Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Businesses, Churches Take Steps To Encourage Inoculations
The Hill: Supermarket Chain Aldi To Provide Paid Time Off For US Employees To Get COVID-19 Vaccine
Supermarket chain Aldi announced Tuesday that it would provide front-line workers in the U.S. up to four hours of paid leave so they can receive two doses of the coronavirus vaccine. “Aldi is ensuring that all hourly workers who wish to receive the vaccine are able to do so without concern about losing pay or taking time away from work,” the company said in a statement. (Gstalter, 1/19)
AP: Mormon Leaders Urge Members To Get COVID-19 Vaccine
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints urged its members to get a COVID-19 vaccine when it’s their turn, while announcing Tuesday that eight top leaders and most of their wives received their first doses. Church President Russell M. Nelson, 96, and the others are over the age of 70. They received the shots in Utah, where the state’s plan has shifted to getting seniors vaccinated after first delivering shots to health care workers and first responders. (1/19)
AP: Couple Celebrates 73rd Wedding Anniversary With Vaccinations
A northern Kentucky couple celebrated their 73rd wedding anniversary by getting their first coronavirus vaccine shot. Noel “Gene” Record, 93, and Virginia Record, 91, were among the first patients in Cincinnati to be vaccinated Tuesday under Ohio’s Phase 1B, WLWT-TV reported. Initial vaccinations went to health care workers. (1/19)
NBC News: Wondering When You Can Get The Covid Vaccine? Here's Why It's So Hard To Get An Appointment
When he assumes the presidency, Joe Biden will inherit what is perhaps the greatest twin crises ever to face an incoming president: a pandemic raging out of control and an economy sitting on shaky foundations. And the greatest weapons in his arsenal to combat both — the Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna vaccines — are scarce. Things were not supposed to be like this. (Siegfried, 1/20)
Also —
Houston Chronicle: COVID-19 Vaccines May Become Annual Shots, UTMB Researchers Say
Even after much of the general population gets COVID-19 vaccines, they will likely need to get annual doses to protect against future mutations of the virus, according to researchers at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston. Scott Weaver, director of the medical branch’s infectious disease research programs, said viruses like COVID-19 will eventually find ways to mutate in order to continue to infect people, even those who have antibodies from vaccines or previous infections. “We may very well need to do the same thing for influenza vaccines — produce a new one every year or two based on the updated sequences of the rapidly circulating coronavirus strains,” Weaver said during a COVID-19 forum hosted by UTMB Tuesday. (Powell, 1/19)
ABC News: 9 In 10 Say Pandemic Not Controlled; Two-Thirds Intend To Vaccinate
Nearly 9 in 10 Americans say the coronavirus pandemic is not under control in the United States, but far fewer say they'll get vaccinated against it, a new ABC News/Washington Post poll finds. As the country endures record levels of daily COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths, 52% say the virus is "not at all" under control, up sharply from 35% (among registered voters) in October. The view is deeply partisan; 7 in 10 Democrats and 55% of independents say the virus is not at all under control, versus 28% of Republicans. (De Jong, 1/19)
