Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Get The Vaccine When It's Your Turn — Even If You've Had Covid, CDC Says
The Washington Post: Recovered Coronavirus Patients Should Still Get The Vaccine, Experts Say
Research suggests most people who recovered from covid-19 are immune for at least eight months. Yet epidemiologists are largely still urging this population to get the vaccine if it’s their turn in line. That’s per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which also says the vaccine is safe for people who have had a prior infection. Former CDC director Thomas Frieden said he’d advise most people to get the vaccine, even if they’ve had covid-19. (Ellerbeck, 1/11)
The Wall Street Journal: Can You Still Spread Covid-19 After You Get Vaccinated?
Do the Covid vaccines prevent you from spreading the virus, or do they just protect you from getting sick? Scientists don’t know yet—and the uncertainty has big implications during the rollout of the vaccines. (Reddy, 1/11)
In related news about who's in line for vaccinations —
Philadelphia Inquirer: COVID-19 Vaccines Have Gone Mostly To White Philadelphians. Here’s What The City Is Doing To Change That
As the distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine ramps up across the country, Philadelphia data show that most of those vaccinated in the city are white, a trend reflected statewide. The vaccine is still largely available only to health-care workers and residents of nursing homes and long-term care facilities; paramedics and EMTs in Philadelphia started receiving their first doses two weeks ago. Philadelphia officials said Wednesday that of the 28,476 people who have been immunized at city health facilities, 43% were white, 12% were Black, 10% were Asian American, and 10% reported their race as “other.” For the rest, race was unknown. The city’s population is about 34% white, 44% Black, 15% Hispanic, and 8% Asian American, according to U.S. Census Bureau estimates. (Whelan, 1/11)
CNN: Baptist Health: Members Of The Public In Kentucky Mistakenly Allowed To Sign Up For Covid-19 Vaccination Appointments
Members of the general public in Kentucky were mistakenly allowed to sign up for Covid-19 vaccine appointments meant for health care workers, according to Louisville-based health system Baptist Health. Baptist Health provided the Kentucky Department of Health with an online vaccine appointment scheduling tool that could be linked to the state's vaccine website for health care workers, Kit Fullenlove Barry, Baptist Health public relations manager, said in a statement to CNN Monday. (Thomas, 1/11)
Cincinnati Enquirer: Kroger: Not Requiring Its Workers To Be Vaccinated
Kroger is encouraging its workers to get vaccinated against COVID-19 but is non-committal about requiring the shots once they are widely available. "At this time, we're strongly encouraging our shoppers and associates to get vaccinated," Tim Massa, Kroger's senior vice president of human resources and labor relations, told The Enquirer. When pressed if Cincinnati-based Kroger was considering mandating vaccination in the future, Massa repeated his previous answer. The nation's largest supermarket chain, Kroger's nearly 2,800 stores nationwide serve more than 11 million customers a day. (Coolidge, 1/11)
Los Angeles Times: How Will The Self-Employed Get Vaccinated? There’s No Clear Answer
As a midwife, Tania McCracken spends hours with pregnant women and their families inside their homes, helping deliver newborns. The essential hands-on work puts McCracken and other California midwives at risk of COVID-19. “There’s a lot of breathing involved,” she said, noting that scientists have found that labor, like singing, may spread the virus through the air. But McCracken, who works in homes around Redlands in San Bernardino County, and many other state-licensed midwives have not yet been able to get the COVID-19 vaccine even though health workers have been prioritized to receive the shots before all others. (Petersen, 1/11)
Also —
CNN: Fear Of Needles Must Be Overcome For Covid-19 Vaccine Rollout To Work
As a fourth-year medical student at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, Amanda Walker knows that vaccinations are both safe and essential. Getting one, however, is still an ordeal for Walker, who has needle phobia. "I'll start to get really clammy, and then get cold sweats," she said, describing her reaction to routine injections. "Then I pass out." (Smith, 1/12)
