Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Covid Vaccinated? Arkansas Governor Bans State From Asking For Proof
AP: Arkansas Governor Signs Bills Banning Vaccine Requirements
Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson on Wednesday signed into law measures preventing state and local governments from requiring the coronavirus vaccine or proof of vaccination in order to access services. The ban on requiring a vaccine would also prohibit it as a condition of unemployment. The measure includes some exceptions, such as state-owned medical facilities, if approved by Legislative Council. (4/29)
AP: Colorado's Main Public Universities Requiring Vaccinations
Colorado’s biggest public universities will require students, faculty and staff to receive COVID-19 vaccinations before the beginning of the fall semester, school leaders announced Wednesday. The University of Colorado system’s four campuses will require the shots along with the Colorado State University system, the University of Northern Colorado and Metropolitan State University of Denver, The Denver Post reported. (4/28)
In other news about the vaccine rollout —
CBS News: Some Are Opting To Get The COVID-19 Shot At Bars Instead Of Vaccination Sites: "Every Idea Is Worth Considering"
The "Shots for Shots" program is run by Relief, a telehealth company. Bartender Kurtis Johnson had a Moderna shot waiting for him when he went to work for his shift. "Well, the convenience is what spoke to me most today. The fact that it's literally five feet away from me. I work late nights. So I've just never found the time or been too exhausted to go out," he said. That type of convenience makes a difference in reaching the unvaccinated, said Relief CEO Vishal Vasanji. (4/28)
Houston Chronicle: Altuve Bobblehead Anyone? Harris County Approves $250K In Spending For Vaccine Freebies
To increase the rate of vaccinations, the Harris County Commissioners Court approved giving incentives to citizens. At Wednesday’s commissioners court meeting, the court authorized for up to $250,000 for gift cards, events and other incentive programs, to increase vaccine participation among Harris County citizens. The money will come from the county’s Public Improvement Contingency fund. (Garcia, 4/28)
AP: Some Californians Can't Get Vaccine Despite Surge In Supply
Hearing of excess vaccine and unfilled appointments frustrates Dr. Aaron Roland, a family physician who has been lobbying for doses to inoculate his patients, many of whom are low-income, immigrants or elderly. The San Francisco Bay Area doctor has more than 200 patients who have inquired when he will offer inoculations against the coronavirus. One patient, who is 67, said he walked into a Safeway supermarket because signs said doses were available. (Har, 4/29)
KHN: Some County Jail Inmates See Vaccination As Ticket To A Better Life — In The State Pen
The inmates huddled near the front or lingered on the bunk beds lining both sides of their narrow, crowded dorm at the Men’s Central Jail, listening as Lt. Sheriff Dwight Miley and nurse practitioner Marissa Negrete offered them covid vaccinations and answered their questions. Those who wanted the vaccine should line up at the door, Miley and Negrete said. They’d be taken into a short, cramped hallway where medical workers waited with loaded syringes. (Wolfson and de Marco, 4/29)
Bloomberg: Uber App Offers Covid-19 Vaccine Appointments At Walgreens
Uber Technologies Inc. will let customers schedule Covid-19 vaccine appointments through the app at nearby Walgreens pharmacies in the U.S., a program that reflects the importance of inoculations to the ride-hailing business. When booking a shot through the app starting Wednesday, customers can then schedule transportation to and from the pharmacy. It will do the same for a follow-up appointment at Walgreens locations that administer vaccines requiring two shots. (Chapman, 4/28)
Charleston Gazette-Mail: 'Vaccine Wall' Complicated Pandemic Response
West Virginia now ranks near the bottom of vaccination rates in U.S. states and territories, according to a New York Times project tracking the data. For weeks, state leaders have warned people about hitting “a wall” with vaccinations. As of Tuesday, only six counties — Logan, Monongalia, Kanawha, Ohio, Hancock and Tucker — had administered at least one dose to 50% of eligible residents (those older than 16). Tucker is the state’s lone county with more than half its eligible residents fully vaccinated. Morgan County, in the Eastern Panhandle, has the state’s lowest vaccination rate, with more than 71% of eligible residents completely unvaccinated. Mingo County, in the southern coalfields, closely trails Morgan at 70% unvaccinated. Statewide, vaccination rates are lowest among young West Virginians. (Coyne, 4/28)
CNN: Covid Vaccine Myths Debunked: These Reasons For Not Getting A Shot Don't Hold Up. In Fact, They'll Set The US Back
Americans have an easy way to crush Covid-19 -- one that would let businesses fully reopen safely, ditch the need for social distancing and restore a mask-free return to normalcy. But many Americans don't want to get vaccinated as myths and misunderstandings spread. "Facebook runs a survey every day ... and that's shown that vaccine confidence in the US has been slowly but steadily going down since February," said Dr. Christopher Murray, director of the University of Washington's Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation. (Yan, 4/28)
And in vaccine news from the federal government —
The Washington Post: Fed Says Vaccinations And Strong Policies Are Helping Economy As Inflation Rises
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome H. Powell on Wednesday said that more widespread access to vaccines and “strong policy support” are helping economic activity and employment, with sectors hardest hit by the pandemic showing signs of improvement. Inflation is also rising in certain areas, but Powell said that those increases aren’t expected to persist through the entire economy. Fed leaders say they expect to see temporary price bumps if the economy rebounds strongly this year, buoyed by President Biden’s stimulus package and progress controlling the pandemic. (Siegel, 4/28)
Roll Call: FEMA’s Tasks Pit COVID-19 Vaccinations Against Hurricane Prep
Staffing at the Federal Emergency Management Agency is at critical lows as the agency has been fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, which experts say is setting back preparations for hurricanes. With about five weeks to prepare for hurricane season, 77 percent of staff are already deployed, according to a memo released at a short daily briefing Sunday. The United States saw a similar level of depletion of FEMA staff in reserve in 2017, when three Category 4 hurricanes made landfall and wildfires raged. (Kopp, 4/28)
