Coronavirus: The Hill and the Headlines, May 28, 2021

In Washington:

• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has loosened its COVID-19 guidelines for summer camps, saying that vaccinated staffers and adolescents do not need to wear masks. The changes represent an update from the previous advice for all staffers and campers to wear face coverings, regardless of their vaccination status. 

• The Senate’s four Hispanic Democrats have urged the Biden administration to boost lagging coronavirus vaccination rates in Latino communities through greater outreach. Sens. Alex Padilla (CA), Bob Menendez (NJ), Catherine Cortez Masto (NV), and Ben Ray Lujan (NM) wrote on Friday to Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra and Labor Secretary Marty Walsh, pointing to obstacles many Latinos face including fear of costs, anxiety about potential interaction with immigration authorities, lack of time off from work, and lack of public transit.

• Former Food and Drug Administration (FDA) head Scott Gottlieb says the threat of the coronavirus is likely to be low this summer but could rise again in the fall. During an appearance on CNBC, Gottlieb said, “I do think that this is going to be a risk as we get into the fall and probably more likely the winter,” Gottlieb said. “We could see new variants,” he added, also noting that the virus can spread more easily in the colder months.

• President Joe Biden released his $6 trillion FY2022 Budget Friday, which includes significant new investments in federal health programs.  The proposals provide a 23 percent increase to HHS’s overall funding to $133.7 billion from previous levels of $108.4 billion in FY21 while setting aside billions of dollars in new spending for the agencies like the CDC that have been at the center of the pandemic response.  CDC would get $8.7 billion in discretionary funding to improve its preparedness for future health crises. Biden wants to invest in the nation’s public health system and preparedness efforts.  $6.5 billion would be set aside to establish a new medical research agency within the NIH.  NIH would get a $9 billion increase NIH, which would bring its total funding to nearly $52 billion. NIH would receive $6.5 billion toward creating the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health. FDA funding would increase to $6.5 billion from about $6.1 billion in fiscal 2021.

In the News:

• As of May 28, over 590,000 Americans have died of COVID-19 according to CDC figures. On May 27, the U.S. recorded over 27,000 new COVID-19 cases and 1,338 deaths from the virus, according to Johns Hopkins University. CDC numbers show 50 percent of all Americans have received at least one coronavirus vaccine dose, and 40 percent are fully vaccinated. 

• Idaho Gov. Brad Little (R) rescinded a ban on mask mandates that the state’s lieutenant governor promulgated while Little was away at a conference. Lt. Gov. Janice McGeachin (R) signed an order banning local mask requirements, claiming authority as acting governor. Little’s order now repeals McGeachin’s. Gov. Little has never mandated masks statewide and argued mask decisions should lie with local officials. Lt. Gov. McGeachin is currently challenging Little for governor’s office. She is now fundraising off her executive order.

• Seventy percent of Americans favor vaccine verification while traveling by plane or staying in a hotel, a new PwC survey found. Over half of respondents to a survey released on Friday said they support policies that would prevent people who don’t show proof of vaccination from traveling. Only 14 percent said they would be upset if they were asked for proof of vaccination while traveling. PwC, a consulting firm, surveyed more than 1,300 U.S. consumers last month.

Authored by Ivan Zapien