Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Dwindling J&J Vaccine Supply Means No New Doses To States Next Week
The Washington Post: Johnson & Johnson Coronavirus Vaccine Allocation For States Dwindles To Zero
The Biden administration will stop shipping doses of Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccine to states next week, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as a contamination incident two months ago at a Baltimore subcontractor continues to disrupt domestic production. No new shipments for the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine were included Thursday in the CDC’s weekly update on expected vaccine shipments. Shipments of the first and second doses of the two-shot Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines will continue next week uninterrupted, according to the CDC shipment schedules. (Rowland and Stanley-Becker, 5/13)
In other news about the vaccine rollout —
Salt Lake Tribune: One In Three Utahns Is Now Fully Vaccinated Against COVID-19
Almost 2.36 million COVID-19 vaccines have been administered in Utah, and 1.084 million people are fully vaccinated against the coronavirus. That’s a third of the state’s total population who have received either both doses of the Moderna or Pfizer vaccines or the one-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine. According to the Utah Department of Health, 1.37 million Utahns have received at least one dose. The state also reported six more deaths caused by COVID-19. Three of those occurred before April 13 and were only recently confirmed to be the result of the coronavirus. (Pierce, 5/13)
KHN: Latinos Are The Most Eager To Get Vaccinated, Survey Shows — But Face Obstacles
Hispanics who have yet to receive a covid shot are about twice as likely as non-Hispanic whites or Blacks to say they’d like to get vaccinated as soon as possible, according to a survey released Thursday. The findings hint at fixable, though difficult, vaccine access problems for the population. One-third of unvaccinated Hispanics say they want the shots, compared with 17% of Blacks and 16% of whites, according to the survey released Thursday by KFF. (KHN is an editorially independent program of KFF.) (Almendrala, 5/13)
Stat: Uncertain Protection From Covid Vaccines Leaves Cancer Patients In Limbo
After 14 long months of near-isolation, Michele Nadeem-Baker was ready for her Covid-19 vaccination. Diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukemia in 2012, she knew her cancer made her more vulnerable to severe illness should she become infected with Covid-19. She would leave her home in Charlestown, Mass., only to walk her chocolate lab, Gabby, with her husband, dreaming of a day when she would no longer need to keep her distance from other family and friends. She’s fully vaccinated now, but Nadeem-Baker feels left behind by the vaccine euphoria sweeping the country as it resumes something like normal life. (Cooney, 5/14)
In updates on vaccine requirements and 'passports' —
Detroit Free Press: Michigan House, Senate GOP Take Steps To Ban Vaccine Passports
Michigan Republican lawmakers took additional steps Thursday to ban the government from mandating COVID-19 vaccinations, despite having no indication that any state or local agency is pursuing such a requirement. The House Oversight Committee approved an overhauled version of a measure prohibiting a governmental entity from producing or distributing a vaccine passport. The measure also disallows a governmental entity from fining someone for not getting a COVID-19 vaccine. (Boucher, 5/13)
The New York Times: As Broadway Plans Its Return, ‘Hamilton’ Will Require Vaccines Backstage
As Broadway prepares for a fall reopening, the “Hamilton” producer Jeffrey Seller said he will mandate that all of his show’s employees, including the cast and the backstage crew, be vaccinated against the coronavirus. Seller is the first producer to make such a declaration publicly, and it is not clear whether any of Broadway’s many labor unions could or would challenge such an effort. (Paulson, 5/13)
Axios: Travel Bookings Are Surging As Vaccines Unleash Pent-Up Demand
Multiple indicators now show how pent-up travel demand is playing out, as the U.S. exits lockdown mode. Close to half of all Americans have had at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, enabling a growing economic recovery in the hard-hit travel and leisure sectors. (King, 5/13)
