Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Federal Health Officials Prepare Plan For Responding To Possible Zika Outbreak In U.S.
The federal government, preparing for homegrown cases of the Zika virus, is planning to release a proposal for responding to them, health officials said Friday. The 60-page document, a blueprint for action when the first cases of locally transmitted Zika occur in the continental United States, could be released early next week, officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said. They emphasized that it was a working draft that could change based on advice from state officials. Sylvia Mathews Burwell, the secretary of health and human services, and Dr. Thomas R. Frieden, the director of the C.D.C., spoke by videoconference with state governors Thursday about the plan. On Friday, experts with the C.D.C. talked with state health departments. (Tavernise, 6/10)
Governor Rick Scott says Florida is doing its part to fight the spread of the Zika virus in the state. But he鈥檚 continuing the complaint that he鈥檇 like to see the Federal government do more. Scott spoke with a group of reporters Friday. (McCarthy, 6/12)
Hoping for the best but preparing for the worst, Leon County officials are asking the state for nearly $470,000 for a Zika emergency plan. (Ash, 6/10)
Mosquitoes may be one of summer鈥檚 nuisances. But the ones carrying Zika, a virus that has spread through Latin America and could be transmitted in the United States this summer, are triggering public health warnings -- especially among women of childbearing age -- because of Zika's propensity to cause birth defects. ... What鈥檚 the danger? A lot is up in the air, since there鈥檚 not a ton of research on the virus. Here鈥檚 a quick breakdown of the smart questions to ask and what we do actually know. (Luthra, 6/13)