Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
President Of Tanzania, A Covid Denier, Dies Amid Rumors He Had Coronavirus
The New York Times: John Magufuli, Tanzania Leader Who Played Down Covid, Dies At 61
President John Magufuli of Tanzania, a populist leader who played down the seriousness of the coronavirus pandemic and steered his country away from democratic ideals, died on Wednesday in the port city of Dar es Salaam. He was 61. Vice President Samia Suluhu Hassan said in a brief televised address that Mr. Magufuli had died of heart complications while being treated at Mzena Hospital. The announcement followed more than a week of intense speculation that Mr. Magufuli was critically ill with Covid-19 — reports that senior government officials had repeatedly denied. (Dahir, 3/17)
Bloomberg: Tanzania’s Next Leader To Face Predecessor’s Covid Denialism
Tanzania’s response to the coronavirus will be one of the key issues facing the successor to deceased President John Magufuli, whose unorthodox response to the disease ilicited international consternation. Under Tanzania’s constitution, 61-year-old Vice President Samia Suluhu Hassan is set to take over from Magufuli and serve out his term, which was due to end in 2025. Magufuli, who died on Wednesday, dominated policy making in the southeast African nation after taking office in 2015, centralizing control in his office and appointing allies to key government posts. His death could create a power vacuum in the ruling party, delay or scupper key projects and foreshadow a rethink on the government’s handling of the pandemic. (Ng'Wanakilala, 3/18)
In updates on the global rollout of the AstraZeneca vaccine —
CNN: Biden Administration Is Considering Sending Some AstraZeneca Vaccine Doses To Canada And Mexico
The Biden administration is considering sending some AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine doses stockpiled and waiting for official usage approval in the US over the border to Mexico and Canada, according to a senior administration official. Intense discussions are taking place following a request for doses from both countries and, for Mexico at least, an agreement could be announced as soon as Friday, according to the Mexican Foreign Minister. (Atwood, 3/17)
New York Post: Will The US Approve The AstraZeneca Vaccine Amid Europe Suspensions?
AstraZeneca plans to file for US emergency use authorization next month for its COVID-19 vaccine — but the process could be under intense scrutiny with several European countries pausing its use over concerns about blood clots. The British pharmaceutical company has directed an independent review of data from its study of more than 32,000 volunteers in the US. If the results are promising, the vaccine could start the emergency approval process with Food and Drug Administration sometime in April. (Salo, 3/17)
CNBC: U.S. Health Experts Try To Ease Covid Vaccine Fears As AstraZeneca's Shot Faces EU Review
Medical experts in the United States are trying to assuage fears that Covid-19 vaccines may be unsafe after several European countries suspended AstraZeneca’s shot following reports of blood clots among some recipients. On Tuesday, Sweden, Latvia and Lithuania became the latest countries to join a growing list of nations suspending the use of the AstraZeneca-Oxford shot over blood clot concerns. Germany, France, Italy and Spain all said on Monday they would also stop administering the shot. (Higgins-Dunn, 3/17)
CNBC: Indonesia Will Restart AstraZeneca Vaccines When Regulators Give The Go Ahead, Health Minister Says
Indonesia will resume its use of the AstraZeneca vaccine as soon as regulators give the go ahead that it’s safe, the country’s health minister said. Southeast Asia’s largest economy halted the use of AstraZeneca’s Covid-19 vaccine — co-developed with the University of Oxford — after more than a dozen countries in Europe suspended the vaccine due to blood clot concerns that affected recipients. (Bala, 3/18)
