Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Perspectives: Is There A Link Between Pfizer Vaccine And Heart Risk?; It's Time To Lift Hospital Visitation Rules
Bloomberg: Pfizer Vaccine Possible Heart Risks Need Study, Not Panic
With the U.S. and other countries now vaccinating adolescents, Tuesday’s report from Israeli scientists of a probable link between the Covid-19 shot developed by Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech SE and rare cases of heart inflammation in young men is understandably concerning. Parents worry about their kids, and public health officials must treat this possibility seriously without causing undue panic. But the data is limited as of now, to the point where a connection might not exist. And from what we do know, if there is a relationship, it doesn't appear to be dangerous. (Max Nisen, 6/2)
The New York Times: Covid Patients Should Be Allowed Visitors In Hospitals
I thought it would be different by now. Yet once again I’m standing outside my patient’s isolation room while I update his wife over the phone. I tell her about the events of the night, how her husband is starting to wake up, and that we hope he will need less support from the ventilator soon. Then comes her question. Her tone is resigned; she knows the answer. But she asks anyway. “Can I please come in to see him? ”I hesitate. It has been so long since she has held her husband’s hand. And she is now fully vaccinated. What is the risk? But hospital rules forbid the visit. His coronavirus test is positive, so unless he is at the end of his life, I cannot let her in. (Daniela Lamas, 6/3)
The Philadelphia Inquirer: Grocery Worker: Please Keep Wearing Your Mask In Stores, For My Safety
With the recent CDC policy changes, public expectations around health during the pandemic are changing. The city has lived more than a year with masks in public and the populace is beset with pandemic fatigue. Now, in many cases, people are ditching their masks. Generally, that’s a good thing — a sign that we are in the clear. But there are some instances where, regardless of vaccine status, people should keep masks on for the safety of others. Essential workers like grocery store employees are still at risk and their safety needs to be considered. Stores like Aldi, Trader Joe’s, and Sam’s Club almost immediately dropped their masking requirements for customers. This is a mistake. Grocery stores should consider the safety of their workers and keep masking requirements in place for customers and employees. (Cameron Adamez, 6/1)
USA Today: COVID-19 Vaccine: Counteract The Anti-Vaccine, Anti-Science Aggression
Our best hope of slowing or even halting COVID-19 virus transmission is through vaccination. Based on our earlier studies, we will need about three-quarters of the U.S. population vaccinated to achieve this goal. But with more transmissible variants, we may need to vaccinate just about all American adults and adolescents. In regards to current vaccination rates, we are making good progress on the East and West Coasts, but in the Southern United States and in Idaho and Wyoming, vaccine coverage remains low. For instance, the vaccination rates in Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi are about half that of Vermont and Massachusetts. Idaho and Wyoming are only slightly better than these Southern states. (Peter Hotez, 6/2)
CNN: What Dr. Anthony Fauci's Emails Reveal -- And What They Don't
This week, 3,234 pages of emails from Dr. Anthony Fauci, the chief medical adviser to the President, were released through a Freedom Of Information Act request. I'm still trying to digest them all, as I expect many people are. At times, it feels like reading someone's diary, albeit a post-modernist, redacted diary with a non-linear timeline. At other times, it feels like looking at the celebrity photos on the front pages of People magazine: "He felt that way, too?!" (Megan Ranney, 6/2)
