People are no longer lining up for the Covid shot

Friday, November 17, 2023

Happy Friday, everyone! Today we’re rounding out the week with the following headlines: 

UP FIRST: Why are so few people getting the latest Covid-19 vaccine?

CATCH UP: Violence escalates in the West Bank 

—Rachel DuRose, Future Perfect fellow

Why are so few people getting the latest Covid-19 vaccine?

Jeff Kowalsky/AFP via Getty Images

When Covid-19 vaccines first became available, most Americans scrambled to get them. But despite CDC recommendations to get revaccinated, only 14 percent of adults received the newest shot in 2023. 

The lowdown: In the US, interest in the Covid-19 vaccine has been declining. The reasons vary, but it’s likely a mix of poor public health messaging, reduced fear of infection, and the lingering polarization created by the Covid pandemic. 

“The dismal start to that campaign may force a difficult question upon the public health community,” writes Vox senior correspondent Dylan Scott. “If Americans don’t care about getting vaccinated against Covid-19 anymore, what do we do now?” 

Here’s what we know thus far about why vaccination rates seem shockingly low:

• When Covid-19 first appeared in 2020, people were terrified. The virus shut down the world and killed millions. So, when scientists developed a shot that could prevent deadly infections, many people eagerly stepped forward to receive it. 

• Today, Americans aren’t as scared. Now that so many Americans have received at least one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine, and now that the pandemic has been declared over, many are simply less scared of getting seriously ill. Half of vaccinated people say they won’t get an updated shot because they’re not concerned about the virus, a November survey from the KFF health policy think tank found. 

• The shot and virus are also still very politically polarized. Some Republicans remain skeptical of the shots and continue to spread misinformation and conspiracy theories (all of which discourage folks from wanting to get vaccinated). 

• Public health messaging on the vaccine failed. Initial headlines rightfully praised the success of developing a vaccine in such a short amount of time, but they also may have misled folks to believe that one shot would rid the world of Covid-19 forever. Now that the CDC is encouraging everyone to be vaccinated once more, confusion abounds.

• In the short term, the US can increase vaccination rates. This entails targeting high-risk groups and bringing the messaging and shots to those communities. For example, the government could target nursing homes to hold vaccination campaigns.

The stakes: In the long term, finding a way for Americans to make an annual Covid-19 shot part of their vaccination routine poses a larger challenge. If public health leaders don’t find a way, that could result in the manufacturers scaling back their production of the vaccines. 

The concern with that outcome is the ever-changing nature of the Covid-19 virus means it could evolve to the point that previous or current vaccines are ineffective against it. And that would mean the return of a deadly virus among an unprotected population.

Read Dylan’s full story on the Covid-19 shot here.

Violence escalates in the West Bank 

Marcus Yam/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

At least three Hamas fighters were killed in an overnight raid in the city of Jenin in the occupied West Bank, Hamas claims. Israel claims to have killed at least five. Since October 7, at least 124 Palestinians and 1 Israeli have been killed in the West Bank, according to the UN.

Here’s what we know about the situation thus far: 

• Last night, fighting broke out between Hamas’s al-Quds Brigades and the IDF in Jenin. Following an Israeli airstrike and a battle, the Israeli military claims Hamas fighters used ambulances to try and escape to Ibn Sina Hospital, resulting in them searching ambulance crews and ordering health workers out of the hospital. [Guardian]

• The fighting followed an attack on an Israeli checkpoint. Three Hamas militants attacked an Israeli checkpoint in Bethlehem in the West Bank on Thursday, killing one IDF soldier and wounding others. All the Palestinians were killed. [Reuters]

• Since October 7, ongoing conflict in the West Bank has escalated. Approximately 1,150 Palestinians have been displaced from their homes in the West Bank, including 400 Bedouin families from Wadi al Seeq. CBS News reported on a community elder who said their property was destroyed and possessions stolen. [CBS News]

• Meanwhile, in Gaza, the bodies of two Israeli hostages kidnapped on October 7 were found. Noa Marciano, 19, and Yehudit Weiss, 65, were among the 240 people kidnapped from Israel on October 7. Their bodies were discovered near Gaza City's al Shifa Hospital. The IDF says Marciano was killed by Hamas; Hamas claims she was killed in an Israeli airstrike. [USA Today]

If you have questions about the ongoing war, let us know here. And here’s where you can keep track of all our developing coverage.

• Rep. George Santos (R-NY) won’t seek reelection. The House Ethics Committee released a report showing that the scandal-ridden representative used campaign funds for personal expenses, including for OnlyFans and Sephora. [People]

• Monday, Argentinians will vote in the presidential runoff between Sergio Massa and Javier Milei. Neither Massa nor Milei got a majority of votes in the first round of voting, and since then tensions across the country have been rising. [Reuters]
  

• Singer Cassie filed a federal lawsuit against Sean Combs, also known as Diddy, for rape, trafficking, and more. Cassie (a.k.a. Casandra Ventura) signed to Combs's record label in 2006 and entered a relationship with the music mogul, who is 18 years her senior. Ventura alleges that Combs plied her with drugs and alcohol, physically abused her, and filmed her performing forced sex acts with other people. [NPR]
  

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Today’s crossword

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