Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
More Companies Tighten Vaccine Rules
Detroit Free Press: GM Is Requiring Salaried Workforce To Disclose Vaccination Status
General Motors is requiring all of its U.S. white-collar employees to reveal their COVID-19 vaccination status as the automaker evaluates whether or not to mandate vaccination across its salaried workforce. Upon learning the news, UAW President Ray Curry said Thursday afternoon that the union has not asked its hourly workforce members to disclose their vaccination status and will not do so. The union encourages its members to get vaccinated, but leaves it a voluntary decision. (LaReau, 8/26)
Oklahoman: Integris Health Will Require Workers To Be Vaccinated Against COVID-19
Integris Health is joining several health systems in Oklahoma in requiring COVID-19 vaccinations for its staff. Now that the Pfizer vaccine has received full approval from the federal Food and Drug Administration, Integris Health will have a COVID-19 vaccination policy similar to its policy for annual flu shots. Staff will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or be granted an exemption for medical or religious reasons. Those seeking an exemption must request one by Oct. 15; otherwise, they are required to be fully vaccinated by Nov. 1. (Branham, 8/27)
Crain's Cleveland Business: MetroHealth To Require Employees To Get COVID-19 Vaccine By Fall
MetroHealth will require its employees, contractors and volunteers to receive COVID-19 vaccinations by Oct. 30, aligning with state and national associations that have urged hospitals in recent weeks to implement such requirements. "Protecting caregivers against COVID-19 is the right thing to do," MetroHealth president and CEO Dr. Akram Boutros said in a provided statement. "Our profession has been hailed as heroic because we were there when there was no protection from this disease. We cared for people and put ourselves at risk. We don't have to do that anymore. We can and have to take care of our patients and ourselves." (8/26)
Axios: Tampa To Require COVID Vaccinations For City Workers
Tampa Mayor Jane Castor is the latest Florida leader to defy state law, announcing yesterday that all city workers will have until Sept. 30 to get vaccinated against COVID-19. Those who refuse will have to wear N95 masks and show the results of weekly tests. (San Felice, 8/26)
The Washington Post: NFL Says It Has Sought Vaccine Mandate For Players
The NFL said Thursday that it has proposed making coronavirus vaccinations mandatory for all players and remains interested in implementing such a requirement. The NFL Players Association has not agreed to that request, according to the league. “We still would love to see that mandate go into effect tomorrow,” Larry Ferazani, the NFL’s deputy general counsel, said in a conference call with reporters. “There’s players that have done that voluntarily and have been educated. We’re at 93 percent. We still can improve the final seven percent. We’d love to see that.” (Maske, 8/26)
In related news about vaccine mandates —
Roll Call: COVID-19 Vaccinations Required For Most Green Card Applicants
Immigrants in the U.S. applying for legal permanent residence must show proof of being vaccinated against COVID-19 under a new policy beginning Oct. 1, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The agency said it now classifies COVID-19 as a “Class A inadmissible condition,” and failure to vaccinate against a vaccine-preventable disease would render a person ineligible for a visa. (Simon, 8/26)
North Carolina Health News: Even Gov. Cooper Has To Prove Vaccination Status At Carrboro Eatery
When you walk inside Pizzeria Mercato in Carrboro, you better have proof that you’ve been vaccinated against COVID-19 if you intend to sit down and have a taste of their pizzas, flank steak with roasted red pepper sauce, grilled Japanese eggplant with tomatoes and chickpeas or the other treats on the menu. Gabe Barker’s parents, Ben and Karen Barker, introduced him to the restaurant business early on at Durham’s much-loved Magnolia Grill. He insists that guests eating or drinking indoors, as well as his staff, be inoculated against the coronavirus. (Blythe, 8/27)
AP: Half Of US Workers Favor Employee Shot Mandate
Half of American workers are in favor of vaccine requirements at their workplaces, according to a new poll, at a time when such mandates gain traction following the federal government’s full approval of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine. The poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research shows that about 59% of remote workers favor vaccine requirements in their own workplaces, compared with 47% of those who are currently working in person. About one-quarter of workers — in person and remote — are opposed. (Olson and Fingerhut, 8/26)
USA Today: California University Professor Who Had COVID Sues To Block Vaccine Mandate
A professor of psychiatry and human behavior at the University of California-Irvine is suing the university system over its vaccine mandate, arguing that he has "natural immunity'' from having contracted the virus and does not need inoculation. Dr. Aaron Kheriaty, who had COVID-19 last year, is asking a U.S. District Court for an injunction that will allow him to work without getting vaccinated and also requesting that the policy be ruled unconstitutional, the Orange County Register reported. The UC system said in July that all students, faculty and staff would have to be vaccinated against COVID. (Miller and Ortiz, 8/26)
NBC News: 'Hell No': Some Police Officers And Their Unions Oppose Vaccination Mandates
Hours after the Food and Drug Administration fully approved the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine Monday, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot made an emphatic declaration: "City employees are absolutely going to be required to be vaccinated." "We absolutely have to have a vaccine mandate," she said. "It's for the safety of all involved, particularly members of the public who are interacting with city employees on a daily basis." The same day, John Catanzara, the president of Chicago's Fraternal Order of Police, which represents the city's rank-and-file officers, made it clear that he did not intend to comply. (Griffith, 8/27)
