White House frustrated with 'hyperbolic' and 'irresponsible' Delta variant coverage, sources say

[Mosby]

The White House is frustrated with what it views as alarmist, and in some instances flat-out misleading, news coverage about the Delta variant. That's according to two senior Biden administration officials I spoke with Friday, both of whom requested anonymity to candidly offer their opinion on coverage of the CDC data released that suggests vaccinated Americans who become infected with the Delta coronavirus variant can infect others as easily as those who are unvaccinated.

At the heart of the matter is the news media's focus on breakthrough infections, which the CDC has said are rare. In some instances, poorly framed headlines and cable news chyrons wrongly suggested that vaccinated Americans are just as likely to spread the disease as unvaccinated Americans. But that isn't quite the case. Vaccinated Americans still have a far lower chance of becoming infected with the coronavirus and, thus, they are responsible for far less spread of the disease.

As the Biden officials explained to me, the administration is worried that the media's focus on these instances of breakthrough infections might lead to people being more hesitant to get a vaccine. Think about it: If you're a young person, and already believe you will be OK if you do get infected, why would you now get a vaccine, given that coverage suggests you can still just as easily become infected and spread the virus after receiving a shot?

The worry about this line of messaging from major media sources worried officials so much, I'm told, that they reached out to several major news organizations with the aim of getting them to dial back the coverage...

https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2021/07/30/media/variant-media-coverage-white-house/

[Blues Heron]

1. On the one hand 600 of an 800 person outbreak on Cape Cod were vaxxed

On the other hand 99 percent of people with Covid in hospitals are unvaxxed.

I don't think we should worry too much about sending the wrong message to the fools who haven't gotten vaxxed yet, if the pandemic hasn't penetrated their thick skulls yet, messaging nuance won't make much of a difference.

[Kali]

2. yet recently a short term member with high post count

insisted anecdotal stories of long covid in vaccinated individuals was occurring often

no hyperbole here on DU!

[Hortensis]

3. Reporting HAS been all over the place, and headlines and

intro paragraphs often haven't defined terms and what the data referenced for authority actually mean. Lots of third-party "interpretation" of incomplete and unofficial data.

[Ms. Toad]

4. The Biden administration needs to stop focusing on messaging,

and start focusing on being transparent and factual.

The focus on messaging by the CDC had contributed to making it harder to control this pandemic:

"Masks don't work" to discourage a run on masks to preserve them for health care workers (they do)
"Masks ony protect those around the wearer" a call to altrusim (they protect both)
"The vaccinated don't need to mask anymore" a reward to those who are vaccinated (masks are important for public health - not a reward for good behavior)

and on, and on.

And, now that the truth about the importance of mask wearing, in the face of the Delta variant, is becoming undeniable - instead of making a strong push for layers of protection, they are worried that hearing the truth about Delta will discourage vaccination.

Mandate vaccination or enforced mask wearing for the unvaccinated (and universal mask wearing until the Delta surge dies down) as a matter of public safety - and stop worrying so much about getting the right message.

Reminds me of work - when they refused to put up messages warning about/giving tips to avoid COVID because we didn't have the right sign holders.

[Raven123]

5. I agree with the WH

I have watched a number of CDC briefings. Unquestionably, Dr. Walensky is boring when reading from a text, but much better when interviewed. The questions asked by the media frequently have been answered before they are asked, telling me the media isn’t paying attention.

I think it was mid week that Walensky said the CDC was reviewing data from reports that hadn’t been peer reviewed, concerning Delta. Once the media obtained CDC internal info, they pushed the ASAP button. Chris Cuomo demanded the data be released and other outlets pounced on the info, as if the CDC was holding back.

I really don’t believe that’s what happened. As I understand it The Massachusetts report at issue was based on data obtained this month. It’s not as if they have been sitting on it for months like TFG did.

Any major change in recommendations requires coordination. The media moans there is no coordinated response, and moans coordination takes longer than a 3 minute egg. Personally, i think the media is part of the problem

[PSPS]

6. It's not "hyperbolic." It's factual and doesn't mislead people into being vaccines-hesitant

The vaccine is worth its weight in gold in that, if you're infected, it will almost certainly prevent any serious side effects such as hospital/death. Everyone should be vaccinated.

BUT

If you do have a breakthrough infection (like two of my clients,) you can spread the virus plus you will be subject to long-haul effects.

Why the white house thinks this is "alarmist," "irresponsible" or "misleading" is beyond me. Would anyone decide to skip getting vaccinated because it might keep them from dying or having to go to the hospital? Of course not.

What is irresponsible is to downplay these facts. This is rather bothersome because it sounds like they're letting economic/business pressures drive public health decisions AGAIN!

[senseandsensibility]

7. Here's what the administration should say then:

We were beating the pandemic. Unfortunately, the unvaccinated ruined it for us. They didn't wear masks against CDC guidance. Only vaccinated were advised that they could forego masks. They caused the latest surge by not masking and refusing to vaccinate. Now the vaccinated are paying the cost for their failure. They're not willing to say that, so they muddle the message.