Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Will Politicization Of Covid Vaccine Mandates Extend To Other Shots?
The Washington Post: GOP Condemnation Of Biden Coronavirus Mandate Fuels Concern Other Vaccine Requirements Could Be Targeted
Republicans’ sweeping denunciations of President Biden’s plan to force more people to get vaccinated against the coronavirus are raising concerns among public health experts that this heated criticism could help fuel a broader rejection of other vaccine requirements, including those put in place by schools and the military, as the issue of inoculations becomes increasingly political. (Sonmez, Stotomayor and Alfaro, 9/13)
In related news about President Biden's vaccine mandates —
Axios: Axios-Ipsos Poll: 60% Voters Back Biden COVID Vaccine Mandates
A majority of Americans — including suburban voters — support vaccine mandates for federal workers as well as private companies, according to the latest installment of the Axios/Ipsos Coronavirus Index. The findings, on the heels of President Biden's mandates announcement last week, suggest that while his move was divisive, it may be politically safer than his opponents hope. (Talev, 9/14)
The Hill: Biden Vaccine Mandate Puts McConnell, GOP Leaders In A Tough Spot
Republican leaders in Congress are trying to figure out how to play the politics of President Biden’s sweeping new COVID-19 vaccine mandate, which has majority support in recent polls but has sparked a revolt from GOP governors and the base of the party. Biden’s aggressive move puts a spotlight on Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), a childhood polio survivor who has been outspoken in urging fellow Republicans to get vaccinated against COVID-19. (Bolton, 9/14)
Fox News: Congress Exempt From Biden’s COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate
President Biden’s executive order mandating COVID-19 vaccines among all federal workers does not apply to members of Congress, the federal court system or their staffers. Biden’s order Thursday mandating COVID-19 vaccinations among federal workers and contractors drops the option of regular testing and allows only some religious and disability exemptions. The order applies only to employees of the executive branch and does not apply to the legislative or judicial branches of government, the White House confirmed to Fox News. (Chasmar, 9/13)
Politico: Biden’s Workplace Vaccine Mandate Faces Headwinds
President Joe Biden’s surprise order for the Labor Department to issue mandatory vaccine rules for large companies is already facing headwinds from businesses, conservative governors and even his union allies. Management-side attorneys say they are fielding frenzied calls from companies with questions over what the rules requiring them to verify that their workers are vaccinated or tested weekly for Covid-19 will actually entail and whether the business or unvaccinated employees will have to pay for the testing. (Rainey, 9/13)
The Wall Street Journal: Vaccine Mandates Are Coming To Offices, But The Honor System Now Rules
The Biden administration’s announcement that it will mandate vaccines for workers or require weekly testing could help standardize protocols in workplaces. For now, many workplaces operate on the honor system—one in which health information is often given voluntarily, and employees have few ways to be sure their co-workers are following the rules. For workers, living with honor-system-based Covid-19 rules has meant confusion in some cases and, among certain vaccinated employees, fresh anxieties. (Smith, 9/13)
CNBC: Many Workers Are Facing Compulsory Covid Vaccination Or No Job
As more and more people return to the workplace following months of working from home, the question of one’s vaccination status is becoming increasingly relevant and, in an increasing number of cases, a condition of employment. In both the U.S. and Europe there are a growing number of jobs and sectors which are now requiring people to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 — not only in the more obvious public-facing roles like healthcare and education but also in the technology, hospitality, travel and finance sectors. (Ellyatt, 9/14)
AP: About 1,000 Protest President Joe Biden's Visit To Idaho
More than 1,000 protesters gathered Monday in Boise during a visit by President Joe Biden to rail against his plan to bring the coronavirus pandemic under control, last year’s presidential election and a host of other issues. Biden visited Boise as part of a swing through three Western states to promote his administration’s use of a wartime law to aid in wildfire preparedness, survey wildfire damage and push his economic agenda. He arrived at the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise late Monday morning to meet with fire officials and Idaho Gov. Brad Little, a Republican. (Ridler and Boone, 9/13)
Also —
The Washington Post: Trump And His Allies Really Really Really Want To Blame Black Americans And Democrats For Vaccine Hesitancy
A good sign that the political right recognizes that the shaky state of the coronavirus pandemic is a function of the unvaccinated is that it is energetically trying to cast that group as largely composed of members of the political left. Former president Donald Trump, for example, told Fox News Digital on Monday that it was President Biden and Democrats who were the problem. “If you remember, when I was president, there were literally lines of people wanting to take it,” he said. “Now, you have a different situation, and it’s very bad.” (Bump, 9/13)
