Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Fewest Number Of Americans Getting Covid Shot Since Tracking Started
CNN: Daily Pace Of New Vaccinations Is The Lowest Since The CDC Started Tracking In Mid-January
The daily pace of new Covid-19 vaccinations in the United States is the lowest it has been since the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention started tracking it in mid-January, data shows. The seven-day average rate of people getting their first shot is 231,695, 31% less than last week, almost half -- 47% -- less than a month earlier -- and a far cry from the millions a day the country saw in April. (Holcombe, 9/27)
NBC News: Slow Pace Of Vaccinations Is Largest Drag On The Economy In Survey Of Business Leaders
Corporate leaders are far less bullish about the economic recovery than they were back in the spring — and they fear that vaccination holdouts could stall or even reverse the progress that has been made. A new survey by the National Association for Business Economics, or NABE, found a marked pullback in expectations for economic growth and output, especially in the near term. Survey respondents expect real growth in gross domestic product for this year to come in at 5.6 percent at the median — a significant drop from the median 6.7 percent growth expected in May, when the survey was last conducted. (White, 9/27)
Bloomberg: How A Rural Arkansas County Became A Vaccine Success Story
Demographics alone would suggest Bradley County, Arkansas, should be struggling fiercely with local resistance against vaccines, just as many other counties are all across the southern U.S. (Brown, 9/28)
The Baltimore Sun: Baltimore 4-Year-Old Accidentally Given COVID Vaccine
Before heading out the door on the morning of Sept. 18, Victoria and Martin Olivier and their 4-year-old daughter struck a deal. In exchange for good behavior during the family’s pharmacy visit for seasonal flu shots, Colette could expect a sugary treat in her future. So when the Walgreens pharmacist asked “Who wants to go first?” and Colette bravely sprang up to volunteer, her parents felt a wave of relief wash over them. But relief soon gave way to panic when the pharmacist realized she injected Colette with a dose of the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, which is not yet authorized for children younger than 12. (Miller, 9/28)
The Wall Street Journal: Vaccination Status Is The New Must-Have On Your Resume
Job seekers are considering a new addition to their résumés: Covid-19 vaccination status. As employers make vaccine rules for workers and some limit hiring to the vaccinated, people are starting to volunteer their vaccination status on job applications, in résumés and on their LinkedIn profiles. David Morgan, chief executive of Snorkel-Mart, an online snorkeling gear wholesaler and retailer, started requiring full vaccination for the company’s 20-plus employees in the spring. He says he favors candidates who are candid about their vaccine status on their résumés because it prevents surprises late in the hiring process. (Thomas, 9/27)
And the NBA is in the spotlight —
The New York Times: NBA Vaccine Skeptics Speak Out
More than 90 percent of N.B.A. players have been vaccinated against Covid-19, according to the league, and all referees and key team personnel without exemptions will be, too, by the season’s start in three weeks. But a few high-profile players, including the Nets star guard Kyrie Irving, have expressed skepticism about vaccines or been evasive about their vaccination status. Because the Nets are projected to be a top championship contender, and the team is one of just three whose players must be vaccinated to play in their home arenas, Irving’s vaccination status could be as much of a factor in the N.B.A. rankings as his team’s play. (Deb, 9/27)
The Wall Street Journal: Crunch Time Is Here For Players Who Oppose Covid-19 Vaccinations
Media day for the Brooklyn Nets was billed as a potentially explosive spectacle in which leading scorer Kyrie Irving might set out his reasons for not being vaccinated against Covid-19 and signal whether he was willing to miss every Nets practice, home game and potential playoffs this season in order to maintain that position. In the end, Irving spoke from an undisclosed location on Zoom because the 29-year-old guard wasn’t allowed to enter the Barclays Center. Then he declined to address how or whether he would comply with New York City’s requirement to prove vaccination in order to be in an indoor sports arena. (Radnofsky and Bachman, 9/27)
AP: Wiggins Says He Will Stick To Beliefs Regarding Vaccine
Golden State Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins is sticking to his beliefs when it comes to staying unvaccinated for COVID-19, even though that decision could soon cost him playing in home games. Wiggins faces the possibility of not being allowed into Golden State’s home building at Chase Center for games come Oct. 13 when the San Francisco Department of Public Health begins requiring proof of vaccination for large indoor events. (McCauley, 9/27)
CNN: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Calls For Unvaccinated Players And Staff To Be Removed From Teams
If NBA players are not vaccinated, they shouldn't be on the team, basketball Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar told Rolling Stone. "The NBA should insist that all players and staff are vaccinated or remove them from the team," said Abdul-Jabbar. "There is no room for players who are willing to risk the health and lives of their teammates, the staff and the fans simply because they are unable to grasp the seriousness of the situation or do the necessary research." (Zdanowicz, 9/28)
