Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Viewpoints: Lessons On Getting The Vaccine, Heading To Mask-Less Times
Stat: I Need To Be At Peace With The Vaccine And Let My Body Do The Work
I normally arrive at the hospital thinking about protecting my patients. Today it was all about protecting me. Getting the Covid-19 vaccine had been a hope that sustained me through many of these last months of caring for patients hospitalized with Covid-19. I was looking forward to getting vaccinated, marking the beginning of the end of my worry about my own health in relation to this pandemic. I would be moving on. (Sharon Ostfeld-Johns, 2/16)
The New York Post: Vaccines Will End The Pandemic — Whether Fauci Likes It Or Not
Repeat after me: Vaccines will end the pandemic. This bears repeating, as some elites seem bent on prolonging restrictions for a long time, perhaps indefinitely. If they have their way, we will wear masks for years, continue to socially distance and never get back to our regular lives. The sane among us need to make sure none of this transpires. (Karol Marcowicz, 2/15)
The Washington Post: Stop Stressing So Much About Who’s Getting Vaccinated. Just Vaccinate People — Quickly.
On Dec. 29, 2020, around 6:45 p.m., a nurse in Humble, Tex., slid a needle into a vial of the Moderna vaccine and administered what would be the last shot of the night at a vaccination event the county health department had organized for emergency workers and other eligible people. With the event winding down, it was unlikely anyone else would show up. In six hours, 10 precious doses of vaccine would expire. Hassan Gokal, the medical director of the county’s covid-19 response, says he was determined they would not go to waste. (Megan McArdle, 2/14)
Bloomberg: Covid-19 Vaccine Production Needs Help From The G-7
A scramble for Covid-19 vaccines has broken out among some of the world’s wealthiest nations. This is understandable — but too narrow a focus on their own needs is shortsighted as well as ethically wrong. Letting the pandemic rage on in poorer parts of the world will imperil their own efforts to end the emergency. Self-interest aligns with what should be a moral imperative. Increasing the supply of vaccines for everybody needs to be given a much higher priority. The European Union recently took a controversial step to secure doses for its citizens, restricting the export of vaccines until its own orders have been met. But the rich world in general has done what it can to corner scarce supplies. More than half of the 12.5 billion doses planned for delivery this year are spoken for, mostly by developed nations. Canada has bought enough to vaccinate its population five times over. Poor nations can hope to inoculate only a fraction of their populations this year. If current trends hold, many won’t complete their vaccinations until 2024. (2/10)
The Wall Street Journal: Who Are The Covid Investigators?
The world needs to learn all it can about the origins of the novel coronarvirus, and the World Health Organization has been investigating. But there’s increasing reason to question the effort due to China’s lack of cooperation and conflicts of interest on the WHO team. (2/15)
Stat: A Monument Can Help America Heal From The Covid-19 Pandemic
In the 56 weeks since the first case of Covid-19 was reported in the United States, more than 475,000 Americans have died from the virus — an average of 50 deaths every hour. In the weeks ahead, thousands more will be added to this tragic toll. We are staggered by our individual losses, buckling under the weight of collective grief. And while this pain is shared, we have by necessity often suffered alone. (Andrew Peterson, Jason Karlawish and Emily Largent, 2/14)
The Hill: Supporting Employees During COVID Protects The Bottom Line
Last year, organizations had to dust off their crisis plans amidst one of the most unexpected years the world has ever experienced. For some companies, this meant shutting down dozens of offices, but it also meant watching thousands of new pop-up workplaces at their employee homes emerge practically overnight. Quick, reactive decisions were necessary but those executive decisions made in the best interest of employees were the ones that ensured the future of their businesses. (DJ Paoni, 2/15)
Stat: Women Need To Be Equally Represented In NIH Study Sections
For U.S. researchers, the room where it happens — “it” being decisions about funding — is National Institutes of Health study sections. These are the committees charged with reviewing applications for NIH grants and recommending which ones should be funded. Despite decades of progress by women scientists, women are still underrepresented in study sections. (Anna Volerman, Vineet Arora and Valerie Press, 2/15)
Miami Herald: Vincent Toranzo Appointed To Biden-Harris COVID Task Force
The young ones — they’re making a difference. We’re specifically speaking of Vincent Toranzo, a high school student from Broward County. On Wednesday, Toranzo, 18 and a senior at Pembroke Pines Charter School, was one of only12 people from across the country named to the influential Biden-Harris Administration COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force, the White House announced. Very impressive. Most of the other 11 members are professionals, CEOs and public health experts who run social service agencies, work with the elderly and children, LGBTQ+ and Native American communities. (2/11)
