Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Military's Planning For Vaccine Distribution Concern Biden Adviser
The Hill: Biden Coronavirus Adviser 'Concerned' About Military Planning To Distribute Vaccine
A public health expert whom President-elect Biden named to his coronavirus advisory board said Tuesday that he is “concerned” about military plans to distribute a COVID-19 vaccine. “We have to understand that Operation Warp Speed has been a remarkable effort in terms of bringing vaccines forward. I give them great credit for that. But there still are huge challenges in how to distribute it,” Michael Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy, said on “CBS This Morning.” (Budryk, 11/10)
Fox News: Biden Coronavirus Adviser Wants US To Distribute Vaccine Globally Before It's Available To All Americans
Oncologist Dr. Zeke Emanuel, one of 10 advisory board members named to Democratic President-elect Joe Biden's coronavirus task force, has pushed the U.S. and other countries to not hoard a coronavirus vaccine. Emanuel, who served as a key architect of the Affordable Care Act under the Obama administration, co-authored a paper in September in which he encouraged officials to follow the "Fair Priority Model," which calls for a "fair international distribution of vaccine," rather than what he and his co-authors characterized as "vaccine nationalism." (Halon, 11/10)
Bloomberg: Biden Draws Sharp Trump Contrast With Trio Atop His Virus Panel
Joe Biden’s panel of coronavirus advisers will be led by two veterans of fierce political fights in the past, and one seen as a rising star in addressing the inequities of the health-care system. All three -- David Kessler, Vivek Murthy, and Marcella Nunez-Smith -- are physicians with well-established resumes. Kessler, a former Food and Drug Administration chief, and Murthy, a former surgeon general, together have served under four presidents. And while Nunez-Smith is less known in political circles, her role in creating a leading program to promote health equity will hearten those concerned about Covid’s impact on communities of color. (Tozzi and Fay Cortez, 11/10)
In other updates on Joe Biden's transition team —
AP: Biden Vows To 'Get Right To Work' Despite Trump Resistance
Vowing “to get right to work,” President-elect Joe Biden on Tuesday shrugged off President Donald Trump’s fierce refusal to accept the election outcome as “inconsequential,” even as Democrats elsewhere warned that the Republican president’s actions were dangerous. ... The measured comments come as Biden prepares to confront dueling national crises that actively threaten the health, safety and economic security of millions of Americans irrespective of the political debate. Coronavirus infections, hospitalizations and deaths are surging, the economy faces the prospect of long-term damage, and the nation’s political and cultural divides may be worsening. (People and Weissert, 11/10)
The Washington Post: These Are The Experts Who Will Lead Biden’s Transition At Federal Agencies
Even as the Trump administration blocks his access to the government, President-elect Joe Biden forged ahead Tuesday with a key milestone in the transition of power, naming teams that will begin gathering information about federal operations. These are some officials who will have prominent roles in the effort and the agency they will work with. (Rein, 11/10)
The Hill: N.C. Health Secretary Addresses Reports She's Being Considered For Top Biden Administration Post
North Carolina Health and Human Services Secretary Mandy Cohen, an Obama administration alumna, said Tuesday that she was flattered to be considered for a top health position in President-elect Joe Biden’s administration, but is currently focused on helping the state deal with the coronavirus pandemic. (Williams, 11/10)
