Trump to sign order giving priority access for U.S. COVID-19 vaccines to U.S. population

[webfact]

Trump to sign order giving priority access for U.S. COVID-19 vaccines to U.S. population

By Jeff Mason

 

FILE PHOTO: A woman holds a small bottle labeled with a "Coronavirus COVID-19 Vaccine" sticker and a medical syringe in this illustration taken October 30, 2020. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/File Photo

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump will sign an executive order on Tuesday to ensure that priority access for COVID-19 vaccines procured by the U.S. government is given to the American people before assisting other nations, a senior administration official said on Monday.

 

Trump, who has faced sharp criticism for his handling of the coronavirus pandemic, is eager to take credit for the speedy development and distribution of a vaccine.

 

The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told reporters that the order would set up a framework for U.S. government agencies to help other countries procure the vaccine as well.

 

It was unclear why an executive order was needed to ensure that the vaccines would be distributed in the United States.

 

The White House is holding a summit event on Tuesday to highlight the distribution process through Trump's Operation Warp Speed, which has been organizing the effort.

 

Trump has followed an "America First" motto as president, and his aides want to make clear that that same policy is at work with vaccine distribution.

 

Officials from Democratic President-elect Joe Biden's transition team were not invited to the summit. Trump, a Republican who lost the Nov. 3 election to Biden, has refused to concede.

 

Trump and other officials will speak at the Tuesday event, which will focus on informing the public about how distribution of the vaccine will work.

 

Some 85 percent of long-term care and assisted living facilities around the country had signed up for a mobile vaccination service provided by CVS and Walgreens, another senior administration official said.

 

The official said the U.S. government was concerned about cyber attacks related to the vaccine and had protected itself against them.

 

(Reporting by Jeff Mason; editing by Jonathan Oatis)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-12-08

 

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[PatOngo]

Smarten you footwork Donald, infections are out of control and getting worse! Look to the third world who have done SO much better than YOU have done in America controlling it!

[Tug]

I’m not sure that was nessary probably just pandering to his grift errr base lol 

[OneMoreFarang]

It makes sense that the vaccine is first distributed in the USA. They need it most because they have this totally incompetent leader. 

[Scott]

Troll posts removed.  Continue posting nonsensical graphics, memes and pictures will earn suspensions.  It's a discussion forum.  

 

[IgboChief]

Two things coming to my mind:

 

1) I think it is natural, that each leader will run a "us first" policy on this one. But the Trump broke so much China before, that everyone calls his actions out now, even when he does something with common sense. This is what you get when you worked so hard to attract all the justified criticism on yourself.

 

2) On the more serious side, from a pandemic point of view: Was it not much better, to achieve an equal distribution, of lets say 50% vaccination ALL over the world soonest than vaccinate 80% of one single country with much effort only to keep new infections popping up eternally from travellers?

 

Is it really better to focus on a few single countries while other (developing) countries fall apart?

Am not sure about this, the world is tightly connected these days.

 

 

[Chomper Higgot]

A distraction from the news reports that Trump turned down Pfizer’s offer to provide more vaccine doses to the US.

 

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/dec/07/trump-administration-coronavirus-vaccine-pfizer

 

 

Edited December 8, 2020 by Chomper Higgot

[Traubert]

It's a bit late to become concerned.

 

About 275k too late,

Edited December 8, 2020 by Traubert

[animalmagic]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

It was unclear why an executive order was needed to ensure that the vaccines would be distributed in the United States.

45 - 'I have today signed a big, powerful executive order, probably the biggest and most powerful that anyone has even seen or signed.  This is a really powerful, the most powerful that anyone has ever created and I am totally responsible for its creation, vaccine that will destroy a hoax virus!'

[Walker88]

His EO is meaningless. Pfizer is not under his control. Pfizer received no funding from warp speed, and only was granted a contract to supply, which it will fulfill. The $1.95 billion contract called for 100 million doses, enough for 50 million people, to be delivered. According to the NYT, Pfizer offered millions more doses to the US outside of that supply contract, but 45 refused. Pfizer then contracted with other nations to sell its vaccine, and says it will be at least June 21 before they can deliver any more to the US above the original contract.

[jaiyen]

I bet there will be more people dying each day than the number of people getting the vaccine.  

[onthedarkside]

A post linking to an article regarding coronavirus deaths that has been rejected by Johns Hopkins has been removed here.

 

Johns Hopkins comment:

"Though making clear the need for further research, the article was being used to support false and dangerous inaccuracies about the impact of the pandemic. We regret that this article may have contributed to the spread of misinformation about COVID-19."

[Sujo]

9 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

It makes sense that the vaccine is first distributed in the USA. They need it most because they have this totally incompetent leader. 

Its not. The UK started vaccines today. 90 year old lady first to get it.

[Sujo]

Why is an ececutive order needed to give vaccine? What a stupid waste of sharpie ink.

[Tchooptip]

9 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

It makes sense that the vaccine is first distributed in the USA. They need it most because they have this totally incompetent leader. 

If he were only incompetent it wouldn't be so bad, the US can work just fine without him, it's how he works that is the problem, how a sane man can keep yelling that he is being  stolen his election while Republican judges and sometimes even some appointed by himself all say the opposite without exception, I am not talking about Republicans who pretend to see nothing, of course their disappointment is understandable the one of Trump also,  on the other hand their behaviors not at all.

[OneMoreFarang]

34 minutes ago, Tchooptip said:

a sane man

Who? Trump? 555

[Kelsall]

10 hours ago, webfact said:

 The White House is holding a summit event on Tuesday to highlight the distribution process through Trump's Operation Warp Speed, which has been organizing the effort.

 

Even Trump critic Joe Scarborough has praised Trump for Operation Warp Speed.

 

"...Operation Warp Speed will be considered an unqualified success.”"

 

https://www.mediaite.com/tv/joe-scarborough-praises-trump-for-operation-warp-speed-vaccine-rollout-looking-like-an-unqualified-success/

[pacovl46]

That doesn’t fool anyone Agolf! It also doesn’t buy you any sympathies! You’re out! 

[Sujo]

1 hour ago, Kelsall said:

 

Even Trump critic Joe Scarborough has praised Trump for Operation Warp Speed.

 

"...Operation Warp Speed will be considered an unqualified success.”"

 

https://www.mediaite.com/tv/joe-scarborough-praises-trump-for-operation-warp-speed-vaccine-rollout-looking-like-an-unqualified-success/

Pfizer had nothing to do with warp speed. Best you wear a mask.

[Kelsall]

4 hours ago, Walker88 said:

His EO is meaningless. Pfizer is not under his control. Pfizer received no funding from warp speed, and only was granted a contract to supply, which it will fulfill. The $1.95 billion contract called for 100 million doses, enough for 50 million people, to be delivered. According to the NYT, Pfizer offered millions more doses to the US outside of that supply contract, but 45 refused. Pfizer then contracted with other nations to sell its vaccine, and says it will be at least June 21 before they can deliver any more to the US above the original contract.

Pfizer is not mentioned in the OP.

[Kelsall]

1 hour ago, Sujo said:

Pfizer had nothing to do with warp speed. Best you wear a mask.

Pfizer is not mentioned in the OP.  Warp Speed is.

Edited December 8, 2020 by Kelsall

[Kopitiam]

10 minutes ago, Kelsall said:

Pfizer is not mentioned in the OP.  Warp Speed is.

What vaccine is Warp Speed producing?

[ChouDoufu]

3 hours ago, Sujo said:

Why is an ececutive order needed to give vaccine? What a stupid waste of sharpie ink.

 

it's not.  this is just more electioneering.  he wants to show his base that's he's cured the covids.  nothing but a maga rally at public expense.

 

13 hours ago, webfact said:

The White House is holding a summit event on Tuesday to highlight the distribution process

 

but biden's transition team was pointedly NOT invited to attend.

 

 

of special interest is that phizer and moderna will NOT attend, despite trump's invitation, due to the nature of the event.

 

https://www.statnews.com/2020/12/07/pfizer-moderna-decline-white-house-vaccine-summit/

[Scott Tracy]

America First. As an American President should be doing. Ensuring the American People get the vaccine first, before the American Government helps out anyone else. Does it need an executive order, probably not, but now it has one and can be disputed in court, as an EO a is not a law. Whereas before this, it was assumed the American People would come first anyways...

[daejung]

15 hours ago, webfact said:

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump will sign an executive order on Tuesday to ensure that priority access for COVID-19 vaccines procured by the U.S. government is given to the American people before assisting other nations, a senior administration official said on Monday.

Pfizer/BioNTech vaccines for Europe are produced in Belgium and Germany.

[placeholder]

Just now, daejung said:

Pfizer/BioNTech vaccines for Europe are produced in Belgium and Germany.

And, in fact, Pfizer has already turned down the administrations request for another 100 million doses. Pfizer told the administration that more won't be available until  June of 2021

[Walker88]

2 hours ago, Kelsall said:

Pfizer is not mentioned in the OP.  Warp Speed is.

 

45's refusal to admit that the pandemic was real and dangerous, and that masks would help, is responsible for an untold number of deaths, likely tens or hundreds of thousands before the final toll is reached. He knew full well, as recorded by Bob Woodward, yet continued to call it the Dem Hoax until June, continued to say it would 'magically go away', and he continued to hold superspreader events up until the election. He pushed silly treatments like hydroxychloroquine and suggested injecting disinfectant would work (no, it was not sarcasm; it was abject idiocy. Besides, joking about a pandemic that was already killing tens of thousands would be almost as bad as abject idiocy).

 

Never has a POTUS more poorly served his constituents nor been responsible for more deaths and suffering that 45. It was totally self-serving, as he feared it would impact the election. In fact, his poor handling of the pandemic likely did hurt him 3 November.

 

As for his EO, what's he going to do, attack the UK to get the Oxford vaccine? He can't push Pfizer, and Moderna has limited capacity. He's voiding into the wind as part of a dog and pony show, a meaningless bit of stagecraft.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

42 minutes ago, placeholder said:

And, in fact, Pfizer has already turned down the administrations request for another 100 million doses. Pfizer told the administration that more won't be available until  June of 2021

 

It's a bit more complicated than that... Back months ago, before the current results were known for the Pfizer vaccine, the company offered the Trump Administration the opportunity to increase its planned quantity of vaccine purchases for U.S. distribution, according to the NY Times.

 

The Trump Admin declined at the time to up their Pfizer purchase order, but now probably wishes they had. The early produced doses Pfizer offered the feds subsequently were committed to others.

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/07/us/politics/trump-pfizer-coronavirus-vaccine.html

Trump Administration Passed on Chance to Secure More of Pfizer Vaccine

The pharmaceutical company offered the government a chance to lock in additional supplies before its vaccine was proved effective in clinical trials.

"WASHINGTON — Before Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccine was proved highly successful in clinical trials last month, the company offered the Trump administration the chance to lock in supplies beyond the 100 million doses the pharmaceutical maker agreed to sell the government as part of a $1.95 billion deal over the summer.

...

The federal contract signed in July called for Pfizer to deliver 100 million doses by March at a cost of $19.50 a dose — if its vaccine worked. It gave the government the option to request 100 million to 500 million additional doses."

But the administration, according to people familiar with the talks, never made the deal, a choice that now raises questions about whether the United States allowed other countries to take its place in line."

 

The White House seems to be arguing that the NYT story is "false," but a statement from Pfizer earlier this week appears to pretty much confirm the NYT's version of things:

 

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/pfizer-vaccine-trump-administration-pushes-back-declined-to-buy-more-doses/

 

"In a statement to CBS News, Pfizer said Monday that any additional doses beyond the 100 million agreed upon will need to be handled separately.

 

"The U.S. government placed an initial order of 100 million doses for Pfizer-BioNTech's COVID-19 vaccine, and Pfizer is ready to begin shipping initial doses soon after receiving an Emergency Use Authorization from the FDA," the company said.

 

"Any additional doses beyond the 100 million are subject to a separate and mutually-acceptable agreement. The company is not able to comment on any confidential discussions that may be taking place with the U.S. government."

 

 

Edited December 8, 2020 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[placeholder]

‘I literally don’t know’: Operation Warp Speed scientist can’t explain Trump’s vaccine order

The chief scientist of the Trump administration’s Operation Warp Speed was unable to explain President Donald Trump’s latest executive order Tuesday, which aims to prioritize shipment of the coronavirus vaccine to Americans over other countries.

Moncef Slaoui, who Trump tapped in May to head up the administration’s efforts to hasten vaccine development, appeared puzzled when asked to clarify the president’s order during an interview on ABC’s “Good Morning America.”

“Frankly, I don’t know, and frankly, I’m staying out of this.

‘I literally don’t know’: Operation Warp Speed scientist can’t explain Trump’s vaccine order - POLITICO

[PatOngo]

7 hours ago, Sujo said:

Why is an executive order needed to give vaccine? What a stupid waste of sharpie ink.

Look who the idiot is pushing the pen!