Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Wearing A Mask? Good. Now Add A Face Shield, Too
The Hill: Birx Recommends Face Shields In Addition To Masks
Deborah Birx, the White House coronavirus response coordinator, is recommending the use of face shields along with masks to protect against COVID-19 infection. Face shields can offer more protection to the wearer than cloth face coverings, which are intended to prevent asymptomatic individuals from spreading coronavirus to others. (Hellmann, 7/30)
The Hill: Fauci Says Eye Protection Can Help Prevent Spread Of Coronavirus
Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease expert and a key member of the White House coronavirus task force, said Wednesday that the U.S. could eventually reach a point where it recommends the use of eye goggles to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. During an interview with ABC News medical correspondent Jennifer Ashton, Fauci was asked whether the U.S. would one day recommend eye protection due to the pandemic. "You know, it might," Fauci said, noting that it would offer an added layer of protection. (Wise, 7/30)
ABC News: Face Shields Can't Replace Masks, Experts Say, But Some Hope They Work As Last Resort
A number of the nation's top public health officials have said in recent days that Americans searching for extra layers of protection against the novel coronavirus while out in public may want to try face shields -- clear pieces of plastic that cover the face and can further prevent respiratory droplets from spreading when worn over a mask. "If you have goggles or an eye shield, you should use it," Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease specialist, told ABC News' Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Jen Ashton on Wednesday. Dr. Deborah Birx, the White House task force coordinator, made similar statements about the benefits of face shields on Fox News on Thursday. (Rubin, 7/31)
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The New York Times: Fauci To Testify Before Congress On Coronavirus Response
Two days after U.S. deaths surpassed 150,000, three familiar federal health officials, including Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, will return to Capitol Hill to testify in front of a new audience: the House’s special select committee investigating the Trump administration’s response to the pandemic. Dr. Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, will be joined on Friday morning by Dr. Robert R. Redfield, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Adm. Brett P. Giroir, the assistant secretary for health and the administration’s point person on coronavirus testing. (7/30)
CNN: The US Missed A Chance To Control Outbreak. Now It's 'Impossible To Predict' How Long The Pandemic Will Last, Fauci Says
Without a national effort to adhere to preventative measures, the nation's top infectious disease doctor said, it will be impossible to predict how much longer the Covid-19 pandemic will last in the United States. The US is seeing a resurgence of coronavirus infections after states began reopening their economies, with the number of cases now at more than 4.4 million and the death toll at 152,070, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. (Holcombe, 7/31)
