Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
As Covid Rises, LA County Again Advises Indoor Masking
Amid a sustained rise in coronavirus transmission, Los Angeles County is once again strongly recommending wearing a mask in indoor public spaces. The daily number of newly reported cases has jumped almost 70% from a month ago, though case rates are still well shy of previous waves and officials continue to tout the benefits of available vaccines and therapeutics in warding off the worst COVID-19 has to offer. (Money and Lin II, 11/17)
California’s COVID-19 trends have officially reversed ahead of an anticipated winter surge. The state is averaging about 9 new daily cases per 100,000 residents as of Thursday, marking a 36% increase compared to the 6.5 per 100,000 reported two weeks earlier, according to health department data. (Vaziri, 11/17)
Ways to avoid getting covid over the holidays —
What are steps people can take to protect themselves and their loved ones against Covid-19 during Thanksgiving dinners and other gatherings over the coming holidays? Is it still important to require vaccines for attendees at such events? Does a mini-quarantine period help to reduce risk? If people are testing before gathering together, when should they test, and with what tests? And what’s the best way to protect against other circulating viruses? (Hetter, 11/16)
Maintaining an indoor relative humidity between 40-60% is associated with relatively lower rates of COVID-19 infections and deaths, according to a study by MIT researchers who found that indoor relative humidity may also influence the transmission of the coronavirus. (Vaziri, 11/17)
In other covid research —
COVID-19 patients—especially children and those with nonsevere infections—are 55% more likely to develop epilepsy or seizures in the next 6 months than those who have influenza, but the overall risk remains very low, concludes a study published yesterday in Neurology. (Van Beusekom, 11/7)
Medical equipment is still strewn around the house of Rick Lucas, 62, who came home from the hospital nearly two years ago. He picks up a spirometer, a device that measures lung capacity, and takes a deep breath, though not as deep as he'd like. Still, he has come a long way for someone who spent more than three months on a ventilator because of COVID-19. (Farmer, 11/18)
Little was known about COVID-19 when the virus started infecting millions of people. Misinformation and false correlations in the early days of the pandemic created further confusion. Researchers are still learning and discovering what happens after a COVID-19 infection and what recovery may look like. (Norfleet, 11/16)
