Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
'Midsummer Or Early Fall': Murthy Offers 'Realistic' Timeline For Vaccine
Fox News: Murthy Believes 'Realistic' Timeline Sees Public Vaccinations Starting Midsummer
President-elect Joe Biden’s nominee for surgeon general believes that a more "realistic" timeline will see the coronavirus vaccine distributed to the public starting midsummer 2021. Dr. Vivek Murthy cautioned that the Trump administration's timeline, which would see general public access to the vaccine as early as April 2021, is possible but would require everything to go right. "I think when it comes to the vaccine timeline, we all want the vaccine to be delivered as quickly, as fairly as possible, and you can be sure that every day and night, myself and others on the Biden team are working toward that end," Murthy told NBC’s Chuck Todd during Sunday’s "Meet the Press." "But we also want to be realistic about the timeline." (Aitken, 12/20)
Stat: Poll: Most Americans Would Support Biden Issuing A Mask Mandate
Most Americans believe the Biden administration should mandate several steps — such as requiring people to wear masks in public and banning gatherings of 10 or more people — to thwart the Covid-19 pandemic, according to the latest survey from STAT and The Harris Poll. (Silverman, 12/21)
Stat: A Former FDA Chief Surprises Washington By Winning Biden's Trust
David Kessler is not the obvious choice for any role in the Biden administration, let alone a high-profile one like co-chair of the Covid-19 task force. The hard-charging former Food and Drug Administration commissioner has been out of government for more than 23 years. He was ousted from his last job, as head of the medical school at the University of California, San Francisco. Even his closest colleagues admit he lacks the collegiality and interpersonal skills that animate so much of Washington. (Florko, 12/21)
KHN: As Biden Gets Sworn In, White House Will Get Scrubbed Down
It was a down-in-the-mud presidential campaign, but the dirtiest part comes on Inauguration Day. As Joe Biden lifts his right hand to take the oath of office at noon on Jan. 20 at the Capitol, a team of specially trained cleaners will be lifting their hands to disinfect the White House. (12/21)
In news related to the Trump administration —
The Hill: Front-Line Doctors Criticize Perdue, Loeffler In New Georgia Ad
Front-line health care workers in a new ad are criticizing Georgia's two GOP senators just ahead of the runoff elections next month that will determine the Senate majority. The ad from the Committee to Protect Medicare (CPM) PAC criticizes Sens. David Perdue (R-Ga.) and Kelly Loeffler (R-Ga.) over reports that they made significant financial gains via stock trades during the COVID-19 pandemic. (Bowden, 12/20)
AP: Birx Travels, Family Visits Highlight Pandemic Safety Perils
As COVID-19 cases skyrocketed before the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, Dr. Deborah Birx, coordinator of the White House coronavirus response, warned Americans to “be vigilant” and limit celebrations to “your immediate household.” For many Americans that guidance has been difficult to abide, including for Birx herself. The day after Thanksgiving, she traveled to one of her vacation properties on Fenwick Island in Delaware. She was accompanied by three generations of her family from two households. Birx, her husband Paige Reffe, a daughter, son-in-law and two young grandchildren were present. (Madhani and Slodysko, 12/21)
