Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Young Americans Are Lagging Other Groups In The Vaccine Rollout
CNN: Young Americans Are Lagging Behind With Covid-19 Vaccines. And These Threats Have Experts Pushing For Their Vaccination
Experts are turning their focus in the fight against Covid-19 to vaccinating young Americans -- warning that though they may not face high risk for serious illness, they may still have to contend with long-term symptoms. Vaccines have been praised as the key to getting the pandemic under control in the US, and strides have been made in vaccinating the adult population. (Holcombe, 5/25)
Los Angeles Times: Vaccination Rates Up Among Latino, Black Californians
There’s a promising sign in California’s efforts to get more Latino and Black residents vaccinated: They’re now getting shots at a relatively faster rate than other racial and ethnic groups. The overall disparity in the percentage of Latino and Black Californians who are at least partially vaccinated is still troubling: Only about 35% of Latino and 36% of Black residents are at least partially vaccinated, while 52% of white, 49% of Native American/Alaska Native and 63% of Asian American/Pacific Islander residents are at least partially vaccinated, according to a Times analysis of state data. (Greene and Lin II, 5/24)
Roll Call: Public Health Officials Target Vaccine-Hesitant Via Dating Apps
The Biden administration is partnering with top dating apps to encourage young and healthy people to get vaccinated against COVID-19. Tinder, Hinge, OkCupid and other popular dating apps will add special vaccination badges and benefits to users’ profiles after they receive the vaccine. For example, any person on Tinder who adds a sticker to their profile promoting the COVID-19 vaccine receives a free “Super Like.” The apps will also provide information about vaccines and help people schedule appointments. (Cohen, 5/24)
AP: EU Leaders Agree To Donate 100 Million Doses Of Vaccines
EU leaders agreed Tuesday to donate at least 100 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines to poorer nations by the end of the year as supplies steadily rise across Europe. Gathered in Brussels for a two-day summit, the 27 leaders backed a text in which they pledge to continue efforts “to increase global vaccine production capacities in order to meet global needs.” Leaders also called “for work to be stepped up to ensure global equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines” and reiterated their support for the U.N.-backed COVAX program. COVAX aims to ensure equitable access to COVID-19 shots for low-and middle-income countries. (Petrequin, 5/25)
KHN: Corporations Encourage Employee Vaccination But Stop Short Of Mandates
Many of the companies with the largest number of employees say they’ll do almost anything to encourage their employees to get vaccinated. But a survey of some of them found that none would be inclined to mandate shots as a condition for holding a job. Almost all 15 companies surveyed — among the largest and most influential Fortune 500 companies — have strong pro-vaccine messages from their corporate leadership, emphasizing that the shots can both help protect individuals and bring the pandemic to a close. (Almendrala, 5/25)
