Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
With Supporters Dying, Republicans Swing To Supporting Covid Vaccines
The Hill: DeSantis Urges Public To Get Vaccinated: These Shots Are 'Saving Lives'
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) is urging Floridians to get vaccinated against the coronavirus, saying that the shots are “saving lives.” In a press conference on Wednesday, DeSantis told reporters that 95% of the people being admitted to hospitals in the state due to COVID-19 complications haven’t been vaccinated at all, implying that “vaccines are saving lives,” especially with regard to nursing homes. “If you look at the people that are being admitted to hospitals …. over 95% of them are either not fully vaccinated or not vaccinated at all,” DeSantis said. “These vaccines are saving lives. They are reducing mortality.” (Oshin, 7/21)
New York Post: Mitch McConnell Warns Of Return To 2020 If COVID Vaccine Rates Don’t Increase
A fresh wave of deaths and hospitalizations like the ones that crippled the country last year loom on the horizon if people don’t wise up and get vaccinated against COVID-19, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell warned. “These shots need to get in everybody’s arms as rapidly as possible or we´re going to be back in a situation in the fall that we don’t yearn for — that we went through last year,” McConnell (R-Ky.) said at a news conference Tuesday, adding, “This is not complicated.” (Marcus, 7/21)
Axios: Prominent Republicans Find New Enthusiasm For COVID-19 Vaccines
Some GOP lawmakers and media figures have been making a point to be publicly supportive of coronavirus vaccines as the Delta variant rips through parts of the country with low vaccination rates. Vaccine resistance is much higher among Republicans than Democrats, and some party leaders have been openly hostile to the U.S. vaccination effort despite the effectiveness of the shots. (Owens, 7/22)
NBC News: As GOP Supporters Die Of Covid, The Party Remains Split In Its Vaccination Message
As the delta variant of the coronavirus courses through the American bloodstream, the Republican Party can't make up its mind about vaccines. Former President Donald Trump has said that people should get inoculated but also that he wants to respect their right to choose not to. For the most part, he's been as reluctant to urge vaccinations as his political base has been resistant — perhaps leery of crossing his own voters, even though deaths are higher in traditionally conservative regions. (Allen, 7/21)
In related news —
The Hill: Biden Pokes At Fox Hosts: They've Had 'Altar Call' On Vaccines
President Biden said it is good that Fox News anchors are now urging viewers to get vaccinated while poking fun at hosts for changing their rhetoric Wednesday. "One of those other networks — they’re not a big fan of mine, one you talk about a lot — but if you notice, as they say in the southern part of my state, they’ve had an alter call, some of those guys,” Biden, invoking the religious act of stepping forward to make a spiritual commitment, said during a CNN town hall. (Gangitano, 7/21)
