Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
New York Abandons Quarantine List, Says All Travelers Must Test Negative
New York state is moving away from a travel advisory that required a two-week quarantine for people coming from COVID-19 hotspots and instead will mandate that all travelers test negative for the virus before and after coming to the state, the governor announced Saturday. "There will be no quarantine list, there will be no metrics," Gov. Andrew Cuomo told reporters. "There will be one rule that applies across the country." (Katersky and Deliso, 10/31)
In news from the South —
Gov. Brian Kemp announced Friday he was extending the public health state of emergency and renewing current COVID-19 restrictions. The public health state of emergency is now in effect through December 9. (10/31)
When voters go to the polls or vote absentee, they will decide if Mississippi will have a medical marijuana program. However, this will be no ordinary vote. There's a two-step process for voting on Initiative 65 or the alternative Initiative 65A. (Gates, 10/30)
In news from the Midwest, West and Alaska —
Illinois is gearing up for an unprecedented logistical challenge in the midst of a public health crisis. The goal is simple: vaccinate 80 percent of the population against COVID-19. But getting the shots from manufacturers to people's arms will require precise coordination among numerous public and private entities, as well as an airtight supply chain—not to mention a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine. (Goldberg, 10/31)
Ohio’s statewide mandatory mask order went into effect on July 23, requiring people to wear masks at public indoor locations outside their homes. But many Ohioans simply aren’t. And – despite COVID-19 cases climbing to record-setting highs and Hamilton County teetering on the brink of purple, the worst level, on the state’s coronavirus alert map – it doesn’t seem like the maskless are facing any real consequences. (Sparling and Wartman, 11/1)
An additional 650 residents in the Kansas City metro have tested positive for the coronavirus, bringing the region’s seven-day rolling average to its highest since the pandemic began. In total, the virus has now infected 53,359 residents and killed 784 people across the metro, which encompasses Kansas City and Jackson, Clay and Platte counties in Missouri, and Johnson and Wyandotte counties in Kansas. (Nozicka, 11/1)
New advances in technology could soon boost coronavirus testing options. Rapid tests are now available, as are those that offer the convenience of spitting into a tube in the privacy of your own home. At-home saliva testing kits are available commercially online nationwide. But it isn’t clear how effective any of the new options will be at producing solid, fast results. (Heild, 11/1)
For much of the coronavirus pandemic, the Mat-Su region largely escaped the rising case counts and testing shortfalls despite a lack of mask mandates or any other restrictions. Not anymore. As of this week, cases in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough were doubling every seven to eight days — the state’s fastest growth rate, along with the Kenai Peninsula, according to Dr. Anne Zink, Alaska’s chief medical officer. State data shows that Mat-Su residents have Alaska’s highest test positivity rate for a region on the road system. (Hollander, 11/1)
