Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Worries High Over COVID Spikes As Thanksgiving Travelers Head Home
CNN: 'A Natural Disaster ... In All 50 States' Is Unfolding Just As Travelers Disperse Nationwide After Thanksgiving
As millions of Americans head home after Thanksgiving, the coronavirus could be hitching a ride -- threatening to plant seeds of infection across the country as the US on Sunday topped more than 100,000 new cases for the 27th consecutive day. ... A surge of new travel-related infections could overwhelm hospitals already stretched to capacity. Hospitalizations of Covid-19 patients reached a record high of 93,238 on Sunday, trumping Saturday's record-breaking 91,635 figure, according to the Covid Tracking Project. (Yan and Holcombe, 11/29)
The Wall Street Journal: Thanksgiving Draws Travel To A Pandemic Peak
The weekend after Thanksgiving met expectations that it would be the busiest travel period in the U.S. since the coronavirus pandemic began, aided by clement weather and lower gas prices that encouraged some to drive rather than fly. Almost 50 million people were expected to have made a journey during the Thanksgiving holidays, said AAA, despite tightening local clampdowns and warnings from federal health officials. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Nov. 19 recommended people not travel over Thanksgiving. (Cameron and Sider, 11/29)
Stat: How Much Did Thanksgiving Contribute To Covid-19 Spread? It’s Wait And See For Now
And now we wait. Thanksgiving is over, and public health officials’ persistent warnings that large celebrations and travel could douse accelerant on out-of-control Covid-19 spread have passed. But whether their warnings were heeded — and what kind of impact Americans’ decisions might have had — won’t be clear for a few weeks. (Joseph, 11/29)
CNN: Should You Quarantine After Thanksgiving? Yes, CNN's Dr. Leana Wen Explains
First and foremost, anyone who traveled to visit with family and friends or hosted guests outside their immediate household unit should quarantine, [Leana] Wen advised. Taking action to protect others around you will help mitigate the spread of Covid-19, especially with Hanukkah, Christmas and New Year's just around the corner. (Chiu, 11/27)
CNN: Experts Urge Thanksgiving Travelers To Get Tested For Covid-19 As Hospitalizations Are At Their Highest
As millions of people in the United States travel back home from the Thanksgiving holiday, Covid-19 hospitalizations are inching closer to 100,000 -- the highest they've ever been. With infections expected to increase, experts say the stakes are even higher for the public to get tested to help slow the spread. (Holcombe, 11/30)
In related news from Maine and Massachusetts —
Bangor Daily News: Virus-Related Hospitalizations Rise In Maine With Thanksgiving Delaying Case Counts
Coronavirus-related hospitalizations in Maine rose again on Friday, even as a temporary drop in testing and reporting over the Thanksgiving holiday may lead to a artificial drop in the number of new reported cases this weekend. The spread of the virus in Maine has spiked over the past month, with the seven-day average of new cases rising to 221 on Thursday, up from only 40 one month earlier. But the Thanksgiving closure of the state lab that processes tests led to the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention not reporting case data on Friday. (Piper, 11/27)
Boston Globe: COVID-19 Impact From Thanksgiving Travel And Gatherings Could Be ‘Precursor’ For Upcoming Holidays
Fallout from Thanksgiving travel and festivities could intensify challenges Massachusetts will face as it continues to battle the pandemic through the December holidays, when officials will be navigating more uncertain terrain amid soaring numbers of cases. While more indications emerge that people are chafing under pandemic restrictions, those measures are vital to curb the spread and ease pressure on the state’s health care system, officials said. (Hilliard and Tziperman Lotan, 11/29)
