Welcome to Health Care overnight Tuesday.
President Trump
Donald John TrumpThe Memo – Michelle Obama shines, Trump shouts Trump out at Cuomo after his Democratic convention speech Biden tries to win over progressives and Republicans overnight MAYThe response to COVID-19 was front and center in the kickoff to the Democratic National Convention this week; Anthony Fauci
Anthony FauciDozens of public health officials arrested during pandemic Novavax coronavirus vaccine candidate begins phase two tears Trump ‘failure’ on COVID-19 will be central message of Biden convention MORE said it is unlikely the US will mandate coronavirus vaccinations; and West Virginia will prosecute CVS and Walmart for proving they helped the opioid epidemic.
Let’s start with Fauci:
Fauci says he does not see a US-mandated COVID-19 vaccine for the general public
Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top expert in infectious diseases, said Tuesday that he does not require the US to receive a COVID-19 vaccine.
“I do not think you will ever see a mandate of vaccines especially for the general public,” Fauci said during a livestreamed interview with Healthline.
Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, notes that some workplaces, particularly those in health care fields, may prevent staff from coming to work or interacting with patients if they have not been vaccinated against the flu.
Schools generally require students to be vaccinated against measles and other infectious diseases before they are allowed to attend classes.
But Fauci said he “would be quite surprised if you mandate it for every element of the general public.”
Why it matters: A few serious health experts have pushed the idea of mandating COVID-19 vaccines. It would be a first in American history and would most likely fall back. Instead, experts have tried to think of other ways to address faxing hesitation through culturally sensitive outreach and messaging and combating misleading claims on social media.
Read more here.
Speaking of faxes … WHO warns against ‘nationalism’ in combating coronavirus
The World Health Organization (WHO) warns countries that increased supplies and a possible vaccine for coronavirus will prolong the global epidemic at a steep cost to poor and developing countries.
Speaking to reporters Tuesday, CEO Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said his agency is developing plans to spread the vaccine equally, once science shows that a potential vaccine candidate is both effective at generating an immune response and safe in humans.
“We need to prevent vaccine nationalism,” Tedros said. “Sharing finite deliveries strategically and globally is actually in the national interest of each country. No one is safe until everyone is safe. ”
Since the onset of the pandemic, countries that stockpile protective and medical equipment have contributed to snags in the global supply chain. Now public health experts warn that the same failure of supply chain could hinder the manufacture and distribution of medicines to end the pandemic.
Read more here.
West Virginia prosecutes CVS, Walmart for delivering opioid epidemic
West Virginia’s attorney general on Tuesday filed lawsuits against Walmart and CVS, claiming the companies helped create the state’s devastating opioid epidemic.
Attorney General Patrick Morrisey (R) said in separate lawsuits that the companies should remedy what has become a public health and financial crisis.
The companies “generated billions of dollars in revenue while causing enormous damage to the state of West Virginia and its residents,” the lawsuit states.
The lawsuit found Walmart and CVS filed suspicious orders for opioids that were of unusual size and frequency, and then distributed those drugs to retail pharmacies.
Not the first: West Virginia filed similar lawsuits against Rite-Aid and Walgreens in June. More than 3,000 states, local governments and tribes of Indian states have sued manufacturers, distributors and pharmacies, accusing them of contributing to the opioid epidemic.
Read more here.
COVID-19 in the spotlight at Democratic convention
The Democratic National Convention kicked off yesterday, with no shortage of criticism of President Trump’s COVID-19 response.
The daughter of one of TrumpThe 2016 supporters who later died of the disease blistered the president during a speech.
Kristin Urquiza, who previously penned in obituary criticism of Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey
Doug DuceyLatino PAC debuts ad with Dem Convention standout Kristin Urquiza Daughter of Trump voter who dies at COVID-19 addresses Democratic convention The Hill’s 12:30 Report – Speculation about Biden’s running mate announcement MORE (R) after her father’s death, said Monday that her father told her before his death that he felt “betrayed” by the president because of his handling of the coronavirus pandemic.
“His only pre-existing condition was to trust Donald Trump,” Urquiza said.
“Donald Trump may not have caused the coronavirus, but his dishonesty and his irresponsible actions made it so much less,” she added.
Read more about it here.
The Hill hosts:
COVID-19: THE WAY FOR
As election day arrives, the COVID-19 pandemic remains an ever-present threat. In line with the 2020 conventions, The Hill will organize a discussion with policymakers and leaders of hospital and medical schools about lessons learned from the coronavirus pandemic, the importance of research and innovation in combating crises in the health care, and the value of a resilient and responsive health care ecosystem.
RSVP now to keep your place!
Whitmer fails Trump for fighting other Americans more than viruses
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer
Gretchen WhitmerThe Memo – Michelle Obama shines, burning Trump Whitmer annoys Trump for fighting other Americans more than virus The Hill’s Convention Report: Democratic National Convention steps out more (D) guilty President Trump for fighting ‘his fellow Americans’ more than the coronavirus during her speech at the Democratic National Convention.
‘We have learned who is essential … not just the richest among us. Not the president who is fighting his other Americans as fighting the virus that is killing us and our economy, ”she said in her speech at the convention, which is being held voluntarily because of COVID-19.
‘It’s the people who are endangering their own health to take care of the rest of us. They are the MVPs, ‘she added, mentioning among others nurses, doctors, utilities, groceries, car workers and mail carriers.
Read more here.
What we’re watching tonight:
We will probably hear more virus talk at the convention tonight, with speeches by the minority leader of the First Chamber Charles Schumer
Chuck SchumerOVERNIGHT DEFENSE: Midshipmen have COVID-19 | Concerns over reopening | Snowden pardon gets bad reviews from major lawmakers | Eyes turn to Democratic convention Democrats plan to vote on Saturday to propose Post Service House Oversight Committee calls for ‘urgent’ hearing with postmaster general MORE (DN.Y.) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez (DN.Y.).
But keep an eye on Ady Barkan.
Barkan is a progressive activist who became a champion of Medicare for All after his terminal diagnosis of ALS in 2016. Biden does not support Medicare for All, but Barkan has supported him in any case.
In interviews in the past, Barkan has said that if Biden wins, progressives should push him on their priorities. Barkan has said he wants progressives to understand that while they may not agree with Biden, they should not let that stand in the way of President Trump stepping down from office. His speech last night could be memorable.
What we read
Influenza season will be a test run for the largest vaccine campaign in the US (Bloomberg)
The myth of Andrew Cuomo
Andrew CuomoThe Memo – Michelle Obama shines, burning Trump Trump kills Cuomo after his Democratic convention speech Trump begins an attempt to oppose Democratic convention MORE (The Atlantic Ocean)
Isolation, restriction and confusion: dealing with dementia during a pandemic (Kaiser Health News)
Cellphone apps designed to track covid-19 widespread fighting worldwide amid privacy concerns (Washington Post)
State by state
Cellphone data shows how Las Vegas ‘gambling with life’ is across the country (ProPublica)
Tulsa Health Department Director describes ‘rough years’ of long days, death threats (Tulsa Public Radio)
Georgia Gov. open state again, while health workers needed millions of masks and coats (Kaiser Health News)
Op-eds in The Hill
The big gamble of COVID-19 vaccine development
Mayors, it’s time to step down
For a COVID-19 vaccine to succeed, look at behavioral research
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