Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Chicago Police Vaccine Mandate Upheld
AP: Arbitrator Upholds Chicago's Vaccine Mandate For Police
An arbitrator has upheld the city of Chicago’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate for police officers, Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced Wednesday, saying she hopes it is a call to action for those who aren’t yet vaccinated. The Fraternal Order of Police had vigorously fought the city’s rules, which resulted in lawsuits, and urged members not to comply. The union wanted the matter heard before an arbitrator. (2/24)
Bloomberg: Denver To Lift Its Covid Vaccine Requirement For Municipal Workers
Denver is lifting a public health order requiring Covid-19 vaccines for municipal employees and contractors, effective March 4, officials announced Wednesday. Bob McDonald, executive director of the city’s Department of Public Health & Environment, thanked vaccinated workers for keeping “our hospital system from collapsing.” The order also applied to workers in high-risk settings, such as homeless shelters and schools. (Del Giudice, 2/23)
Bloomberg: New York City Mayor Wants To End Vaccine Rule For Restaurants And Bars
New York Mayor Eric Adams said he wants the city to move in the next few weeks toward phasing out its proof-of-vaccination requirement for patrons of restaurants, bars and other indoor spaces. The city began the vaccine policy, also known as “Key to NYC,” last fall, requiring residents to show proof of at least one Covid-19 vaccination for most indoor activities. (Diaz and Krader, 2/23)
From the private sector —
CNBC: Google Relaxes Mandates, Opens Amenities For Return To Office
Google is dropping some Covid-related mandates for employees and restoring perks back to its headquarters as it prepares to bring workers back to the office. Google Real Estate and Workplace Services VP David Radcliffe wrote an email to San Francisco Bay Area employees this week explaining that the company is relaxing some rules around vaccines, testing, social distancing and masks. Separately, a Google spokesperson told CNBC that the company has reversed course and will not require vaccinations as a condition of employment for U.S. workers, but declined to offer further details. (Elias, 2/23)
Separately, a study shows how vaccine misinformation happened —
Axios: Influencers Played Outsized Role In Pushing Anti-Vax Conspiracies
A new report from a broad range of disinformation experts finds influencers across many topics — wellness, politics and religion — were largely responsible for spreading viral anti-vaccination content in the U.S. over the past two years. Influencers with large followings often introduced new and personal angles to familiar anti-vax tropes, making it difficult for social media companies to moderate their comments without running into free speech issues. (Snyder and Fischer, 2/24)
