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November 10, 2021 - Brief Issue 261
The Coronavirus Daily Brief is a daily news and analysis roundup edited by New America’s International Security Program and Arizona State University.
The Coronavirus Daily Brief will be on hiatus Thursday, November 11th to mark Veterans Day.
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Top Headlines
Unvaccinated Texans 40 Times as Likely to Die of Covid as Fully Vaccinated, Study Says (Health & Science)
More than 360,000 U.S. Children Already Vaccinated (Health & Science)
India’s Vaccine Campaign Becomes Sluggish (Around the World)
Denmark Looks to Reintroduce Coronavirus Pass (Around the World)
Ukraine Hits Another Daily Death Toll Record (Around the World)
In France, Booster Needed to Keep Health Pass (Around the World)
Northern Ireland’s Health Minister Sues Van Morrison for Defamation (Around the World)
Federal Court Rules United Airlines Vaccine Mandate Ok (U.S. Government & Politics)
Moderna, U.S. Dispute Vaccine Patent Rights (U.S. Government & Politics)
Illinois Prohibits Moral Beliefs as Basis to Avoid Vaccine Mandates (U.S. Government & Politics)
Household Debt at Record Levels (U.S. Economy)
Thanksgiving Dinner Staples In Short Supply; Santa Labor Market Tight as Demand Increases (U.S. Society)
Health & Science
There have been 46,696,230 coronavirus cases in the United States, and 757,417 people have died (Johns Hopkins). The United States has administered 433,156,393 vaccine doses, with 67.5% of all Americans having received at least one vaccine dose and 58.5% fully vaccinated. Among adults aged 18 or older 80.8% have received at least one dose, and 70.2% are fully vaccinated (U.S. CDC). 13.1% of fully vaccinated Americans have received a booster shot. Worldwide, there have been 251,029,971 cases of coronavirus, with 5,067,975 deaths.
Unvaccinated Texans 40 Times as Likely to Die of Covid as Fully Vaccinated, Study Says
A new report from the Texas Department of State Health Services examined data collected from Jan. 15 to Oct. 1 2021 and found that unvaccinated people were much more likely to get infected and die of the virus than those who were vaccinated. Of the nearly 29,000 covid-related fatalities in Texas during the period, over 85% were unvaccinated. Around 7% were among partially vaccinated people and nearly 8% were fully vaccinated. The Washington Post writes, “In all age groups, the state’s unvaccinated were 40 times as likely to die as fully vaccinated people. The study also found that the unvaccinated in all age groups were 45 times as likely to have a covid-19 infection as fully vaccinated people.”
More than 360,000 U.S. Children Already Vaccinated
Over 360,000 children under age 12 in the United States have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, according to preliminary data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Food and Drug Administration authorized the emergency use of Pfizer-BioNTech’s pediatric coronavirus vaccine in 5-to-11-year-olds on Oct. 29, and the CDC recommended its use on Nov. 2. The CDC is going to include vaccination data for this age group in its tracker starting this week. The Biden administration secured enough doses for every U.S. child of age 5 to 11 and plans to increase distribution to pediatricians' offices, pharmacies, and school clinics this week. President Biden pleaded with parents this week, saying, “Please get them vaccinated. Because here’s the deal: Children make up one quarter of the cases in this country. And while rare, children can get very sick from covid-19. And some can end up — few — but end up hospitalized. But they don’t have to” (WaPo).
Around the World
India’s Vaccine Campaign Becomes Sluggish
Just seven months ago, Covid-19 was killing thousands of people each day in India. But Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government revamped their policies and redirected exports of coronavirus vaccines to domestic use, resulting in a huge jump in vaccinations. India recently delivered its one billionth dose of coronavirus vaccine. But health experts now say that the turnaround is losing steam and complacency could cause a spike in cases as the festival season approaches. Temperatures are dropping and people are crowding at markets and private indoor gatherings. Normal life has returned in many parts of the country, even though only one-quarter of India’s population is fully vaccinated (NYT). India must still administer 700 million shots in order to reach its year-end goal, which is looking increasingly unlikely.
Denmark Looks to Reintroduce Coronavirus Pass
Denmark wants to consider Covid-19 as a “socially critical disease” again, which would pave the way to reintroduce the digital health pass months after the label was removed and restrictions were phased out (AP). Parliament needs to approve the label before officials can reintroduce restrictions. The digital health pass was introduced in July but then phased out by early September due to the high vaccination rate. But the country has seen a recent uptick in cases and health authorities have been surprised at the rate of infections and hospitalizations. Health Minister Magnus Heunicke wants the pass to be put into force for entry to nightclubs, cafes, and indoor dining as well as any event where the number of people is over 2,000.
Ukraine Hits Another Daily Death Toll Record
On Tuesday, Ukraine hit another record for coronavirus deaths with 833 deaths in 24 hours (AP). Health officials blame public reluctance to get vaccinated for the continuing surge of infections. Four vaccines are currently available in Ukraine yet only 18% of the population has been fully vaccinated. It’s the second-lowest rate in Europe after Armenia. On Tuesday the government ordered workers of state-controlled companies to get vaccinated by Dec. 1. Teachers, government employees and other workers have already been ordered to get fully vaccinated or have their salaries suspended.
In France, Booster Needed to Keep Health Pass
French President Emmanuel Macron said on Tuesday that anyone over 65 is now required to have a booster shot if they want to retain their health pass (WaPo). The country has required people to show a health pass, which is obtained after a full vaccination cycle or recovery from covid-19, to sit at cafes, eat at restaurants, board long-distance trains, or access cultural venues. Unvaccinated people can receive a temporary pass following a negative test. As a result, France has one of the highest vaccination rates in Europe, but the booster shot campaign has been off to a slow start. The new rule, which is intended to boost vaccination rates among 65-year-olds and up, will take effect in mid-December.
Northern Ireland’s Health Minister Sues Van Morrison for Defamation
Robin Swann, Northern Ireland’s health minister is filing a defamation lawsuit against singer-songwriter Van Morrison, claiming that the musician’s statements about the country’s coronavirus polices have harmed his reputation (WaPo). Morrison has been vocal in his criticisms of lockdowns and social distancing measures at concerts. Morrison has called Swann a “fraud” and repeatedly said he is “dangerous.” He has also written song lyrics that accuse scientists of “making up crooked facts.” Swann, for his part, has hit back, in one op-ed for Rolling Stone magazine, Swann said Morrison was possibly discouraging people from taking the virus seriously. “We in Northern Ireland are very proud of the fact that one of the greatest music legends of the past 50 years comes from our part of the world,” Swann wrote in the article. “So there’s a real feeling of disappointment — we expected better from him.”
U.S. Government & Politics
Federal Court Rules United Airlines Vaccine Mandate Ok
On Monday, a federal court upheld the legality of United Airlines’ vaccine mandate for its employees (WaPo). The Washington Post writes, “The Monday ruling allows the airline to proceed with enforcing its mandate, which doesn’t allow unvaccinated employees to submit to regular testing in lieu of getting vaccinated. About 2,000 workers have received medical or religious exemptions, Scott said. They will be customer-facing roles, and those who don’t accept will be put on leave, she said.” U.S. District Judge Mark T. Pittman ruled against the plaintiffs who argued that the mandate gave employees an impossible choice between complying or going on unpaid leave. United Airlines released a statement reading, “We know that the best way to keep everyone as safe as we can is for everyone to get vaccinated, as nearly all United employees have chosen to do.”
Moderna, U.S. Dispute Vaccine Patent Rights
Moderna and the U.S. National Institutes of Health are in a bitter argument over who deserves credit for inventing a central component of the company’s coronavirus vaccine (NYT). The conflict has broad implications as it could affect the vaccine’s long-term distribution plans and billions of dollars in profit. The NIH says that three of its scientists worked with the Moderna scientists to design the genetic sequence that prompts an immune response and should be named on the patent application. Moderna disagrees and filed its application for the patent without the NIH scientists included. If the three NIH agency scientists are named on Moderna’s patent along with Moderna employees, then the federal government could have more influence over which companies manufacture the vaccine and which countries get access. It would also secure a right to license the technology, which could bring in millions of dollars to the treasury. The conflict has been playing out behind closed doors for almost a year. Moderna’s patent application hasn’t yet been approved, but if it is, the government will need to fight the omission of the NIH scientists’ names in court.
Illinois Prohibits Moral Beliefs as Basis to Avoid Vaccine Mandates
On Tuesday, Illinois’ Democratic Governor J.B. Pritzker signed an amendment into law that banned the citation of moral beliefs to gain an exception to vaccine mandates (WaPo, AP). The Washington Post writes, “At issue was the use of the Illinois Health Care Right of Conscience Act as a legal argument to avoid mandates of vaccination or testing. The 1998 law is intended to protect doctors and other medical personnel from consequences for refusing to perform procedures such as abortions because of their moral beliefs. Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul (D) reportedly asked the governor to encourage legislation that would explain that the law was not meant to cover a contagious and fatal pandemic, according to the AP.” The AP writes, “Democrats stressed that religious exemptions still exist under federal law, although experts dispute the availability of such exceptions under three federal statutes Pritzker’s office cited.”
Bonus Read: “Biden plan to make unvaccinated workers pay for Covid testing could backfire,” (Politico).
U.S. Economy
Household Debt at Record Levels
U.S. households are carrying a record amount of debt according to data released by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York on Tuesday (CNN). According to the data household debt increased 1.9% between July and September 2021 reaching $15.24 trillion. Donghoon Lee, research officer at the New York Fed, stated, “As pandemic relief efforts wind down, we are beginning to see the reversal of some of the credit card balance trends seen during the pandemic.” CNN notes the particular role of mortgages, writing, “Mortgages, which are the largest component of household debt, rose by $230 billion last quarter and totaled $10.67 trillion.”
Bonus Read: “Fed Says U.S. Public Health Among Biggest Near-Term Risks to Financial System,” (WSJ).
U.S. Society
Thanksgiving Dinner Staples In Short Supply; Santa Labor Market Tight as Demand Increases
The Wall Street Journal reports that many staples of Thanksgiving dinner will be in short supply as the holiday approaches as a result of supply chain disruptions (WSJ). The Journal writes, “Supplies of food and household items are 4% to 11% lower than normal as of Oct. 31, according to data from market-research firm IRI. That figure isn’t far from the bare shelves of March 2020, when supplies were down 13%.” In addition to low stocks of such items as turkey and cranberry sauce, travel may also be impacted by disruptions and shortages. The Journal writes, “Rental-car fleets have experienced shortages for months, and are expected to continue into the holiday season. Flight prices, while lower than pre-pandemic levels, are on the rise again, and travel advisers are recommending consumers buy those holiday tickets now. Thanksgiving-week bookings were 35.5% higher in early October than at the same point in 2019, according to analytics firm AirDNA.”
In addition, businesses looking to hire a Santa Claus for the Christmas season may find it a difficult proposition, as Santas are among the various parts of the economy experiencing a tight labor market (WSJ). The Journal writes, “both in high demand, some bookers say, and short supply as some would-be Saint Nicks stay on the sidelines of the labor market. Working Santas are capitalizing on their scarcity value, bumping up hourly rates and packing their schedules. Many Santas stuck to virtual appearances last year due to pandemic concerns. Now, with Covid cases falling and people eager to gather for the holidays, those in the Santa industry say demand has rebounded and then some.”
Analysis & Arguments
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