Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Judge Says NYC Must Reinstate Workers Fired Over Vaccine Mandate
The Hill: Judge Orders NYC To Reinstate Workers Fired For Not Complying With COVID Vaccine Mandate
A judge ordered New York City to reinstate 16 sanitation workers fired earlier this year for refusing to comply with a COVID-19 vaccination mandate for city employees. Judge Ralph Porzio, who sits on the New York Supreme Court in Staten Island, ruled on Tuesday that the city’s health commissioner could not change the workers’ terms of employment, also referencing President Biden saying “the pandemic is over” and Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) ending New York’s state of emergency. (Schonfeld, 10/25)
The Boston Globe: Baker Offers To Reinstate Dozens Of State Workers Fired Under Strict COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate
Massachusetts officials are offering to reinstate dozens of workers who lost their jobs after Governor Charlie Baker required that all executive branch employees be inoculated against COVID-19, a strict policy that, at its inception, was among the furthest-reaching in the nation. (Stout, 10/25)
In other news about the vaccine rollout —
CBS News: Biden Receives Updated COVID Booster Shot, Urges Americans To Do The Same
"We're here with a simple message: get vaccinated. Update your COVID vaccine. It's incredibly effective, but the truth is not enough people are getting it. We've got to change that so we can all have a safe and healthy holiday season," the president said. (Quinn and Tin, 10/25)
PBS NewsHour: Experts Say Children Should Get A COVID-19 Bivalent Booster. Here’s What You Need To Know
Newly formulated COVID-19 booster shots can help protect children and lower transmission of the coronavirus as the U.S. prepares for a possible spike in cases heading into the fall and winter. (Cooney and Rasnic, 10/25)
Fortune: Regular Physical Exercise Could Boost The Effectiveness Of Your COVID-19 Vaccine
Hitting the gym after getting your COVID-19 shot may not be on your to-do list, but new research shows that regular physical activity may boost the vaccine’s effectiveness. According to a study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, the level of protection a person receives against the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19 rises with the amount of physical activity performed. The study also found evidence that regular physical activity can help mitigate “consequences of serious COVID-19 infection, reducing the risk of hospital admission, intensive care, assisted ventilation, or death,” a press release about the study says. (Payton, 10/24)
In a world first, China begins offering an inhalable covid vaccine —
AP: China Launches A COVID-19 Vaccine Inhaled Through The Mouth
The Chinese city of Shanghai started administering an inhalable COVID-19 vaccine on Wednesday in what appears to be a world first. The vaccine, a mist that is sucked in through the mouth, is being offered for free as a booster dose for previously vaccinated individuals, according to an announcement posted on an official city social media account. (Moritsugu, 10/26)
