Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Republicans Seek To Protect Troops Discharged For Refusing Covid Shots
Military.com: Protections For Troops Booted Over COVID Vaccine Mandate Added To House Defense Bill
House Republicans moved Wednesday to protect former service members who were discharged over the military's now-defunct COVID-19 vaccine mandate, including easing their path to reinstatement. Troops who were discharged for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine could be reinstated at the rank held when they were separated and without the discharge affecting future career advancement under one of a series of amendments related to the vaccine mandate approved by the House Armed Services Committee. The committee was debating its version of the annual defense policy bill. (Kheel, 6/21)
Washington Post: GOP: Biden Violated First Amendment By Pressing Big Tech On Covid Misinfo
“The Biden administration strong-armed Big Tech companies to shut down debate in the name of science,” argued Rep. Brad Wenstrup (R-Ohio), who chairs the House’s select subcommittee on the coronavirus pandemic. He said the attempt to “censor speech” demands a congressional response, though he didn’t say what that might be. (Oremus, 6/21)
The New York Times: U.S. Intelligence Agencies May Never Find Covid’s Origins, Officials Say
For three years, the U.S. government has been tied in knots over the origins of the coronavirus pandemic, frustrated that China’s hindrance of investigations and unwillingness to look critically at its own research have obscured what intelligence agencies can learn about whether the virus escaped from a lab. (Barnes, 6/21)
Politifact: No, The COVID-19 Vaccines Don’t Contain ‘Monkey Virus DNA’
Social media users are claiming a dangerous ingredient has been found in COVID-19 vaccines. The claim comes from a June 11 Epoch Times article headlined, "Monkey virus DNA found in COVID-19 shots." (6/21)
BBC News: UK Covid Deaths Among Worst Of Big European Economies
The UK had one of the worst increases in death rates of major European economies during the Covid pandemic, BBC analysis has found. Death rates in the UK were more than 5% higher on average each year of the pandemic than in the years just before it, largely driven by a huge death toll in the first year. That was above the increase seen in France, Spain or Germany, but below Italy and significantly lower than the US. (Cuffe and Rogers, 6/22)
Also —
CIDRAP: Antidepressant Users May Be Less Likely To Test Positive For COVID-19
New research published in BMC Medicine suggests that using antidepressants (ADs), especially selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), could help prevent COVID-19 infection. .. Mental health patients with a recent (previous 90 days) prescription for an SSRI had an almost 40% reduction in the likelihood of a positive COVID-19 test. (Soucheray, 6/21)
