Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
US Drastically Off Vaccination Target: Only 4.2M Have Received Shot So Far
CNN: More Than 4.2 Million Coronavirus Vaccines Have Been Given And Experts Say The US Needs To Go Faster
With more than 4.2 million people given their first doses of Covid-19 vaccines so far, experts say the pace of inoculation in the US needs to speed up. "No excuses -- we're not where we want to be, but hopefully we'll pick up some momentum and get back to where we want to be with regard to getting it into people's arms," Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said Sunday on NBC's Meet The Press. (Holcombe, 1/4)
The Washington Post: Coronavirus Vaccine Has Arrived, But Frustrated Americans Are Struggling To Sign Up
After months of anticipation, millions of doses of the two authorized coronavirus vaccines — made by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna — are flowing into hospitals and health departments across the nation, putting the end of the pandemic in sight. But Americans trying to access shots are encountering systems that vary widely county to county and that, in many places, are overwhelmed. Some counties and hospital systems launched reservation websites, only for them to quickly become booked or crash. Others announced appointments only through Facebook, with slots filling before some residents knew to look. And many have not revealed how the vaccine will be made available to anyone beyond health-care workers and long-term care residents and employees, the focus of the first round of vaccinations. (Shammas and Rozsa, 1/3)
AP: Fauci: Vaccinations Are Ramping Up In A `Glimmer Of Hope'
The U.S. ramped up COVID-19 vaccinations in the past few days after a slower-than-expected start, bringing the number of shots dispensed to about 4 million, government health officials said Sunday. Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious-disease expert, also said on ABC’s “This Week” that President-elect Joe Biden’s pledge to administer 100 million shots of the vaccine within his first 100 days in office is achievable. And he rejected President Donald Trump’s false claim on Twitter that coronavirus deaths and cases in the U.S. have been greatly exaggerated. (Robertson, 1/3)
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The Hill: Romney: Lack Of Comprehensive Vaccine Distribution Plan Is 'Inexcusable'
Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) slammed federal distribution of the coronavirus vaccine on Friday, calling the lack of a comprehensive strategy “inexcusable.” Romney called the unprecedented rapid vaccine development “a tribute to the [National Institutes of Health], the [Food and Drug Administration] and to the professionals in the pharmaceutical industry.” (Budryk, 1/1)
The Washington Post: Teachers Start Getting Coronavirus Vaccines — But Only In Some Places
A small number of teachers and school nurses in a few states have been vaccinated against the coronavirus, but most are still waiting amid a stumbling rollout of the vaccine across the country. Even as a new, highly contagious strain of the coronavirus has been confirmed in some U.S. states and a few thousand people are dying from covid-19 each day, officials in many districts are making plans to reopen schools soon and teachers are coming under increasing pressure to return to classrooms. (Strauss, 1/3)
Stat: Primary Care Doctors Are Being Left Behind In The Vaccine Rollout
In March, Marc Price set up a tent outside his primary care practice in Malta, N.Y., where he and his colleagues could don their protective gear to see the daily stream of coronavirus patients. Three weeks ago, the tent was finally upgraded to a shed ahead of snowstorms. But, despite months of constant close contact with Covid-19 patients, staff at the practice have yet to be vaccinated. (Goldhill, 1/4)
Anchorage Daily News: Amid COVID-19 Vaccine Confusion, Health Officials Clarify That Most Alaska Seniors Can’t Get Shots Yet
Confusion surrounding Alaska’s COVID-19 vaccine rollout has led to some Alaskans trying to book vaccination appointments before they’re eligible to receive the vaccine, state health officials said Saturday. Tessa Walker Linderman, who helps lead the state’s vaccination effort, and Dr. Anne Zink, Alaska’s chief medical officer, said in an interview that they’ve heard about instances of older Alaskans attempting to make appointments over the weekend via the state website, even though they are not yet eligible. Although Alaskans 65 and older will be the next group eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccination, most will have to wait at least a few weeks to sign up for an appointment, the two state health officials clarified. (Berman, 1/3)
