Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Ga. Judge Intervenes With Air Force Officer Seeking Religious Exemption
NBC News: Air Force Can’t Compel Christian Officer To Get Covid Shot, Judge Rules
A federal judge in Georgia has temporarily blocked the U.S. military from enforcing its Covid-19 vaccine mandate against an Air Force officer seeking a religious exemption. The order was handed down a month after the unnamed officer, who is a Christian, filed a lawsuit alleging that the mandate violates her religious beliefs. (Kube, 2/16)
And more on vaccine mandates —
Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Georgia Hospitals Begin Enforcing COVID Vaccine Requirements For Their Employees
Hospital systems across Georgia are taking steps to meet a new deadline for health care workers to be vaccinated, bracing for the possibility of losing workers who won’t get the shots or don’t get an exemption. By Monday, health care workers in 24 states including Georgia were required to have received their first vaccine dose or to have requested a medical or religious exemption. Under the federal vaccine mandate for healthcare workers, the final deadline to be vaccinated or possibly be fired is March 15. Many Georgia health care facilities had already put a vaccine requirement in place for workers. All metro Atlanta hospital systems except Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and Northside began instituting vaccination mandates last year, even before a Supreme Court decision was made upholding the federal vaccination mandate. (Hart and Oliviero, 2/16)
Bay Area News Group: San Jose: Booster Mandate Deadline Extended After Employees Fail To Comply
San Jose has extended the deadline for its COVID-19 booster mandate after hundreds of employees failed to comply in time for the initial cutoff. The deadline for the new booster mandate — previously set to expire on Feb. 11 — has been pushed out two weeks to Feb. 25 to “allow for additional time for employees to be ‘up-to-date’ with their COVID-19 vaccination,” according to an email sent out to the city’s workforce Tuesday afternoon. While 95% of the city’s workforce is fully vaccinated, just 82% of its more than 6,000 actively working and booster-eligible employees have submitted proof of a booster shot, according to data from the city’s Office of Employee Relations. That leaves about 800 workers currently in defiance of the order. (Angst, 2/16)
Indianapolis Star: House Bill 1001 Vaccine Mandate Bill Weakened By Indiana Senate
Lawmakers voted to water down a bill Wednesday that restricts private vaccine mandates in Indiana, placing less of a burden on businesses. The restrictions in the amended bill also would no longer apply to most health care employers, in order to comply with federal rules, or those that operate a professional sports organization or entertainment venue. The changes in the Senate Health and Provider Services committee were so significant in the eyes of supporters and opponents of the bill that their positions flipped. (Lange, 2/16)
KHN: As Politics Infects Public Health, Private Companies Profit
For some counties and cities that share a public health agency with other local governments, differences over mask mandates, business restrictions, and other covid preventive measures have strained those partnerships. At least two have been pushed past the breaking point. A county in Colorado and a small city in Southern California are splitting from their longtime public health agencies to set up their own local departments. Both Douglas County, Colorado, and West Covina, California, plan to contract some of their health services to private entities. (Ramachandran, 2/17)
In other news —
AP: King County Ending Vaccine Requirements At Bars, Restaurants
Washington’s most populous county will no longer require COVID vaccination checks to enter restaurants, bars, theaters and gyms beginning March 1. King County officials made the announcement Wednesday. The Seattle Times reports from March 1, businesses will be free to impose their own vaccination requirements if they choose, but there will be no countywide requirement. (2/16)
The Hill: 'Yellowstone' Actor Won't Attend Awards Ceremony Over COVID-19 Rules
“Yellowstone” actor Forrie J. Smith will not attend the Screen Actors Guild Awards ceremony later this month because he is not vaccinated against COVID-19 and the event requires that all attendees are fully inoculated. Smith, in a video posted to Instagram this week, announced that he would not be in attendance at the awards ceremony, which is scheduled for Feb. 27. (Schnell, 2/16)
