Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
New York Steps Up Pressure On The Unvaccinated, Big Business Does Too
Associated Press: NYC, Big Employers Taking Hard Line Against Vaccine Holdouts
New York City, Microsoft, Tyson Foods and the U.S. auto industry joined a cascading number of state and local governments and major employers Tuesday that are taking a hard line against both the surging delta variant and the holdouts who have yet to get vaccinated. "The goal here is to convince everyone that this is the time. If we're going to stop the delta variant, the time is now. And that means getting vaccinated right now," Mayor Bill de Blasio said in announcing that New York will demand people show proof of COVID-19 vaccination at indoor restaurants, shows and gyms. (8/3)
The New York Times: N.Y.C. Will Require Workers And Customers Show Proof Of At Least One Dose For Indoor Dining And Other Activities.
New York City will become the first U.S. city to require proof of at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine for a variety of activities for workers and customers — indoor dining, gyms and performances — to put pressure on people to get vaccinated, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Tuesday morning. The program, similar to mandates issued in France and Italy last month, will start on Aug. 16, and after a transition period, enforcement will begin on Sept. 13, when schools are expected to reopen and more workers could return to offices in Manhattan. Mr. de Blasio has been moving aggressively to get more New Yorkers vaccinated to curtail a third wave of coronavirus cases amid concern about the spread of the Delta variant. He is also requiring city workers to get vaccinated or to face weekly testing, and he has offered a $100 incentive for the public. (Fitzsimmons, Otterman and Goldstein, 8/3)
Politico: New York City To Mandate Vaccines For Indoor Restaurants, Gyms, Performances
Mayor Bill de Blasio announced a new policy Tuesday that requires people to show proof of Covid-19 vaccination to dine inside restaurants, work out at a gym, attend a play or go out dancing. The new program to “unlock New York City” will begin Aug. 16, with enforcement set to start Sept. 13, according to City Hall. Enforcement will fall to the city health department and businesses could be fined, though the details still need to be worked out in the coming weeks, the mayor said. (Eisenberg, 8/3)
The New York Times: Who Can Make You Get A Covid Vaccine?
Millions of Americans have chosen not to get a coronavirus vaccine. But with the shots readily available and virus cases ticking back up in parts of the country, a growing number of employers, universities and businesses are now issuing some form of a vaccine requirement. Under many of these orders, those who remain unvaccinated, including people who can’t get a vaccine because of a disability or conflicting religious beliefs, will instead have to follow strict guidelines like regular Covid testing, masking and social distancing. (Heyward, 8/4)
On private sector mandates —
CBS News: Tyson Foods Requiring That All Of Its 139,000 Workers Get Vaccinated Against COVID-19 - CBS News
Tyson Foods is requiring its entire U.S. workforce of more than 139,000 to get vaccinated against COVID-19. The move by the nation's largest meat producer comes in a bid to curtail surging coronavirus infections that shut down many processing facilities last year. Senior corporate executives at Tyson must be vaccinated by September 24, in-office workers by October 1 and all other employees by November 1, the company announced Tuesday. Less than half, or more than 56,000, of Tyson workers have been vaccinated, according to the company. (Gibson, 8/3)
CNN: Why Tyson Foods' Employee Vaccine Requirement Stands Out
Meat producer Tyson Foods' announcement Tuesday that it will require all its workers to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 by November 1 is hardly the norm when it comes to vaccine rules for frontline employees. Most company mandates so far have been for corporate workers. It points to a divide that's emerging in the US workforce. Large employers from tech companies such as Google (GOOG) and Facebook (FB) to banks like Morgan Stanley (MS) and Jefferies (JEF) are implementing vaccine requirements for workers in office jobs. (Meyersohn, 8/3)
Seattle Times: Microsoft Reverses Course, Will Require Vaccines For Employees Who Want To Return To The Office
In a sign of growing momentum for vaccine mandates, Microsoft has reversed course and will now require employees to be fully vaccinated to enter the company’s U.S. offices and other worksites, starting next month. The Redmond-based tech giant told employees Tuesday it will “require proof of vaccination for all employees, vendors, and any guests entering Microsoft buildings in the U.S.” (Roberts, 8/3)
Axios: McDonald's Mandates Masks For Customers, Staff In High COVID Spread Areas
McDonald's will require all customers and staff to start wearing masks again while inside the restaurant in counties with high or substantial COVID-19 transmission, regardless of vaccination status, the company confirmed Tuesday. The mandate comes after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued updated guidance recommending vaccinated people wear masks in indoor, public settings if they are in parts of the country with substantial to high transmission. (Frazier, 8/3)
NBC News: Offspring Drummer Says He's Been Booted From Band For Not Getting Vaccinated
Pete Parada, the drummer for the Offspring, has found out the hard way that some businesses — and even bands — are drawing a hard line on requiring vaccinations to come back to work. He posted on his social media Tuesday that he's been ousted from the group because he won't agree to get the Covid vaccine. Beyond being replaced on an upcoming tour, Parada says he's been told not to show up at the studio, either, even though he claims to have a legitimate medical reason for not getting the vaccine. (Variety, 8/3)
And workers are wary about returning to the office —
CNBC: 1 In 3 People Say Return-To-Office Negatively Impacted Mental Health
Roughly 1 in 3 workers back in the workplace said the return-to-office shift negatively impacted their mental health, according to a June McKinsey survey of 1,602 employed people. Workers who experienced declines in their mental health were five times more likely to report taking on reduced responsibility at work. Meanwhile, another 1 in 3 workers said going back to an office had a positive impact on their mental health, with the primary benefit being they feel more engaged upon their return. (Liu, 8/3)
CNN: How Safe Is It For Vaccinated People To Return To In-Person Work? An Expert Weighs In
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has changed its guidance to once again recommend that even vaccinated people start masking indoors in areas of the country with high and substantial coronavirus spread. Key to their decision was a study that shows that fully vaccinated people can still transmit the Delta variant. At the same time, Disney, Netflix, Google, Walmart and the federal government announced plans to implement some type of vaccine requirement for employees returning to in-person work. (Hetter, 8/4)
