Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Different Takes: What We Know So Far About Omicron; Vaccine Mandates Work And Should Be Enforced
The Atlantic: The Big Omicron Unknown: Is It Milder?
When omicron appeared, scientists had three big questions. First, would Omicron be more transmissible than previous variants? Judging from the nearly vertical charts of case growth in South Africa, Europe, New York City, and just about every other place Omicron has made an unwelcome appearance, the answer is yes. This may be the most transmissible strain of the coronavirus that we’ve ever seen. (Derek Thompson, 12/22)
NBC News: Biden's Covid Vaccine Mandate Is Smart. Here's Why Rejecting It Is Illogical.
In the war against Covid-19, the recent emergence of the omicron variant might be our toughest battle yet. So it makes no sense to ease up on our defense strategies, or to give in to misinformation questioning the proven benefits of Covid vaccines. Yet, states and companies around the country are rejecting the Biden administration’s call for vaccine mandates, while evolving science about the vaccines — like the recent recommendation to avoid the Johnson & Johnson shot — is being met with fear. (Dr. Sadiya S. Khan, 12/21)
East Bay Times: Delta, Omicron And Flu — The Deadly 'Tridemic' We Now Face
The United States has just surpassed 50 million reported cases of COVID-19 and over 800,000 (a conservative estimate) deaths from this disease. While these numbers are a stark reminder of where we’ve been, the current view of where we’re going is unclear and potentially alarming. We had been confronted with a surge of delta cases and then omicron, a much more transmissible variant, exploded last week in our country as it had around the world. As if this is not enough, we are entering the influenza season. (Dr. John Swartzberg and Dr. Michael S. Ascher, 12/21)
The Washington Post: It’s Time To Start Requiring Booster Shots
To many Americans, entering 2022 feels too much like entering 2021. We are coming to grips with what is sure to be an onslaught of cases from omicron and a holiday season marred with outbreaks, full hospitals and canceled plans. But 2022 is a far cry from 2021, as we now have something we didn’t have then: an arsenal to fight back. To fully engage that arsenal, private actors should require people who use their services to receive a booster shot. (Andy Slavitt, 12/21)
The Baltimore Sun: Neglecting Those Most Vulnerable To COVID-19 Renders Us All Vulnerable
A team of four doctors, experts in infectious diseases at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, are sounding a warning about Americans who remain most vulnerable to COVID-19 — those with existing health conditions or the immunosuppressed. They can harbor what the doctors call “evolving viral swarms” and could produce even more harmful variants of the coronavirus that would undermine the nation’s and the world’s efforts to break out of the 2-year-old pandemic. (Dan Rodricks, 12/21)
The New York Times: Omicron And Kids: How To Navigate The Covid Winter
The Omicron variant is spreading widely and risk for infections is higher than before. This creates uncertainty for parents, especially those with children too young to be vaccinated. We asked two experts about how to think about risk for children. Their answers have been edited for length and clarity. (Jennifer Nuzzo and Dr. Peter Hotez, 12/22)
