Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Florida, New York To Penalize Hospitals That Don't Swiftly Disperse Shots
Tampa Bay Times: DeSantis: If Hospitals Don’t Give Coronavirus Vaccines Fast Enough, They’ll Lose Their Shots
Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Monday that Florida is watching closely to see whether hospitals are handing out coronavirus vaccinations quickly enough. At a news conference in Longwood, DeSantis said any hospital chain that fails to meet its vaccination goal will have its supplies redistributed to more expedient providers. (Wilson, 1/4)
Tampa Bay Times: Vaccine ‘Train Wreck’ Leaves Tampa Bay Seniors Scrambling For Shots
Ruth Kern began refreshing the Pinellas County health department website minutes before the vaccine registration portal went live at noon Monday. She couldn’t get through. The 66-year-old retired Gulfport resident was eager to sign up for a coronavirus vaccine, and Monday was supposed to be when she and other seniors across Tampa Bay finally could. But the day left local seniors feeling no closer to receiving immunization from a virus that’s killed hundreds of thousands across the country. Instead, the overwhelming demand jammed up phone lines and website servers for hours, leaving seniors without answers or any information on what to do next. (Reeves, LeFever and Dawson, 1/4)
Tampa Bay Times: Pinellas County Suspends Coronavirus Vaccine Appointment Scheduling
The Florida Department of Health in Pinellas County suspended registration for coronavirus vaccine appointments at the end of its first day, according to a tweet. The health department said registration for appointments by phone and online were suspended as of 6:49 p.m. Monday and that more details would come soon. (Ellenbogen, 1/4)
In news from New York —
Reuters: Most U.S. COVID-19 Vaccines Go Idle As New York, Florida Move To Penalize Hospitals
In New York, hospitals must administer vaccines within a week of receiving them or face a fine and a reduction in future supplies, Governor Andrew Cuomo said, hours before announcing the state’s first known case of a new, more infectious coronavirus variant originally detected in Britain. “I don’t want the vaccine in a fridge or a freezer, I want it in somebody’s arm,” the governor said. “If you’re not performing this function, it does raise questions about the operating efficiency of the hospital.” (O'Donnell and Allen, 1/4)
CNBC: New York Governor To Propose Law Making It A Crime To Skip Vaccine Line
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said he plans to propose a law that would make it a crime to sell or administer coronavirus vaccine shots to people who are trying to skip ahead in line. Providers in New York can already lose their license if they fraudulently administer vaccines, though the law would add criminal penalties if approved by the state legislature, he said. So far, health-care workers and people living in nursing homes and assisted living facilities are eligible for Covid-19 vaccines. (1/4)
