Lack of coordination with the Trump administration could lead to more Covid deaths, according to President-elect Joe Biden.
He said that “more people may die” from the coronavirus if there is a lack of coordination with the Trump administration, especially with vaccinating more than 300 million Americans against the virus.
“If we have to wait until Jan. 20 to start that planning, it puts us behind, over a month and a half,” Biden said during a press briefing. “And so, it’s important that it be done, that there be coordination now.”
According to Ron Klain, Biden’s chief of staff and the former Ebola czar under President Barack Obama, Biden’s coronavirus advisors would meet with the leading drug companies developing Covid-19 vaccines this week.
Klain told NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sunday that the president-elect’s top health officials could not coordinate with federal government employees until the General Services Administration has approved the transition process.
“More people may die if we don’t coordinate,” Biden said before reported on Monday. “How do we get over 300 million Americans vaccinated? What’s the game plan? It’s a huge, huge, huge undertaking.”
Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said on Monday that between Moderna and Pfizer, there will be around 40 million doses of vaccine available by the end of 2020. This can inoculate about 20 million people since both vaccines require two shots.
Azar stressed that the goal is to distribute enough coronavirus vaccine doses to all Americans who want to be vaccinated against Covid-19 by the second quarter of 2021.
“It’s going to take a while for the vaccine to be able to be available and distributed,” Biden said, urging Americans to still wear face coverings in the meantime.
Moncef Slaoui, who heads the Trump administration’s Operation Warp Speed Covid-19 vaccine program, said that he will work on developing and releasing an authorized vaccine.
“Since day one, our objective has been to go fast. And absolutely every day and every hour counts, and that’s why we are where we are,” Slaoui said on “Closing Bell.” And clearly, we would hope there is no disruption because of the transition.”
Biden also said on Monday that he “wouldn’t hesitate” to get vaccinated against Covid-19.
“It’s important that people who are in the greatest need get it,” Biden said during a press briefing. “I wouldn’t hesitate to get the vaccine, but I also want to set an example.”
“I think we’re on a clear path now. We’re on a clear path with the international community and international leaders, and the scientific community have focused on these two vaccines,” Biden said. “They appear to be ready for prime time, ready to be used. And if that continues along those roads, I would take the vaccine.”
Biden explained that the only reason the public fears the vaccine’s safety is because of Trump, who once hinted that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration could authorize a vaccine before Election Day.
However, White House spokesman Brian Morgenstern told CNBC: “President Trump spearheaded Operation Warp Speed, empowering the scientific community to develop safe and effective vaccines five times faster than ever before in order to save millions of lives.” According to him, Democrats have “been playing politics” by “sowing doubts about the vaccines."
