Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Perspectives: Eventual Coronavirus Vaccine Can't Only Be Available For The Rich; Why Has U.S. Had A Failed Response To Outbreak?
Stat: A Coronavirus Vaccine Should Be Affordable For Everyone
As the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 spreads in more than 60 countries, the race to develop a vaccine to prevent the illness has taken on new urgency. In a meeting with CEOs of major drug companies this week, President Trump ramped up the pressure, suggesting that vaccines could come to market faster than the 12- to 18-month timeline most researchers think is realistic. But while the Trump administration is pushing drug companies to meet faster timelines, it hasn’t addressed an equally urgent question: What will be done to ensure the vaccine is accessible for those who need it most? (Gavin Yamey, 3/5)
Bloomberg: Coronavirus Might Make Americans Miss Big Government
South Korea has made a concerted effort to identify all the people infected with the virus, creating drive-through testing stations. The U.S.’ testing efforts, in contrast, look almost comically bungled. ...What are the reasons for this institutional breakdown? It’s tempting to blame politics – President Donald Trump is obviously mainly concerned with the health of the stock market, and conservative media outlets have worked to downplay the threat. But the failures of the U.S.’ coronavirus response happened far too quickly to lay most of the blame at the feet of the administration. Instead, it points to long-term decay in the quality of the country’s bureaucracy. (Noah Smith, 3/4)
Stat: Trump's Immigration Policies Weaken Our Ability To Fight Coronavirus
Pandemics have a way of testing us. Throughout history, societies have responded to plagues by blaming immigration and minority populations. Such approaches usually make matters worse. If pandemics reveal anything, it is that our health depends in no small measure on how we treat the most vulnerable among us. The Covid-19 outbreak is now testing the U.S. Some recent and not-so-recent immigration policies do not put us in a good position to combat it. (Wendy E. Parmet, 3/4)
Los Angeles Times: Why The Coronavirus Crisis Proves We Need Universal Healthcare
The incipient spread of the coronavirus in the U.S. has laid bare the precarious nature of a health system in which millions of people lack health insurance. The way to avoid rapid spread of the virus is to make sure that people who need access to care get it as soon as possible. But in this country, 30 million people are uninsured and 44 million more are under-insured because they can barely afford to pay the high deductibles and out-of-pocket costs in their plans. With millions of Americans unable to afford to see a doctor if they become ill with COVID-19, what should we do? (Sara R. Collins and David Blumenthal, 3/5)
The Hill: America Needs Paid Sick Leave Laws To Stop Coronavirus From Spreading
Coronavirus has laid bare the extent to which the failure of our nation to require paid sick leave has now endangered all of us. Congress needs to urgently pass paid sick leave laws, but states and cities must not wait for that and take action now. In some jurisdictions, this may require making compromises, such as a sunset provision or some aid to small employers. (Terri Gerstein, 3/4)
CNN: When Coronavirus Fears Threaten Big Gatherings, Remember This
As new cases of coronavirus arise in the United States (with a handful of deaths already recorded in Washington state), and amid a largely inept federal response, many organizations are facing a question: Can we still gather? Leaders of the Association of Writers and Writing Programs conference, which was set to potentially bring more than 10,000 people to San Antonio this week decided to keep the event on, spurring AWP co-director Diane Zinna to resign in protest. SXSW kicks off in 10 days, but a few big companies have pulled out. (Jill Filipovic, 3/4)
USA Today: Coronavirus: Working At An Airport Without Health Insurance
The news media and politicians concerned about health risks connected to coronavirus have missed a critical fact: Thousands of airport workers on the front lines of exposure to dangerous diseases have no health insurance. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends visiting a doctor when experiencing symptoms, but going to the doctor often means personal financial crises for us. Having multiple sclerosis and a compromised immune system because of it, means I am at risk as I interact with passengers directly as a security officer. (Yvette Stephens, 3/4)
The New York Times: Coronavirus: Revenge of the Pangolins
“We can’t be indifferent anymore!” President Xi Jinping of China fumed at top officials early last month, referring to the public health risks of eating wildlife. On Feb. 24, the 13th National People’s Congress issued a decision “Comprehensively Prohibiting the Illegal Trade of Wild Animals, Eliminating the Bad Habits of Wild Animal Consumption and Protecting the Health and Safety of the People.” This and an earlier ban on wildlife markets were direct responses to concerns that the new coronavirus, which is thought to have originated in bats, may have been transmitted to humans via a wild animal for sale at a wet market in Wuhan, a city in central China. Genetic analyses have come up short of pinpointing the culprit so far, but among the prime suspects is the pangolin, a long-snouted, scaly, ant-eating mammal virtually unknown in the West but widely prized in China as a delicacy and for its purported medicinal virtues. (Wufei Yu, 3/5)
