Can vaccination be given priority if it fails to fight the epidemic? "High risk" gives way to "high position" "White House first" approved
While the epidemic is still severe, the United States began to distribute the first batch of about 3 million doses of the new crown vaccine on the 13th, and it is expected to start vaccination on the 14th at the earliest.
A number of media outlets disclosed that in addition to susceptible groups and high-risk groups, priority vaccinations also include "high-ranking groups", namely, senior White House officials and people around the president.
As soon as the news came out, it immediately caused public dissatisfaction.
"High risk" gives way to "high"? "White House First" approved
Two sources told the New York Times that people close to President Trump have been notified that they will be vaccinated "soon."
One of the sources said that the White House wants all staff to be vaccinated, but priority is given to the "most senior" officials around the president.
The Associated Press reported that two sources were quoted as saying that senior US government officials, including some who work alongside Trump and Vice President Pence, will be vaccinated "as soon as this week".
Trump himself quickly denied the "White House first."
He said on social media: "Unless it is really necessary, people working in the White House should be vaccinated later. I have asked for this adjustment." Trump had previously contracted the new crown virus and recovered, and repeatedly declared that he has " immunity".
Up to now, it is unknown when the White House staff and senior government officials will be vaccinated, but the news of "White House First" quickly caused dissatisfaction among the American people.
“White House officials neither wear masks nor follow the CDC’s epidemic prevention guidelines, but they want to be the first to be vaccinated.”
"They are responsible for the pandemic disaster in the United States. They said (the pandemic) is a hoax, but now they give priority to vaccination?"
"The people who killed 300,000 people in the United States have to be the first to be vaccinated."
"Those who do not take the epidemic seriously, and those who have caused hundreds of thousands of deaths, should be vaccinated last."
As netizens said, the White House, which has been so inaction in the face of the epidemic, tried to obtain the same privileges as medical staff fighting on the front line of the epidemic when vaccinating. The New York Times quoted Democratic consultant Tim Hogan, The accusation of the White House's actions is an insult to medical staff.
The "Washington Post" commented that the news that senior officials would give priority to vaccination may aggravate Americans' perception of "the same disease but different lives" in the epidemic.
The White House urges the Drug Administration to approve vaccine political intervention approved
The vaccine distributed this time in the United States was jointly developed by Pfizer Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd. of the United States and the German Biotech Company. It has just received an emergency use authorization from the US Food and Drug Administration on the 11th.
The reason why the approval is so fast may not be the result of scientific evaluation, but because the White House has rushed it.
Many American media reported that the White House continued to require the FDA to complete the approval as soon as possible, and even threatened the Director of the FDA to "resign if he didn't approve the vaccine."
On the 11th, Trump criticized the US Drug Administration as a "big, old, slow turtle" on social media, and asked the Director of the Drug Administration Stephen Hahn to "stop playing games."
According to several US media reports, White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows also called Stephen Hahn, Director of the Administration of Drug Administration, on the 11th, saying that if the vaccine was not approved that day, Hahn would “be ready to resign”.
Reuters quoted a source as saying that although Meadows's remarks contained "ridicule", the White House's intention to urge the FDA to complete the approval as soon as possible was not false.
Although the Director of the Drug Administration Hahn denied being threatened with resignation, the US media and experts have always worried that the White House will exert political pressure on the vaccine issue, and such political pressure will only undermine the American people’s trust in vaccines.
"The (vaccine) approval should be based on science, not politics. That's why some Americans refuse to get vaccinated, including me."
"Maybe this is why we don't trust vaccines."
"So, is the vaccine approval the result of being threatened? I hope not."
On the 13th, Slavie, the chief adviser of the United States’ new crown vaccine and drug research plan, "Operation Warp Speed", also emphasized that political interference should be abandoned on the vaccine issue.
The "Action Warp Speed" plan aims to accelerate scientific research on new crown vaccines, drugs, and testing.
Moncef Slavi, chief adviser of Operation Warp Speed in the United States: If the phone call is true, I think it is useless and unfortunate.
Fox TV host Wallace: So as a doctor, do your opinions on vaccine distribution and vaccination keep politicians silent?
Moncef Slavi, the chief adviser of Operation Warp Speed in the United States: I would say that, or just ignore them.
Gates: The next four to six months or the worst stage of the US epidemic
In an interview with CNN recently, Bill Gates, co-chairman of the Gates Foundation of the United States, said that although the United States has authorized emergency use of vaccines and will start vaccinations this week, the United States is still far from getting out of the predicament and expects the future In the past four to six months, the new crown pneumonia epidemic in the United States may go through the worst stage. He called on the American people to continue to implement various epidemic prevention measures.
Bill Gates, co-chairman of the Gates Foundation of the United States: Sadly, the next four to six months may be the worst stage of the epidemic in the United States. Forecasts indicate that another 200,000 deaths may be added.
If the American people can wear masks and avoid gatherings, they may be able to avoid the emergence of many deaths. So in the near term, this is bad news.
Gates said that the U.S. government must learn from the epidemic and allow professional institutions and experts to release relevant information and suggestions in a timely manner, instead of trying to cover up and downplay the epidemic.
Bill Gates, Co-Chairman of the Gates Foundation of the United States: I originally thought that the United States could deal with the epidemic better than it is now. We must learn from this epidemic.
Because there may be the next outbreak of infectious diseases, the US government must be more wise.
Perform relevant tests faster and allow the CDC and experts to release information to the public in a timely manner, instead of fearing (release) bad news, so that we can prepare the public to respond.
Gates criticizes "vaccine America first" selfish
Bill Gates also criticized the so-called "vaccine America first" policy.
US President Trump previously signed an executive order to ensure that US vaccine suppliers give priority to Americans with vaccines.
Bill Gates told CNN that the so-called "America First" is very selfish.
He also advocated that the distribution of vaccines should be "based on medical needs, not on wealth."