Health Equity
News, Statements, and Testimony on Health Equity Issues
25th Council session information coming soon.
Studies Suggest Children Do Spread COVID-19 With Few Symptoms
Two studies this week suggest what scientists have long suspected - children are equally as able to spread the novel coronavirus even while showing few if any symptoms.
One study was conducted in China and a second was conducted by German researchers. The first study from Wuhan and Shanghai found that children were as third as susceptible to infection but, when schools opened, they had three times as many contacts with adults. The second study was more straightforward - children who tested positive for COVID-19 were found to harbor as much virus - and sometimes more - as adult positive cases. The results were consistent with children hospitalized and those asymptomatic.
The first study was published in Science while the second has yet to be peer reviewed.
The studies gained prominence because of the ongoing debate about reopening schools during the pandemic. All three states in the DMV have closed schools for the academic year (Maryland just yesterday) but other states and countries are considering resuming in-person school. The justification is the seemingly low infection rate among children and the low spread rate, which these studies aimed to address.
As with any study, more research and peer review is needed to make more definitive conclusions.
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Sample of Health Equity Legislation MSDC Tracked
What does it say? The bill allows for the administration of medicinal marijuana in schools as well as allows students to bring sunscreen to schools and apply it without a prescription.
MSDC position: MSDC supports the language permitting sunscreen application in schools
Current status: A win for DC physicians and public health! The legislation passed the Council in February and was signed by the Mayor. Previous temporary and emergency legislation permitted students to use sunscreen at schools this school year already.
What does it say? The bill requires DC Health to establish an electronic Medical Order for Scope of Treatment registry (eMOST).
MSDC position: MSDC supports this legislation to more easily allow patients to make their treatment orders known.
Current status: A win for the physician community and our patients! The Council passed the bill in December and the Mayor signed it into law on January 16, 2020.
What does it say? The bill would implement a 1.5 cent per ounce tax on the distribution of "sugary" beverages. The money collected from the tax would establish a Healthy People, Healthy Places Open Spaces Grant Program.
MSDC position: MSDC sent a letter to Council Chair Mendelson asking for a hearing to discuss all of the issues around a beverage tax.
Current status: The bill was introduced October 8, 2019 and referred to the Committee on Business and Economic Development and the Committee of the Whole.