Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Seattle Is First Big City To Fully Vaccinate 70% Of Eligible Residents
The Seattle Times: Mayor: Seattle Becomes First Major City To Fully Vaccinate 70% Of Residents
Seattle has become the first major American city to reach its goal of fully vaccinating 70% of residents 12 and older, helping push Washington toward its overall vaccination and reopening targets. Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan touted the milestone in a news release Wednesday, saying the city has surpassed San Francisco to take the lead in COVID-19 vaccine jabs. “Seattle is America’s most vaccinated major city, and it would not have been possible without our residents’ commitment to protecting themselves, their loved ones and our entire community,” Durkan said in a statement. (Brunner, 6/9)
Los Angeles Times: San Francisco Is Nearing COVID-19 Herd Immunity; L.A. Isn't
San Francisco is nearing herd immunity, some experts believe, a milestone in California’s efforts to gain control of the COVID-19 pandemic. San Francisco has one of California’s highest rates of vaccination, with 72% of residents having received at least one dose. Only one other county in California — Marin, just north of San Francisco — has a higher rate of vaccination, with 75% of residents there at least partially vaccinated. Both San Francisco and Marin County’s rates are significantly higher than the statewide vaccination rate of 56%. (Lin II and Money, 6/9)
In related news on the vaccine rollout —
NPR: States Biden Won Are Leading On Vaccines. Trump States Lag
Less than a month remains until the Fourth of July, which was President Biden's goal for 70% of American adults to have gotten at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. It looks like it's going to be a stretch to get there. As of Tuesday, nearly 64% of U.S. adults have had at least one shot, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The key issue is that demand has dropped off. After an initial crush, the number of doses being administered daily is on a steep decline from the early April peak. (Montanaro, 6/9)
Politico: Scott Walker Cuts Ad Encouraging Covid Vaccination
For more than a year, the battleground state of Wisconsin has been victimized by the partisan culture wars that have defined the Covid response.Now, a well-known conservative is stepping up in an attempt to resolve those differences. Scott Walker, the former Wisconsin governor, presidential candidate, and longtime Republican darling, has joined up with another former Wisconsin governor who’s on the opposite side of the political spectrum — Jim Doyle, a Democrat — to urge people to get vaccinated. In a new public service announcement to air across Wisconsin television beginning this week and shared with POLITICO, Walker and Doyle banter back and forth. (Korecki, 6/10)
AP: Washington's 'Joints For Jabs' Vaccine Program Falling Flat
It was designed as an innovative way to promote COVID-19 vaccinations, but Washington’s new “joints for jabs” program is off to a rough start. ... Retailers told the state Liquor and Cannabis Board during a meeting Wednesday that many don’t have the space to host a vaccine clinic. Some health care providers are queasy about setting up a clinic on the site of a marijuana business because they don’t want to jeopardize federal funding by being involved in the distribution of an illegal drug. And the program is set to expire July 12 — too soon for them to offer a second shot to customers who might show up for a first shot in mid- to late June. (Johnson, 6/10)
Albuquerque Journal: Vaccination Rate Ticks Up After Lottery Launch
New Mexico’s COVID-19 vaccine administration rate has slightly increased in recent days, after previously declining steadily during a multiweek period. The increase came in the days after Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced a $10 million vaccine incentive program funded by federal stimulus dollars that includes a $5 million lottery drawing scheduled for August. (Boyd, 6/9)
Burlington Free Press: Vaccination Disparity Shrinks, Rate Improves For Vermonters Of Color
A COVID-19 vaccination clinic for people of color will be held in Burlington this upcoming Saturday in an effort to continue to combat the vaccination disparity between white Vermonters and Vermonters of color. While non-Hispanic whites still have higher vaccination rates than do BIPOC Vermonters, this disparity has decreased in recent weeks, from a high of 13% on March 21 to a low of 5% by May 30, according to the Vermont Department of Health. As of April 1, vaccine registration opened eligibility up to all Vermonters of color age 16 and over. Since that date, the vaccination gap has gradually narrowed. (Ruehsen, 6/10)
