Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Delta Air Lines Tells Its Employees: Get Vaccinated Or Pay $200-A-Month Fee
The Washington Post: Delta Air Lines: Employees Must Be Vaccinated Or Pay Health Insurance Surcharge
Delta Air Lines said Wednesday that it will require employees to be vaccinated against the coronavirus or face the alternative of weekly testing and a $200 monthly surcharge for health insurance. Chief executive Ed Bastian outlined the new policies in a memo to the airline’s 68,000 employees, saying that with the Food and Drug Administration’s full approval of the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine this week, “the time to get vaccinated is now.” (Duncan, 8/25)
Politico: Delta Air Lines Health Surcharge For Vaccines Could Cascade Across Industries
Unvaccinated Delta Air Lines employees will soon be forced to pay an additional $200 per month for the company's health care plan, making the Georgia-based airline the first such major U.S. company to tie vaccination status to health care costs, a move other industries could soon follow. Delta CEO Ed Bastian, in a memo to employees published online Wednesday, said the $200 surcharge for unvaccinated Delta employees is meant to offset medical costs from a coronavirus infection, which is more likely to occur in unvaccinated individuals. Health care costs for Covid, especially those who need to be hospitalized, can be steep; Delta said the average hospital stay for Covid has cost the airline $50,000 per person. (Mueller, Pawlyk and Monnay, 8/25)
The Hill: Air Canada To Require COVID-19 Vaccine For Employees
Air Canada on Wednesday joined other major airlines in implementing a vaccine mandate for its employees, giving workers until the end of October to get fully vaccinated or risk losing their job. The Montreal-based airline said in a press release that all employees will need to provide proof of vaccination by Oct. 30, noting that regular testing “will not be offered as an alternative.” (Castronuovo, 8/25)
AP: Cruise Lines Require Vaccinations, Tests, Amid Virus Surge
Joel Steckler was eager for his first cruise in more than a year and a half, and he chose the ship that just two months ago became the first to accept passengers again after a long pandemic shutdown. Steckler was fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and that was enough to resume cruising, under initial guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Now, the 63-year-old from Long Island, New York, is going to postpone the trip he had planned for Saturday amid new, tighter guidelines prompted by the delta-variant-fueled surge in cases and breakthrough infections. (Licon and Koenig, 8/26)
The Washington Post: The GOP Struggles With What To Do On Employer Vaccine Mandates
President Biden this week responded to the Food and Drug Administration’s full authorization of the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine by calling on employers around the country to mandate it for their employees — which it seems many will. And Republicans as a party don’t seem to know what to do with that. In the days since the FDA’s authorization and Biden’s call, Republicans who have otherwise fought tooth and nail against vaccine mandates have been surprisingly quiet about the prospect of employer mandates. And the few who have spoken out have generally said employers should be allowed to implement them. (Blake, 4/25)
And the NFL is also cracking down on the unvaccinated —
AP: Only Vaccinated Personnel In Locker Rooms On NFL Game Days
The NFL has mandated that only fully vaccinated personnel, with a maximum of 50 people, will have access to locker rooms while players are present on game days. In a memo sent to the 32 teams and obtained by The Associated Press, the policy becomes effective immediately. The personnel covered by the policy includes coaches, athletic trainers, equipment staffers, one general manager, one team security representative, three club communications media workers and one clubhouse support staffer. (Wilner, 8/25)
The Washington Post: NFL Teams With Unvaccinated QBs Facing A Long Season
The New England Patriots gathered for practice Tuesday in Foxborough, Mass., without quarterback Cam Newton, who is barred from in-person team activities for much of this week because of what the team called a “misunderstanding” about testing and the NFL’s coronavirus protocols. Coach Bill Belichick provided few details about Newton’s situation. But Belichick acknowledged that the circumstances created an on-field opportunity for Newton’s rookie understudy, Mac Jones, while representing a competitive disadvantage for Newton. (Maske, 8/25)
