Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
'Assume You Were Exposed': Holiday Infections To Accelerate The Surge
Coronavirus infections are already reaching unprecedented levels throughout the U.S. Now with Thanksgiving in the rearview mirror and Christmas and New Year鈥檚 just around the curve, the question is: Just how much worse is the pandemic聽going to get? The latest travel data out Monday suggest聽that things are looking grim. Between 800,000 and 1.1 million people flew in the days leading up to and after the holiday, according to data released by the Transportation Safety Administration. Though those numbers are a fraction of typical Thanksgiving travel patterns, they are far higher than public health officials and epidemiologists hoped to see. (Brown, 11/30)
The U.S. more than doubled its highest number of monthly new COVID-19 cases in November, according to data from NBC News.聽As of 9 a.m. on Monday, the country has confirmed more than 4.2 million聽coronavirus聽cases this month, easily topping the record from October of almost 1.95 million, according to NBC News鈥檚 count. Before the fall, July had the most confirmed new cases with almost 1.93 million. (Coleman, 11/30)
Those considering getting a COVID-19 test after celebrating Thanksgiving with a group should wait about five days before taking the test in order to get accurate results, according to Harris County Public Health officials. That鈥檚 about how long it takes for the virus to become detectable on a test. (Dellinger, 11/30)
Despite the repeated warnings of public health experts and officials, millions of people traveled for Thanksgiving. Perhaps you're one of them. So what should you do now to keep from creating the "surge upon a surge" of coronavirus cases that Dr. Anthony Fauci is warning the U.S. could soon face? (Wamsley, 11/30)
In related news from Wisconsin and Texas 鈥
As Wisconsin reported lower-than-usual COVID-19 numbers Monday following testing site closures over the holiday weekend, a Madison high school announced one of its students died of a "COVID-related illness." (Carson, 11/30)
The White House Coronavirus Task Force says Texas is in the swing of a 鈥渇ull resurgence鈥 of COVID-19 and the state鈥檚 mitigation efforts 鈥渕ust intensify,鈥 while Gov. Greg Abbott and other leaders decline to take some of the steps the Trump administration is recommending. A report issued by the task force before the Thanksgiving holiday calls for Texas to significantly reduce maximum occupancy for public and private indoor spaces and to conduct weekly coronavirus testing of teachers, college students, county workers, hospital personnel and others. (Wermund and Blackman, 11/30)