Dr. Olajide Williams discusses Hip Hop Health's campaign for vaccine education. Matt Turner talks about Didi's shares tumbling amid a Chinese crackdown. Joel Weber and James Paton share a story about drugmakers profiting from vaccines. Heather R. Younger discusses improving Amazon's culture. Randy Watts analyzes current market trends.
Efforts need to be increased to reach and educate underserved communities of color about COVID-19 vaccines through grassroots approaches and hyper-localized messaging.
There is a need for fair pricing, increased access, and global efforts to ensure equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines to combat the ongoing pandemic.
Deep dives
Disparities in COVID-19 vaccination rates
Dr. Elijah Day Williams, Chief of Staff of Neurology at Columbia University, discusses the disparities in COVID-19 vaccination rates, particularly among underserved communities of color. While progress has been made, there is still a significant disparity in vaccination rates between white people and Black and Hispanic populations. Dr. Williams emphasizes the need to increase efforts to reach and educate these communities about the vaccine, utilizing grassroots approaches and hyper-localized messaging.
Global inequities in vaccine distribution
The podcast explores the unequal distribution of COVID-19 vaccines globally. While the United States and some other countries have made significant progress in vaccinating their populations, many low to middle-income countries still face challenges in accessing and affording vaccines. The high cost of vaccines, rising input costs, and supply shortages contribute to these challenges. The article highlights the need for fair pricing, increased access, and global efforts to ensure equitable distribution of vaccines to combat the ongoing pandemic.
The potential stickiness of inflation
There is a discussion about the potential stickiness of inflation and the impact it may have on the market. The rise in wages and rents is seen as indicators of enduring inflationary pressures. While some view inflation as transitory, experts suggest that certain factors such as higher labor costs and supply shortages may contribute to more persistent inflation. Concerns arise whether the earnings estimates for companies can keep up with rising input costs, which may lead to margin squeezes or price hikes, potentially affecting consumer demand.
Positioning portfolios for the current market
Randy Watts, Chief Investment Strategist at O'Neill Global Advisors, suggests a few strategies for positioning portfolios in the current market. He advises focusing on sectors such as technology, retail, and healthcare, which have shown leadership and growth potential. Watts also highlights the importance of considering the impact of rising input costs, margin squeezes, and supply shortages on certain sectors such as raw materials, transportation, and financials. The article also discusses bullish stances on companies like Intuitive Surgical and Nike, based on their strong market positions and potential for cyclical and secular growth.
Dr. Olajide Williams, Chief of Staff of Neurology at Columbia University, talks about Hip Hop Health's campaign to reach and educate communities of color about vaccines. Bloomberg News Stocks Reporter Matt Turner discusses shares of Didi tumbling as the ride-hailing company faced both targeted scrutiny over its data security and a broader Chinese crackdown on companies listing their shares abroad. Bloomberg Businessweek Editor Joel Weber and Bloomberg News Health Care Reporter James Paton share the details of the Businessweek Magazine story When Lifesaving Vaccines Become Profit Machines for Drugmakers. Heather R. Younger, Founder of Employee Fanatix, talks about what Andy Jassy can do to improve Amazon’s culture as he takes over as CEO. And we Drive to the Close with Randy Watts, Chief Investment Strategist at O'Neil Global Advisors.