The Transportation Security Administration extended a federal mask mandate on public transportation and in airports to January, in today's bite-sized hospital and health industry news from Arizona, the District of Columbia, and New York.
- Arizona: Gov. Doug Ducey (R) on Monday issued an executive order banning local governments in the state from enforcing vaccine mandates for public employees. The governor's order is effective immediately, and any violations could be penalized with up to a month in prison or a fine up to $500. However, the city of Tucson just days earlier approved a vaccine mandate for its workers, and Mayor Regina Romero said the city's mandate will remain in place despite the governor's order. "Governor Ducey is paving the way for Covid-19 to spread uncontrollably throughout our state and attempting to impede those of us who believe in science-based solutions at the local level," Romero said. (Coleman, The Hill, 8/17)
- District of Columbia: The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) on Tuesday extended a mask mandate at airports and on public transportation through Jan. 18, the New York Times reports. The mandate, which was set to expire on Sept. 13, was extended due to the spread of the highly contagious delta variant in the United States. According to Sari Koshetz, a TSA spokesperson, the mask mandate does not apply to travelers under the age of two and people with certain disabilities. Koshetz added that people who violate the mask mandate can be fined $250 for the first offense and up to $1,500 for repeated offenses. So far, the Federal Aviation Administration has received over 2,867 reports of people violating the mandate. (Paybarah, New York Times, 8/17; Chen, Axios, 8/17)
- New York: Mount Sinai South Nassau has named Adhi Sharma president of the hospital, effective Sept. 1. According to Becker's Hospital Review, Sharma will be the first physician to lead the hospital. He will succeed Richard Murphy, who is retiring at the end of this year. Currently, Sharma serves as the hospital's CMO and EVP for clinical and professional affairs. (Jensik, Becker's Hospital Review, 8/17)