Dr. Moncef Slaoui, Senior Scientific Advisor for Operation Warp Speed, speaks at a press conference on Operation Warp Speed and the distribution of the KOVID-19 vaccine, Tuesday, January 12, 2021, in Washington, DC.
Photo:
Patrick Semanski/Presspool
Johnson & Johnson
и
Novavax
said this week that their vaccines were effective in clinical trials, and what good timing. The United States is in dire need of an increase in supply. But it should also be noted that the former head of Operation Warp Speed….
Moncef Slough.
the Biden administration triumphs over a vaccine.
One of Mr. Slaoui’s bright ideas was to diversify the federal government’s vaccination rates with six manufacturers, although no one knows which ones will work, if they will work at all. Vaccine candidates have used a variety of technologies – modern and
Pfizer
-Biontek (MRNA), J&J and
AstraZeneca
(adenovirus), and Novavax, and
Sanofi
-GSK (recombinant protein).
Vaccines from J&J and AstraZeneca were withdrawn in the fall due to delays in studies. However, J&J said Friday that its vaccine provides 66 percent protection against moderate to severe disease and 85 percent protection against severe disease, according to a global study. Initial results from AstraZeneca’s trials indicate similar efficacy. Novavax said Thursday that the vaccine is nearly 90% effective.
Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines are approximately 95% effective. It is therefore fortunate that the results of their study were available first, so that the elderly and others most at risk can be vaccinated with their vaccines. But even if they’re slightly less effective, other vaccines may be good candidates for young people and increase supply this spring.
The Speed Strain operation removed the financial risk to drug manufacturers by pre-funding testing and production so that vaccines could be marketed as soon as they were approved. For this reason, about 20 million Americans have already been vaccinated. President
Biden
This week, Pfizer and Moderna ordered another 200 million doses to be delivered this summer.
These additional doses may or may not be needed if other vaccines are approved; J&J may add another $100 million this spring, but the reason they will be available is that surgery contracts have been awarded to drug manufacturers at warp speed, giving the federal government the ability to order even more. We point this out because White House officials are trying to do what they do from scratch.
That’s a lie. The Warp Speed deal spurred vaccine development and provided an infrastructure for rapid approval and distribution, for which Mr. Biden is likely to take credit as vaccines become increasingly rapid and widespread. Mr. Biden’s team expressed their gratitude by sending Mr. Sloughy through bad news that criticized his good work.
Mr. Slaoui has kindly agreed to stay on as a consultant for a few weeks. He deserves recognition for his outstanding public service, especially since the Biden administration is so ungrateful not to recognize him.
Wonderland: Covid’s mess with vaccinations is reminiscent of the disastrous implementation of ObamaCare and Obama-Biden’s response to H1N1. Photo: Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images
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