‘Entering The Death Drawing’: W.Va. Governor’s Dire Alert For Unvaccinated

The Hill: West Virginia Governor Says Unvaccinated 'Entering The Death Drawing' 
West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice (R) rebuked people who were choosing not to get the COVID-19 vaccine during a news conference on Thursday, saying they were “entering the death drawing.” “Well when you turn your back and say, nope I’m not doing that — all you’re doing is entering the death drawing. There were six — there were six today. How many is there going to be the next time we sit down? How many is there going to be on next Tuesday?” Justice said. (Vakil, 6/24)

In other news about the vaccine rollout —

AP: Hawaii To Ease Testing Rules For Travelers Vaccinated In US
Hawaii will drop its testing and quarantine rules for fully vaccinated domestic travelers in two weeks. Gov. David Ige said Thursday the state will drop the current travel restrictions for vaccinated U.S. mainland travelers on July 8. Those using the quarantine exemption must upload their vaccination cards to a state website and also bring a hard copy while traveling. (Jones, 6/24)

The CT Mirror: More COVID Vaccines Are Being Wasted As Demand Drops
At a recent COVID vaccine clinic in eastern Connecticut, where the Uncas Health District was offering all three varieties of vaccine, one person requested Moderna. That meant officials had to open a vial of the Moderna vaccine. Each vial contains 10 doses. “We are at the point where we aren’t going to turn anybody away who wants to get vaccinated,” said Patrick McCormack, the director of the health district. “We have needed to be more creative in how we manage our doses, so we don’t waste them, and so far we have done pretty well — but it is getting harder.” (Altimari and Pananjady, 6/25)

Philadelphia Inquirer: How Many People In Pa. Got Vaccinated And Still Got COVID-19? The State Isn’t Counting
Pennsylvania is not tracking all coronavirus cases in vaccinated residents, leaving the state without data that can help demonstrate vaccine efficacy, detect the spread of variants, and fully inform unvaccinated people of the risks they may face. As other states report data that indicate nearly all their cases now are found in unvaccinated residents, the Pennsylvania Department of Health told The Inquirer it could not say what proportion of new coronavirus infections has occurred in those who aren’t immunized or what share of people hospitalized with the virus had been vaccinated. (McDaniel and McCarthy, 6/24)

Houston Chronicle: Half Of Texas Republicans Say They Won't Get COVID-19 Vaccine, New Poll Finds
Nearly half of Texas Republican voters say they do not plan to receive a COVID-19 vaccination, according to new polling released Thursday by Quinnipiac University. All told, pollsters found, about one-third of Texas adults said they do not plan to get vaccinated, whereas about 70 percent said they have already received or are planning to get inoculated. Pollsters found “sharp differences” in views on vaccines among political parties, with about 30 percent of independents saying they’ll forego vaccines and 13 percent of Democrats saying the same. (Downen, 6/24)

The Hill: MLB's Astros Offering Free Tickets To Fans Who Get The COVID-19 Vaccine 
The MLB’s Houston Astros are offering fans the opportunity to get free tickets by receiving a COVID-19 vaccine. The Astros on Thursday announced a partnership with the Houston Methodist Hospital called “MLB Vaccinate At The Plate,” where fans can receive tickets to two select games if they get vaccinated at the event.  (Oshin, 6/24)

In updates on vaccine mandates —

The Boston Globe: State’s Largest Health Care Providers To Require All Employees Get COVID-19 Vaccines
The state’s largest hospital systems on Thursday said they will mandate that all of their employees get vaccinated against COVID-19 as part of a moral imperative to keep patients safe. Leaders of Mass General Brigham, Beth Israel Lahey Health, Wellforce, and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute said requiring vaccination for employees is critical for protecting vulnerable patients, especially those who are immunocompromised. Together, these hospital systems employ more than 135,000 people. All employees, including those who don’t work directly with patients, must get vaccinated, though they can request exemptions for medical or religious reasons. (Dayal McCluskey, 6/24)

San Francisco Chronicle: Unions Push Back On S.F. Vaccine Mandate As Black Employees' Advocates Call It Insensitive
San Francisco’s employee unions snapped back against an order that city workers receive a coronavirus vaccination on penalty of firing, calling for a more collaborative approach, while an advocacy group warned that Black workers could be disciplined more often than others under the mandate. The Service Employees International Union Local 1021, which represents 20,000 San Francisco employees, called the policy a “threatening mandate” Thursday. SEIU and other unions said the city would have to negotiate it with unions rather than imposing it unilaterally. (Asimov, 6/24)

The CT Mirror: CSCU Board Votes To Require COVID Vaccines For Students In The Fall
The Connecticut State Colleges and Universities governing board approved a policy Thursday that will require students to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 before returning to campus in person this fall. The policy states that any student who is participating “in any on-campus activities in person for any reason at any of the institutions” will have to be fully vaccinated and report their compliance to the college or university they are attending. (Watson, 6/24)

Politico: College Vaccine Mandates Rile GOP States 
Conservative state lawmakers are moving to block public and private universities from requiring returning students to have proof of Covid vaccinations or get the vaccine itself, in a push that could complicate President Joe Biden’s effort to get shots to young adults. Executive orders or legislation in states like Arizona and Florida ban universities from mandating students show proof of vaccination status and come as the more transmissible Delta variant of the coronavirus is surging. College-age Americans have the lowest vaccination rates and are least likely to make plans to get a shot, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Leonard, 6/24)

Health News Florida: Celebrity Cruises No Longer Requiring Proof Of Vaccination In Florida 
Celebrity Cruises is no longer requiring passengers to show proof of vaccination on voyages out of Florida. The cruise company now only recommends that passengers 16 years and older be vaccinated. Celebrity updated its travel requirements webpage to specify that Florida passengers “who decline or are unable to show proof of vaccination at boarding will be treated as unvaccinated and subject to additional protocols, restrictions and costs for COVID-19 testing." (Mayer, 6/24)