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JOE BIDEN HAS said he is hopeful speeding up US Covid-19 vaccination efforts will allow Americans to gather in small groups on the fourth of July to celebrate a “truly special” independence day.
He also said in his first primetime address since becoming president he would order the states to make all adults eligible for jabs by 1 May, with eligibility currently based on age and health conditions.
Biden announced moves to increase vaccinations, including lifting eligibility qualifications, deploying an additional 4,000 active-duty troops to support vaccination efforts and allowing more people to deliver shots.
He is also directing more doses toward some 950 community health centers and up to 20,000 retail pharmacies, to make it easier for people to get vaccinated closer to their homes.
The New York Times, meanwhile, has reported that tens of millions of doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine are sitting unused in American manufacturing facilities while other countries that have approved the vaccine ask for the doses to be given to them.
While over 70 counties, including Ireland, has approved the AstraZeneca vaccine it has not yet been approved in the US.
‘Truly special’
Speaking in the White House East Room, Biden marked one year since the onset of the pandemic that has killed more than 530,000 Americans and disrupted the lives of countless more.
“While it was different for everyone, we all lost something,” he said, calling the past year “a collective suffering, a collective sacrifice.”
He predicted Americans could safely gather at least in small groups on July the fourth to “make this independence day truly special”.
But he also cautioned that this was a “goal” and attaining it depends on people’s cooperation in following public health guidelines and rolling up their sleeves to get vaccinated as soon as eligible.
The president condemned the violence Asian Americans have endured since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, saying “it is wrong, it is un-American and it must stop”.
Earlier yesterday, the president signed into law a $1.9 trillion (€1.59 trillion) relief package that he said will help defeat the virus, nurse the economy back to health and deliver direct aid to Americans in need.
“This historic legislation is about rebuilding the backbone of this country,” Biden said as he signed the bill in the Oval Office.
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So tens of millions of AstraZeneca doses are sitting unused over there and yet we believe them when they say there are supply issues?
We are supposedly a wealthy country so why do we not break ranks from the EU, which we are entitled to do, open the wallet and just buy some directly from these companies ourselves. The EU management of this has been shocking.
From what I’m reading there doesn’t seem to be supply issues elsewhere.
“ Mr. Biden had been in office less than a month when Moderna announced that it could deliver 200 million doses by the end of May, a month earlier than scheduled, simply because it had become faster at production. Pfizer was able to shave off even more time, moving up the timetable to deliver its 200 million doses by a full two months, partly because of newfound efficiencies and partly because it was given credit for six doses per vial instead of five.” – New York Times
@JedBartlett: The EU has proven itself to be a paper tiger. Like its celtic cousin, its days could be numbered because of this catastrophic mismanagement. I was always pro EU but between this, the failure to lockdown airports because of freedom of movement and the bank bailout fiasco, I am now thinking we would be better off out of it. Especially when the next big country leaves. Italy most likely. They have exported 34 million vaccine doses so far according to the news last night. Why are people not at those factories protesting this treason .
@JedBartlett: there hasn’t been a supply issue for the UK or US because AZ used the EU supplies to supply them. A blind man on the street can see that.
What you are suggesting is to support profiteering by AstraZeneca.
What we should do is kick in the doors of their offices, review their files and if proven that they violated contracts, charge the CEO and key members of the company with manslaughter because people are dying due to the supply delays.
@Jim Buckley Barrett: Ok, I take your point. It certainly seems there are some dirty dealings going on with AstraZeneca.
However, from the portion of the article I posted above, it seems other companies are having no issue with producing hundreds of millions of doses before schedule so why can’t blew show some independence and approach these companies outside of the EU program and buy more from them?
@JedBartlett: And the irony is that AstraZeneca apparently weren’t in this for profit, they were supposed to be selling at cost. If they are supplying the UK and the US with Europe’s allotment then it’s obvious they are doing so for profit.
@Gert McNulty: Perhaps before you rush to join the sunny uplands of the Brexitland you might compare the deaths per million figure for Covid there with ourselves. About double. Maybe we are not doing so badly. There is a lot of anti EU spin going on which suits a lot of people. Don’t fall for it.
@Gert McNulty: The EU has been hugely beneficial to us before now and will continue to be after this is finished. The pandemic has definitely highlighted some gaps in policy but honestly who would have anticipated this? Shouting about leaving is complete kneejerk overreaction.
@Gert McNulty: like many others, you seem to be under some illusion about what would’ve happened without the EU.
If everyone looked out for themselves then why wouldn’t Belgium have just banned exports of vaccines?
Oh right, we’d expect big brother UK to help out. So much for going it alone.
Without the EU, the best case scenario would’ve been a bidding war. And Ireland would not come out on top there. If Ireland offers €100 a dose, and France offers the same, France wins. Why? Because it would be a much much bigger order so any manufacturer would offer them priority.
It is disgraceful the US are sitting on millions of doses they may not be able to use for months. I hope Micheal Martin will raise this issue with Biden next week on their paddy’s day call and ask for doses. Something tells me he won’t though.
@AL: why should we benefit first? Surely it would be in the US interest to ensure that Mexico and then Canada are fully vaccinated first..
@Derdaly: absolutely, that would make the most sense but sitting on them and giving them to no one is no good
@Derdaly: also I don’t know if they have approved AZ either?
@AL: in the linked article it states that the AZ has not yet been approved by the US as it is still in clinical trials. Also it’s more likely that some of those doses will be exported to Brazil, either way Charles Michel claims made the other day is not going to help EU in getting those doses from the US.
George Takei and his family were sadly sent to an internment camp during WWII. He’s lived long enough to see a return to the threats, intimidation and violence against Asian Americans.
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