Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
3.2 Million More Americans Would've Died Without Covid Vaccines: Study
CNN: Covid-19 Vaccines Have Saved 3 Million Lives In US, Study Says, But The Fight Isn't Over
The Covid-19 vaccines have kept more than 18.5 million people in the US out of the hospital and saved more than 3.2 million lives, a new study says – and that estimate is most likely a conservative one, the researchers say. (Christensen, 12/13)
Stat: Covid Vaccines Averted 3 Million Deaths In US, Study Finds
This Wednesday will mark two years since nurse Sandra Lindsay became the first person in the U.S. to receive a Covid-19 vaccine outside of a clinical trial. A study released Tuesday by the Commonwealth Fund shows that in those two years, the Covid vaccines have averted over 3 million deaths in the U.S. (Trang, 12/13)
More on the vaccine rollout —
AP: Judge Rejects Vaccine Choice Law In Health Care Settings
A person’s choice to decline vaccinations does not outweigh public health and safety requirements in medical settings, a federal judge ruled in a Montana case. U.S. District Judge Donald Molloy last week permanently blocked a section of law the state said was meant to prevent employers — including many health care facilities — from discriminating against workers by requiring them to be vaccinated against communicable diseases, including COVID-19. (Hanson, 12/12)
Fortune: Most U.S. Kids Still Haven’t Received A Flu Or COVID Vaccine. It’s Helping Fuel A Tripledemic That’s Slamming Hospitals Nationwide
A majority of the youngest U.S. kids haven’t received a flu or COVID vaccine, according to federal health data—this as hospitals struggle to handle a deluge of patients with respiratory viruses. Nearly 58% of children 6 months through 17 years old haven’t received the flu vaccine this year, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, citing a telephone survey. (Prater, 12/12)
The New York Times: In China’s New Covid Strategy, Vaccines Matter
Within China’s oldest segment of the population, 40 percent have not received a booster; the World Health Organization has said such doses are especially vital with Chinese vaccines, which use inactivated virus and are usually less effective than foreign counterparts that use newer mRNA technology. And many families are still hesitant about the safety of vaccines for their elder relatives, even as new inhalable vaccines are being portrayed as less scary than those that require a needle. Health experts warn that the vaccination campaign may be too late to defend against the current wave of cases. Singapore, where officials lifted strict measures late last year, spent months communicating and preparing before easing measures. (Stevenson and Wang, 12/12)
