Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Biden Tells Police Vaccine Holdouts: 'Yes,' You Should Be Fired
Fox News: Biden Says Police Officers, First Responders Should Be Fired For Refusing Jab
President Biden on Thursday said police officers and first responders who refuse the COVID-19 vaccine should stay home and be fired. Speaking during a presidential CNN town hall, moderator Anderson Cooper noted that as many as one in three emergency responders in some major cities are refusing to comply with city vaccine mandates. "I'm wondering where you stand on that," Cooper said. "Should police officers, first responders be mandated to get vaccines? And if not, should they be mandated to stay at home, let go?" "Yes and yes," Biden replied, going on to suggest that he implemented his controversial vaccine mandate only as a last resort. (Brown, 10/21)
Fox News: Chicago Police Union Boss On Vaccine Mandate Fight: 'Welcome To Day Three Of 'The Hunger Games'
The Chicago police union’s first vice president has issued a blistering attack on Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s vaccine mandate, likening it to "The Hunger Games," and warned younger officers not to give in to pressure. The remarks came in a nearly 10-minute video posted by Fraternal Order of Police First Vice President Michael Mette on his Facebook page. "Welcome to day three of ‘The Hunger Games,’ where we find out who the city is going to offer up as tribute," Mette says in the video, invoking the book and film series about a dystopian world in which children must fight to the death for the entertainment of wealthy residents. (Betz, 10/21)
Kansas City Star: Indiana Recruits Chicago Cops Upset By COVID-19 Mandates
With thousands of Chicago police officers at odds with the city’s new COVID-19 vaccine mandates, officials in the neighboring state of Indiana are trying to recruit disgruntled cops, some of whom are being punished for not complying. ... “Hey Chicago police officers, we’re hiring!” an Indiana State Police spokesman said in a tweet on Thursday. “No vaccine mandate … lower taxes, great schools, welcoming communities.” (Willetts, 10/20)
Oklahoman: OKC Police Department Scraps COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate For Recruits
A vaccine mandate once directed at new Oklahoma City Police Department recruits has been rescinded, city officials announced Wednesday. The hiring prerequisite instituted this summer for both new police hires and fire recruits required applicants either to be already vaccinated or be willing to be vaccinated upon hiring. "The Oklahoma City Police Department has dropped its COVID-19 vaccine mandate for all new hires and recruits. So neither the vaccine nor a negative test are required to become a police recruit," read a brief statement released to the media by Oklahoma City Police Dept. spokesman Gary Knight. (Gore, 10/21)
