December 16, Washington DC: The United States (US) has already begun its efforts against Covid-19 Vaccination and the mass vaccination campaign has already started its second day. On the occasion, the country’s top infectious disease expert Dr Anthony Fauci said that it strongly feels and even recommends that both – President-elect Joseph R. Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris receive the coronavirus vaccination at the earliest. And he urged that for security reasons, he feels that the two should get vaccinated and is fully secured, as he enters presidency early next month.
Joe Biden to get Vaccinated Publicly?
Adhering to his concern, Joe Biden has said that he would ideally like to get vaccinated publicly once, Dr Fauci who will be the former’s chief medical adviser confirmed that it was completely safe. A vaccine developed by BioNTech and Pfizer was authorized for emergency usage on Friday by the Food and Drug Administration and a second one, made by Moderna is expected to receive authorization probably by the end of the week.
Recommendation for Trump and Pence
Dr Fauci further said that he would even recommend that both – President Trump and Vice President Mike Pence to get the vaccine so that even they are able to secure their health. On the other hand, President Trump on Sunday night said that the plan for senior staff members of the White House receiving the coronavirus vaccination shots has been held back for a while. It is the frontline healthcare workers who have received the first shots. Regarding the vaccine shots, Mr Trump tweeted,
“People working in the White House should receive the vaccine somewhat later in the program, unless specifically necessary; I have asked that this adjustment be made. I am not scheduled to take the vaccine, but look forward to doing so at the appropriate time.”
On the other hand, Christopher C. Miller, the present secretary of the Defense Department, obtained the vaccine shots on Monday at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. The Defense Department is a coordinating body Operation Warp Speed, the outgoing Trump administration’s exertion to allocate the vaccine as soon as possible.
Damned-if-you-do, Damned-if-you-don’t: Preposition for Covid-19 Vaccination
For President-elect Biden and other designated officials and public figures, getting vaccinated is a matter of life and death. However, doing so widely could be suitable as it might instil a strong sense of confidence in the general public, especially the minority communities within the country who seem to somewhat wary about the overall vaccination process as well as health initiatives taken by the government. But with the vaccine available in sparsity, government authorities, particularly the ones holding senior positions of power. Commenting on the ongoing vaccination process, about how lawmakers should handle vaccination, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr Robert R. Redfield, said
“If they want public figures to take the vaccine early in order to reassure Americans that it’s safe, I’m sure many of us will do that,” Mr Alexander said he told Dr Redfield. But he added, “I’m not going to do that on my own. I’m going to do it when the public health officials tell me it’s my turn.”
Till the Covid-19 Vaccination process yields results and reaches out to the general public, let the current focus be on trials and tests and then await an outcome.
Source: New York Times and WSJ
