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March 4, 2021 - Brief Issue 162

The Coronavirus Daily Brief is a daily news and analysis roundup edited by New America’s International Security Program and Arizona State University.

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Top Headlines

Americans Clamor To Receive Early Vaccines (Health & Science)

Freight Pilots Delivering Vaccines Say It’s Their Turn (Health & Science)

Johnson & Johnson Vaccine Could Be Available For Children By September, Says CEO (Health & Science)

Support for Vaccine Passports Grows (Around the World)

Germany Agrees on Easing of Covid-19 Curbs, Free Weekly Tests for All (Around the World)

U.K. Plans to Raise Taxes to Pay for Coronavirus Relief (Around the World)

Seychelles Aims for Herd Immunity by End of March (Around the World)

Biden Strikes Deal with Moderate Democrats to Limit Eligibility for Direct Checks, Newly Excluding Millions Who Would Have Received Checks Under House Bill (U.S. Government)

States Reverse Covid Restrictions, Biden Criticizes “Neanderthal Thinking” (U.S. Government)

Empty Office Buildings Impacting City Budgets (U.S. Economy)

Johnson & Johnson Vaccine Faces Pushback From Catholic Bishops Over Abortion Concerns (U.S. Society)

Health & Science

There have been 28,760,954 coronavirus cases in the United States, and 518,453 people have died (Johns Hopkins). The United States has conducted 353,637,183 tests and distributed 107,028,890 vaccine doses, with 80,540,474 doses administered (U.S. CDC). Worldwide, there have been 115,226,491 confirmed cases of coronavirus, with 2,560,987 deaths. At least 65,186,897 people have recovered from the virus.

Americans Clamor To Receive Early Vaccines

The New York Times reported on Wednesday that so-called “vaccine lurkers,” as some pharmacists have taken to calling them, are desperately trying to find leftover doses so they may receive their inoculations faster than they would through normal means. As neither the Moderna nor Pfizer vaccine vials can be stored for longer than six hours once opened, extra doses are sometimes temporarily available to people without an appointment. Consequently, tens of thousands of people across the U.S. have taken to social media to trade tips about how to receive last minute inoculations. “It’s like buying Bruce Springsteen tickets,” Maura Caldwell, administrator of the Minneapolis Vaccine Hunter Facebook group, told the New York Times. “It’s not easy. You can’t just sign up,” added Caldwell, whose group has ballooned to more than 20,000 members. 

While some people looking for the doses are not yet eligible for vaccines under local prioritization rules, others are qualified but have had trouble navigating the official channels. Gunnar Esiason, a 29-year-old cystic fibrosis patient in New Hampshire, decided not to wait for his April 21 appointment. After showing up unexpected at pharmacies and vaccination sites, he finally found an extra dose at a Dartmouth medical center after receiving a tip. “I knew I was going to a lot of ‘no’s,’” he told the Times. “All I needed was one ‘yes.’”

Dr. Ashish K. Jha, dean of the Brown University School of Public Health, lamented the fact that high-risk individuals felt compelled to take matters into their own hands. “There are people who feel desperate, and this is what they end up doing,” he said. “It’s ridiculous. It’s wholly unnecessary. There should be a way to do this that does not require us going down this path.”

Leftover vaccines are reportedly becoming harder to find as distribution inefficiencies get remedied. Vaccination sites increasingly pool vials among medical workers toward the end of workdays so that no one unnecessarily opens a vial, while many have begun maintaining standby lists to call in the event of a surplus, thus leaving fewer extra doses available for passersby. Sara Stoltz of Dallas told the Times that she has spent days driving around the city looking for a vaccination for her 64-year-old mother to no avail. “I keep hearing rumors,” she said. “It’s like one of those urban myths.

White House Partners With Insurers in Vaccination Drive 

The Biden Administration unveiled a joint initiative with insurers on Wednesday to help elderly patients obtain vaccines. Under the program, known as Vaccine Community Connectors, 13 participating insurers will help direct vaccine sign-up, provide appointment reminders and assist in transportation to administration sites for people 65 and older from vulnerable communities. The plan is to fully vaccinate two million elderly people within 100 days who might have otherwise struggled to obtain vaccines. The program will mostly cover users of private Medicare plans and low-income elderly people who qualify for Medicare. As vaccinations are already free to recipients nationwide, the plan will not need to add additional government funds to pay for the inoculations themselves. 

"This commitment came from organizations that have the call centers, technology and community relationships to run a pilot program like this, and it comes on the heels of our call to action last week to the private sector to use their talents and resources to help bring a quicker end to this crisis,” said White House coronavirus adviser Andy Slavitt during the task force’s daily press briefing. Tonya Adams, who leads customer experience at Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon, told Politico that the plan is to use the initial program to provide further assistance once the scheme ends after 100 days. “As we get past 100 days, we’ll have a blueprint to share with others,” she said.

Johnson & Johnson Vaccine Could Be Available For Children By September, Says CEO

Johnson & Johnson CEO Alex Gorsky said on Wednesday that his company’s vaccine is “likely” to be approved for use in children by September. “I think it's likely to occur right in that timeline. The good news is, is that the FDA is already working with companies to establish the clear regulatory guidelines, so that the appropriate data can be collected,” Gorsky told David Ignatius during a Washington Post Live event on Wednesday. Last week, the company announced it will begin testing in 12-18 year olds, eventually working its way down to infants. 

Unlike the mRNA vaccines developed by Pfizer and Moderna, which are the first products of their kind approved for human use, the Johnson & Johnson vaccine uses pre-existing technology to modify a cold virus. Gorsky pointed out that his firm has previously developed vaccines for other diseases, such as Ebola and tuberculosis, using the same method and with a broad age range in mind. “So it gives us reasons to be optimistic regarding the safety profile in that patient population, but we still have to do the clinical work," said Gorsky (CNN).

Both the Johnson & Johnson and Moderna vaccines are currently authorized for use in the U.S. for people 18 and older. The Pfizer product is currently allowed for teenagers aged 16-18, along with adults. All three companies are working on getting formulations approved for children. Leading White House health advisor Anthony Fauci said on Sunday that it is “very likely” that children under the age of 12 will be eligible for vaccinations in the first quarter of 2022, and possibly earlier. Teenagers under age 16 will likely be ready for inoculations this fall, he added (WebMD).

Freight Pilots Delivering Vaccines Say It’s Their Turn

Unions representing pilots from UPS and FedEx are calling for vaccine prioritization, citing their crucial role in delivering doses worldwide and their increased risk of contracting the virus. “As FedEx pilots who travel the world serving our customers while delivering these lifesaving vaccines, we are at increased risk of exposure to Covid-19,” said Captain Dave Chase, chair of Air Line Pilots Association’s master executive council. Captain Robert Travis, president of the Independent Pilots Association for UPS employees, voiced similar sentiment. “Ironically for the last few months UPS pilots have been proudly flying lifesaving Covid-19 vaccines onboard on their aircraft. Yet these same pilots do not have a priority for voluntarily receiving the vaccine,” he said. 

One veteran pilot complained to Stat: “Watching big containers being unloaded with the vaccines you can’t have makes you want to call your congressman. Unlike us, they’ve been vaccinated.”

FedEx and UPS pilots experience a particularly high rate of coronavirus infections. As of the end of February, 963 of around 8,100 pilots at both companies had tested positive for the virus at some point. Captain Chase emphasized that coronavirus cases among pilots harmed vaccine distribution. “When we fall ill, this not only reduces our capacity to deliver, but can also affect our families, friends, and others in our communities,” he said. 

The possibility of testing positive overseas between flights adds a further burden for pilots. This is particularly true in Hong Kong, a major freight hub that requires pilots to test negative before leaving the airport. 

“It’s a little like three-card monte,” said Brian Gaudet, a spokesperson for the Independent Pilots Association. “Our UPS pilots live in all 50 states and abroad. For example, they might test negative before departing Anchorage, test positive after landing in Hong Kong, and suddenly end up in a makeshift quarantine pod.”

Both trade groups sent a letter to the Center for Disease Control (C.D.C.) in December calling for vaccine prioritization. The message pointed out that the Department of Homeland Security had previously described aviation workers as “essential to maintaining our nation’s critical infrastructure.” But speaking to Stat, C.D.C. spokesperson Kristen Nordlund pointed out that vaccine prioritization rests with the states (STAT).

Bonus Read: “What Do Vaccine Efficacy Numbers Actually Mean?” (NYT).

Around the World

Support for Vaccine Passports Grows

Both China and the European Union are moving forward with plans for “vaccine passports” for travelers that will declare a person’s vaccination status or recent test results. The European Commission will present proposals for a “digital green pass” for EU citizens this month that will specify if a traveler has been vaccinated. “The aim is to gradually enable them [EU citizens] to move safely in the European Union or abroad—for work or tourism,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said (WSJ). Similarly, China is working toward launching certificates that will declare a person’s vaccination status or test results. Last week, the U.K. said it was considering the pros and cons of digital passports as well. Initially, many governments (including the U.K., China, and the EU), were wary of vaccine passports but now many see them as a viable way to revive economies hampered by coronavirus restrictions. But there are still some important considerations: first, it’s unclear if or how easily vaccinated people can still spread the virus; and second, allowing vaccinated people to travel freely while maintaining border closures and quarantines for others could be discriminatory. As the U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres pointed out in February, 75% of vaccine doses administered so far have been in just 10 countries.

Europe

Germany Agrees on Easing of Covid-19 Curbs, Free Weekly Tests for All

Chancellor Angela Merkel and German state leaders agreed on Wednesday to a phased easing of coronavirus restrictions after four months of lockdown even as daily cases increase and only about 5% of the population has received a first vaccine shot (NYT). “We are at the threshold of a new phase of the pandemic that we can go into not carelessly but still with justified hope,” Merkel told reporters after what she described as “tough negotiations” with the regional chiefs (Reuters). Leaders have agreed to extend the interval between the first and second vaccine doses where possible in order to inoculate as many people as they can. Wednesday’s plan included five stages, each with more leniency based on the number of cases per 100,000 people. For example, with daily cases around 64 per 100,000 in Berlin, up to five people from two households can meet and some shops, such as book stores and garden centers, can reopen. Also under the agreement, the government will pay for all asymptomatic citizens to have a quick coronavirus test at least once a week beginning on March 8. Health experts believe this will help in keeping cases under control until the vaccine campaign can pick up speed. 

U.K. Plans to Raise Taxes to Pay for Coronavirus Relief

The U.K. became the first major economy to announce plans to repair the damage to government finances caused by the coronavirus pandemic by saying it will raise taxes starting in 2023 (WSJ). The speedy vaccination drive in the U.K. means that the economy could recover sooner than previously hoped; the U.K. has administered at least one dose of vaccine to almost one-third of its population and plans to offer vaccination to all adults by the end of July. In comparison, the U.S. has vaccinated one-fifth of its population and the EU has vaccinated 7.5% of its population. U.K. Treasury chief Rishi Sunak said Wednesday that the corporate tax rate would rise to 25% from 19% beginning in April 2023 and to freeze tax-free allowances on personal income. “Coronavirus has caused one of the largest, most comprehensive and sustained economic shocks this country has ever faced,” Mr. Sunak said.

Africa

Seychelles Aims for Herd Immunity by End of March

The Indian Ocean island nation of Seychelles is attempting to reach “herd immunity” by the end of March. In an interview with The Associated Press, President Wavel Ramkalawan said that goal should be reached in mid-March, “when we would have vaccinated 70,000 of our people. That represents 70% because our population is 100,000.” The country’s vaccination program began in January and was one of the first rollout of vaccines in the world. Seychelles depends heavily on tourism and some workers in the tourism industry were among the first to receive vaccines, alongside healthcare workers. The United Arab Emirates, a close trading partner, donated 50,000 doses of the Chinese-made Sinopharm vaccine in January and India donated 50,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine produced by the Serum Institute India. The government then purchased an additional 40,000 doses in order to have enough to vaccinate 70,000 people.

U.S. Government & Politics

Biden Strikes Deal with Moderate Democrats to Limit Eligibility for Direct Checks, Newly Excluding Millions Who Would Have Received Checks Under House Bill

On Wednesday, President Joe Biden agreed to a deal with moderate Senate Democrats to put forward a version of the Covid relief bill that would limit eligibility for direct relief checks while leaving unemployment benefits untouched (WSJ, WaPo, Politico). The Wall Street Journal writes, “President Biden signed off on the last-minute alterations to the direct payments, which would shrink the $1,400 checks to zero more quickly for individuals making more than $75,000 and married couples making more than $150,000, according to Democrats familiar with the changes. Under the plan approved in the House last week, those $1,400 payments phase out completely for individuals making $100,000 and married couples making $200,000. Lawmakers in the Senate are expected to bring the payments to zero for individuals making $80,000 and married couples making $160,000, according to the people. Individuals making less than $75,000 and married couples with incomes lower than $150,000 will still receive the full $1,400 check.”

As the Washington Post writes, the decision “means singles making between $80,000 and $100,000 and couples earning between $160,000 and $200,000 would be newly excluded from a partial benefit under the revised structure Biden agreed to.” According to one estimate, the change means 12 million adults and five million kids will not receive support because of the changes. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), a member of the Senate leadership stated, “This is a fair way forward.” Even with the changes, the bill is unlikely to draw Republican support, although Senator Lisa Murkowsi (R-AK) has said she has not yet made up her mind on how to vote. Senator Joe Manchin, who has pushed for more targeted aid with greater limitations told Politico, “It’s going to be a good package that’s going to help an awful lot of people. And it’s targeted. The main thing is, it’s targeted to get to people in need.” The decision drew criticism from some progressives, with New York Democratic Representative Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, for example, warning, “I don’t understand the political or economic wisdom in allowing Trump to give more people relief checks than a Democratic administration.”

States Reverse Covid Restrictions, Biden Criticizes “Neanderthal Thinking”

Many states and some localities are reversing course and easing restrictions meant to prevent the spread of Covid (WaPo, WaPo, NYT). On Tuesday, Texas’s Republican Governor Greg Abbott announced that he was reopening Texas and ending the state’s mask mandate, tweeting, “I just announced Texas is OPEN 100%. EVERYTHING. I also ended the statewide mask mandate.” Mississippi’s Republican Governor Tate Reeves announced he was ending his state’s mask mandate the same day but also urged people to keep wearing them. The decisions drew criticism from Biden’s coronavirus response team, which stated, that it is “not the time to release all restrictions,” while Joe Biden stated, “The last thing, the last thing we need is Neanderthal thinking.” Republican Governors are not the only ones looking to relax restrictions. Michigan’s Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced that her state would relax restrictions beginning on Friday, Louisiana’s Democratic Governor John Bel Edwards plans to maintain his state’s mask mandate but to allow indoor live music and the reopening of bars. Meanwhile, noting a fall in Covid cases, San Francisco has reopened indoor dining, gyms, movie theaters, and museums for the first time since the Fall (NPR).

Bonus Reads: “The Real Post-Trump GOP Divide: House vs. Senate,” (Politico); “As Crucial Pandemic Vote Approaches, Democrats Guard Their Slim Senate Majority,” (WaPo).

U.S. Economy

Empty Office Buildings Impacting City Budgets

With office buildings dormant as a result of the pandemic in many cities, city budgets are being impacted by declining tax revenues (NYT). The New York Times reports, “The pandemic has upended America’s commercial property sector. In cities across the country, skyscrapers are dark, shopping centers are shuttered and restaurants have been relegated to takeout service. Social-distancing measures have redefined workplaces and accelerated the trend of telecommuting. The $16 trillion commercial property sector is being stressed in ways not seen since the Great Recession of 2008.” Moody’s projects that commercial property values will decline 7.2% from pre-pandemic levels, and the Times notes, “The hardest hit categories are the office and retail sectors, with values declining by 12.6 percent for offices and 16.5 percent for retailing.” While some cities may offset the tax impact as a result of rising real estate values and taxes on online shopping, other areas are less lucky, according to the Times, which writes, “The overall picture is problematic, and the National League of Cities, an advocacy organization, estimates that cities could face a $90 billion shortfall this year.” Bonus Read: “Return-to-Office Plans Are Set in Motion, but Virus Uncertainty Remains,” (NYT).

One in Three Non-Profits in Financial Jeopardy

On Wednesday, the research group Candid and the Center for Disaster Philanthropy released a report finding that more than a third of non-profits are in financial jeopardy as a result of the pandemic (AP). The Associated Press writes, “The study’s findings underscore the perils for nonprofits and charities whose financial needs have escalated over the past year, well in excess of the donations that most have received from individuals and foundations. The researchers analyzed how roughly 300,000 nonprofits would fare under 20 scenarios of varying severity. The worst-case scenario led to the closings of 38% of the nonprofits. Even the scenarios seen as more realistic resulted in closures well into double digit percentages.” Jacob Harold, Candid’s executive vice president, stated, “If you are a donor who cares about an organization that is rooted in place and relies on revenue from in-person services, now is the time probably to give more.” Other studies have reported similar findings according to the AP. For example, a survey by Californians for the Arts found that 64% of nonprofits working on cultural and arts issues had reduced their workforce with a quarter reducing their workforce by at least 90%. Meanwhile, a New York Comptroller report found a 66% drop all in employment in New York’s arts, culture, and entertainment sector.

U.S. Society

Johnson & Johnson Vaccine Faces Pushback From Catholic Bishops Over Abortion Concerns

Top chairmen of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has issued a statement advising Church members against taking the Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccine if another option is available. The concerns stem from the fact that the vaccine’s production uses cell lines descended from a single fetus aborted in 1985. "If one has the ability to choose a vaccine, Pfizer or Moderna's vaccines should be chosen over Johnson & Johnson's," said Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann of Kansas City and Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades of Fort Wayne-South Bend, Indiana.  The two men chair the USCCB committees on Pro-Life Activities and Committee on Doctrine, respectively. 

While the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines also used cell lines originating from fetal tissue in the testing phase, the USCCB bishops argued that Johnson & Johnson’s use of cells in production makes the firm more morally culpable in abortion. However, it is not clear what lengths Church members could be expected to go to avoid the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Recipients of vaccines generally do not have a choice of manufacturer, with test sites making decisions based on available supply. Pope Francis weighed in on the issue in December, instructing Catholics to take any vaccine despite their remote connection with an aborted fetus. The USCCB issued a statement at the time affirming their alignment with the Vatican’s position. Speaking to NPR, Reverend Kirtley Yearwood at the Holy Cross Hospital in Silver Spring, Maryland said he was not morally concerned with the 500 Johnson & Johnson vaccine doses that his employer received this week. "It has a wonderful record as far as being able to prevent serious illness and hospitalization,” said Yearwood, who serves as the hospital's chief mission officer.  “Those are very remote cell lines. It's not a primary concern when you have the greater issue of saving lives” (NPR).

Analysis & Arguments

Abraar Karan writes on protecting oneself from coronavirus variants (NYT).

Michelle Cottle writes that former President Trump could play an important role in convincing Republicans to get vaccinated (NYT).

Tom Siestema, Washington Post food critic, does a Q and A on tipping and indoor dining during the pandemic (WaPo).

Tejal Rao writes on her effort to regain her smell after Covid and the impact of losing one’s smell (NYT).

 Readers can send in tips, critiques, questions, and suggestions to coronavirusbrief@newamerica.org.

The Brief is edited by David Sterman and Emily Schneider with Senior Editor Peter Bergen.

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