups of 10 or more for the holidays, a recent survey shows. While many of us are ready to reboot our holiday traditions, COVID cases are once again rapidly climbing — with nearly 95,000 new cases a day. Experts warn we still need to keep COVID risk-reduction in mind. Even if your family is fully vaccinated, remember your most vulnerable family members, particularly people over 80 or the immunocompromised, are still at higher risk of severe COVID. (Aubrey, 11/22)
Axios: Axios-Ipsos Poll: Thanksgiving Will Be A Game Of COVID Roulette
Two-in-three Americans will celebrate this Thanksgiving with friends or family outside their immediate households, and about half of those say their gatherings could include unvaccinated people, according to the latest installment of the Axios/Ipsos Coronavirus Index. Vaccinations and booster shots are giving more people confidence to resume traditions like sitting around a packed table with masks off. But many are doing so with heightened awareness of what they don't know when it comes to their holiday companions. (Talev, 11/23)
