Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Different Takes: How To Convince Gen Z To Get Vaccinated; Is A Booster Shot Needed?
USA Today: Our Biden Campaign Work Showed Us How To Reach Gen Z On COVID Vaccines
Despite efforts by the Biden administration to get as many Americans as possible vaccinated against Covid-19, one group in particular is standing in the way: young adults, the members of Gen Z. While more than half the country has had at least one dose of a vaccine and nearly half are fully vaccinated, only a third of adults ages 18 to 39 have received a vaccine. Those 18 to 24 are least likely to be vaccinated, and most likely to say they’re unsure about getting one, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports. This reluctance has prevented the White House from achieving its most recent vaccination goals. (Adrian Montgomery, 7/12)
CNN: The Latest Pfizer Statement Has Me On The Edge
With tears of gratitude in my eyes, one day in February, I drove to a clinic in Wyoming, Minnesota, and got my first injection of the Pfizer vaccine. I qualified for it as the father of a boy with Down syndrome, a condition that comes with increased medical risks from Covid-19. In May, shortly after the vaccine received emergency use authorization for 12 to 15 year olds, my 14-year-old son received his first Pfizer dose, and when my daughter turned 12 at the end of the month, she followed. (David M. Perry, 7/10)
The New York Times: Why The Most Unusual Covid Cases Matter
Like many people around the world and in Brazil where she lives, Parouhi Darakjian Kouyoumdjian became infected with the coronavirus last year; she had mild symptoms and recovered. But her case is remarkable: Ms. Kouyoumdjian is a centenarian. Still, while the elderly are more likely to suffer severe and fatal cases of Covid-19, Ms. Kouyoumdjian is not alone. She is part of a study led by Mayana Zatz, director of the Human Genome Research Center at the University of São Paulo, to understand how very old people who became infected with SARS-CoV-2 can emerge unscathed. (Roxanne Khamsi, 7/12)
Scientific American: The Power Of Local Celebrities In The Fight Against Vaccine Hesitancy
Calling all doctors, local politicians, clergy, social media influencers, and others with clout in your communities: Please become public advocates for vaccines. Right now. Calling all local journalists, too: Please amplify your neighbors’ advocacy, and add some of your own. This is a time when you should transcend the norms of your craft. You cannot be neutral and still claim to have done your job—not on this topic, not now. (Dan Gillmor, Steven Corman and Michael Simeone, 7/11)
