Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Hannity, Other Fox Hosts Tell Fans To Take Pandemic Seriously, Get The Shot
The Daily Beast: Sean Hannity Begs Fox Viewers To ‘Please Take COVID Seriously,’ Says ‘I Believe In The Science Of Vaccines’
Fox News host Sean Hannity took some time out of his broadcast Monday night to deliver a direct message to Fox News viewers, telling them to take the coronavirus pandemic “seriously” and declaring that he believes in the “science of vaccines.” Amid a frightening surge of coronavirus cases and hospitalizations due to the rapid spread of the Delta variant and stagnating vaccination rates, Fox News has come under intense fire in recent days over its hosts and pundits relentlessly peddling vaccine hesitancy and skepticism. With the unvaccinated making up over 99 percent of recent COVID deaths, critics have wondered aloud whether Fox’s anti-vaccine rhetoric is “killing people.” (Baragona, 7/20)
The Hill: Fox News Hosts Urge Viewers To Get Vaccinated Following Criticisms Of Network
A pair of Fox News hosts on Monday urged viewers of the network to get vaccinated against the coronavirus, dismissing conspiracy theories about the safety and efficacy of the vaccine. “Well, here’s the thing. And one of the CDC officials said yesterday, look, the pandemic right now is really just with people who have not been vaccinated. Ninety-nine percent of the people who died have not been vaccinated. What they are trying to do is make sure that all of the people who have not been vaccinated get vaccinated," Steve Doocy said Monday on "Fox & Friends." ... During a separate segment on Monday's "Fox & Friends," co-host and anchor Bill Hemmer asked Fox News medical contributor Marc Siegel: "The vaccine works, right? We haven’t budged on that, have we, doc?” "The vaccine works extremely well even against the delta variant, preventing infection in 90 percent of cases," Siegel responded. (Mastrangelo, 7/19)
CNN: Fox Has Quietly Implemented Its Own Version Of A Vaccine Passport While Its Top Personalities Attack Them
Tucker Carlson has called the idea of vaccine passports the medical equivalent of "Jim Crow" laws. And other Fox News personalities have spent months both trafficking in anti-vaccine rhetoric and assailing the concept of showing proof of vaccination status. But Fox Corporation, the right-wing talk channel's parent company, has quietly implemented the concept of a vaccine passport as workers slowly return back to the company's offices. (Darcy, 7/19)
In other news on the vaccine rollout —
Stat: States Are Sitting On Millions Of Surplus Covid-19 Vaccine Doses
Millions of unused Covid-19 vaccines are set to go to waste as demand dwindles across the United States and doses likely expire this summer, according to public health officials. Several state health departments told STAT they have repeatedly asked the federal government to redistribute their supply to other countries, many of which are facing a third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic. Officials in Washington have rejected those requests, citing legal and logistical challenges. (Goldhill, 7/20)
AP: More Than 70% Of Mainers Age 20 And Older Fully Vaccinated
More than 70% of Maine residents age 20 and older are now fully vaccinated against coronavirus. The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention said Tuesday that more than 67% of all the eligible people in the state are fully vaccinated. The number tracks higher for older age groups. It’s more than 80% for Maine residents who are age 50 and older. (7/20)
Axios: Coronavirus Vaccine Resistance Higher Among Mothers Than Fathers
Mothers — particularly young ones — are still much more reluctant than fathers to the idea of getting their children vaccinated against the coronavirus, per a new report by the COVID States Project. Vaccine resistance among parents has decreased across most demographic groups since last winter, but there are still wide gaps between parents of different ages and genders. (Owens, 7/20)
Axios: Axios-Ipsos Poll: Most Unvaccinated Americans Won't Get The Shot For Any Reason
Most Americans who still aren't vaccinated say nothing — not their own doctor administering it, a favorite celebrity's endorsement or even paid time off — is likely to make them get the shot, according to the latest installment of the Axios/Ipsos Coronavirus Index. The findings are more sobering evidence of just how tough it may be to reach herd immunity in the U.S. But they also offer a roadmap for trying — the public health equivalent of, "So you're telling me there's a chance." (Talev, 7/20)
AP: Review Praised Vaccine Director's Leadership Before Firing
Before a top Tennessee health official recommended firing the state's former vaccine director over claims that include shortcomings in her leadership, her supervisor had praised her “strong leadership” as recently as last month while her program faced “very intense scrutiny and performance expectations,” according to a state job performance evaluation circulated publicly on her behalf. The interim performance review sheds additional light on the circumstances leading up to the July 12 termination of Dr. Michelle Fiscus, who has spent the last week speaking nationally in rebuttal to a firing she argues was political appeasement for Republican lawmakers who were fuming over the department's COVID-19 vaccine outreach efforts for eligible minors. (Mattise, 7/19)
Also —
ABC News: COVID-19 Vaccines Protect You Better Than Infection, Doctors Say
With the delta variant surging in the United States, doctors are urging everyone who is eligible to get vaccinated -- including the more than 30 million people who have already had COVID-19. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, getting vaccinated after recovering from infection leads to even stronger protection compared to infection alone. Meanwhile, studies show currently authorized vaccines are likely to offer protection for at least eight months, and likely longer, but much less is known about how long you'll be protected from reinfection after recovering from COVID-19. (Hanudel, 7/20)
