Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Trust In The Government's Covid Plans Skyrockets As Biden Takes Office
Trust surged in the federal government since President Biden's inauguration when it comes to COVID-19 鈥 but that's almost entirely because of Democrats gaining confidence, according to the latest installment of the Axios/Ipsos Coronavirus Index. The big picture: Americans reported the biggest improvement in their mental and emotional health since our survey began last March, and the highest trust levels since April about the federal government providing them accurate virus information and looking out for their best interests. (Talev, 1/26)
In related news about trust in the government 鈥
Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.) introduced a bill on Monday to ban the federal government from funding efforts to聽collect information on those who are receiving the COVID-19 vaccine.聽The Arizona Republican's bill would prevent the government from using federal funding 鈥渢o maintain or collect information that can be used to identify any individual鈥 who has received a coronavirus vaccine. (Coleman, 1/25)
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's leading infectious disease expert, said Monday evening he was extremely worried by former President Donald Trump's dangerous April suggestion that ingesting disinfectant could possibly be used to treat Covid-19."I just said, 'Oh my goodness gracious.' I could just see what's going to happen," Fauci told CNN's Erin Burnett on "Out Front" of Trump's suggestion. (LeBlanc, 1/25)
The former head of the Trump administration's COVID-19 vaccine production and distribution efforts, Moncef Slaoui, said in an interview published Monday that the public and news media has a "misunderstanding" about what the federal government went through to get a vaccine finished. In an interview with Science Magazine, Slaoui defended what he said were "exceptional" results from Operation Warp Speed, which the Biden administration has taken over following the new president's inauguration. (Bowden, 1/25)