Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Florida Rollout: Long Lines Forming Overnight; Shots For Rich Donors Probed
CNN: Florida Seniors Spend Hours In Line Overnight Waiting For Coronavirus Vaccines
The haphazard rollout has led to dramatic scenes in the state. On Monday night, Daytona Beach officials announced that the first 1,000 people lining up for Tuesday vaccinations would be allowed to park and wait overnight in Daytona Stadium to alleviate traffic and road blocking. The announcement came after the line started to form 12 hours before the first shot on Tuesday was scheduled to be given, according to WFTV. On Monday morning, all 1,000 people allocated to receive the vaccine for the day were at the location by 6:30 a.m., a half an hour before the site was schedule to open, the outlet reported. (Holcombe, 1/7)
AP: Florida Company Accused Of Steering Vaccines To Rich Donors
Florida launched an investigation Wednesday into an upscale nursing home amid reports that it administered coronavirus vaccines to wealthy donors and members of a country club along with its residents and employees. The Washington Post and New York Post both reported that MorseLife Health System, a nonprofit that operates a nursing home and assisted living facility in West Palm Beach, has given vaccinations to donors and members of the Palm Beach Country Club, whose foundation has donated at least $75,000 to MorseLife since 2015, tax records show. (Spencer, 1/6)
In other vaccine news from the states —
Houston Chronicle: Kroger Rolls Out COVID Vaccine To Staff As It Prepares For Rush
Pharmacy Manager Nabeel Sattar took off his white coat, rolled up the short sleeve on his left arm and received his COVID-19 vaccine during a Wednesday press conference at a Kroger store on Studemont Street. Then, he slipped back inside his office and went back to work. It’s been busy since the grocery chain received its first doses of the Moderna vaccine in Houston Tuesday and began administering them — starting with pharmacy staff, managers said. Other area pharmacies are begining to roll out vaccines as well, though not yet to the general public. “Let’s just say demand is high,” said Derek David, pharmacy practice coordinator for Kroger, noting high call volume at area stores. (Drane and Wu, 1/7)
Houston Chronicle: Houston’s Vax Plan Includes Some Public Works, Solid Waste Staff As Frontline Workers
Houston’s internal vaccination program for city employees, much like the public system that has been overwhelmed by demand, is working to conform to sometimes vague state guidelines as health officials prioritize who they poke first. Meanwhile, a handful of agencies still are coordinating their plans for offering vaccines to workers who are not police or firefighters but still staff critical functions for local and state government. Frontline workers in Houston including police, firefighters, health officials and street maintenance crews are receiving vaccines through the city’s internal program, which began administering the Moderna vaccine earlier this week. Officials said more than 260 workers were included in that first phase, though thousands of city workers received notice via email on how to register to receive the vaccine. (Begley, 1/6)
AP: Coronavirus Vaccine Preregistration Now Open In Oklahoma
Registration began Wednesday in Oklahoma for residents to be notified when they are eligible for a coronavirus vaccination, according to the State Health Department, which later reported a one-day record increase in deaths due to COVID-19.The department’s registration portal, https://vaccinate.oklahoma.gov, had about 125,000 visits and more than 79,000 registrations as of Wednesday afternoon, according to deputy health commissioner Keith Reed. (Miller, 1/6)
Albuquerque Journal: NM Warns Against ‘Jumping Line’ To Get Vaccine
Health Secretary-designate Tracie Collins urged New Mexicans to remain patient Wednesday and wait their turn for a COVID-19 vaccine, following “sporadic reports” of people sharing technical codes that allowed them to jump the line and book an appointment for the shot. As soon as this week, Collins said, the Department of Health will announce who’s next in line to receive one of the COVID-19 vaccines. She suggested the priority will be adults 75 and older. Collins also said the state is tightening its screening procedures to ensure only those eligible for a vaccine – largely health care workers and people at long-term care facilities, at this point – can get the shot. “It’s time – once again – to think about what is the greater good here,” she said Wednesday, urging people to wait their turn. (McKay, 1/6)
The Washington Post: Virginia Deploys National Guard On Vaccines; Covid-19 Hospitalizations Spike
Coronavirus hospitalizations reached record highs in the District, Maryland and Virginia on Wednesday, as Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam joined the chorus of public officials saying the pace of vaccinations must move faster. Northam (D) threatened to reallocate doses of vaccine if hospitals and local vaccination clinics could not administer them, and deployed the National Guard to help with inoculations, echoing actions announced Tuesday by Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R). (Portnoy and Schneider, 1/6)
