Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Voters Brace For A Novel Experience At Their Polling Places
The Washington Post: Coronavirus Updates: CDC Says People Who Test Positive For Covid-19 Can Still Vote In Person
As the United States faces what one top health official called “the most concerning and most deadly phase” of a pandemic that has already claimed at least 230,000 American lives, record numbers of coronavirus-related hospitalizations are forcing doctors in rural states to get creative. Meanwhile, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say that people who are in isolation after testing positive can still cast ballots in person. In newly-updated guidance published Sunday, the agency says that voters who have tested positive or may have been exposed to the coronavirus should follow the standard advice to wear a mask, stay at least six feet away from others and sanitize their hands before and after voting. “You should also let poll workers know that you are sick or in quarantine when you arrive at the polling location,” the CDC’s website states. (Noori Farzan, 11/3)
ABC News: How To Vote If You've Been Exposed To COVID: CDC
Tens of thousands of Americans with newly diagnosed cases of coronavirus face a dilemma if they haven't already voted in the presidential election: Are they allowed to vote in person on Tuesday? Yes, but they need to take precautions to protect poll workers and other voters, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Schumaker, 11/2)
In related news —
The Washington Post: Michigan Residents Brave Long Lines To Cast Early Ballots
On the eve of Election Day, Michigan voters swarmed to polling sites to cast their ballots, in many cases braving long lines and unforgiving weather to ensure their voices were heard in what some described as the most consequential election of their lifetimes. The secretary of state’s office reported some 2.9 million absentee ballots had been cast — about 60 percent of the ballots cast in Michigan in 2016. Nationwide, at least 98 million people already have voted, about 70 percent of the total vote from four years ago. (Ruble, Sofradzija and Balingit, 11/2)
Modern Healthcare: Inpatient Emergency Voting Assisted By Health Systems, Volunteers
The day before Election Day patients at some hospitals in the University of Pennsylvania Health System get more than just food delivered on their meal trays — they will also get information on how to cast emergency absentee ballots. At least 38 states offer opportunities for patients to cast ballots if they are in the hospital, and many health systems across the country have helped patients and caregivers get reliable information on how to vote. Voting for inpatients has become even more complicated as many hospitals have restricted visitor policies due to the COVID-19 pandemic. (Cohrs, 11/2)
GMA: Why This Women's Health Group Is Mobilizing Black Women To Walk To The Polls
The stakes for the 2020 election are high for everyone, but particularly for Black women. The election on Nov. 3 comes as Black women have been hit disproportionately hard by the coronavirus pandemic, both in cases of COVID-19 and in jobs lost and financial hardship. (Kindelan, 11/2)
Cincinnati Enquirer: What Will Election Day Look Like At Polls? Lots Of Sanitizing And Be Prepared To Wait
On Nov. 3, the typical sights and rituals of Election Day will be changed by the coronavirus pandemic. The changes will start with some elections officials greeting voters from tables behind plexiglass shields, but they won’t stop there. The typical lines may form at peak hours in the morning and late evening, but they could look longer than in the past as people maintain social distance before doing their civic duty. (Headley, 11/3)
NPR: Voters Are Motivated To Keep Protections For Preexisting Conditions
In swing states from Georgia to Arizona, the Affordable Care Act — and concerns over protecting preexisting conditions — loom over key races for Congress and the presidency. "I can't even believe it's in jeopardy," says Noshin Rafieei, a 36-year-old from Phoenix. "The people that are trying to eliminate the protection for individuals such as myself with preexisting conditions, they must not understand what it's like." (Stone, 11/2)
