WASHINGTON (AP) – For a government that prides itself on talking straight about the pandemic, self-congratulation went too far on Wednesday.
President Joe Biden wrongly claimed that the U.S. had vaccinated a record 2.9 million people on Saturday, while his special adviser on the pandemic exaggerated the proportion of older Americans who were completely immunized.
Look at how their statements compare with the facts:
COMMANDMENT: “On Saturday, we achieved a record 2.9 million vaccinations in one day in America.”
ANDY SLAVITT, special adviser to the White House Virus Task Force: “On Saturday, we set an all-time record of all time: nearly 3 million Americans were vaccinated – a rate not seen anywhere else in the world.” – lead a task force information session.
THE FACTS: The claim does not apply.
The government’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that 2.9 million doses were recorded on Saturday, but that the total came from several days of vaccinations. Only 1.56 million doses were administered on Saturday, as currently reported by the CDC.
This is far from a one – day record. The most productive day for vaccinations was February 26, when 2.8 million doses were administered.
Although vaccinations have generally increased sharply over the past few weeks, the total from Saturday is barely higher than the number of doses administered on the day Biden entered service.
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SLAVITT: ‘In terms of protecting the vulnerable – our core duty as a nation – 8% of those over 65 have been vaccinated. Today, 60% are vaccinated. And according to the CDC’s new guidelines, vaccinated parents can now visit and embrace their grandchildren – and in most cases without wearing a mask. ”
THE FACTS: This is wrong. He reckons people who have only received their first dose are immune and able to mix. Public health officials stress that only people who are fully vaccinated can be safe around each other and people at low risk without the removal and masking recommended by the general population.
According to the CDC, 61% of those older than 64 people received at least one dose, but only 31% were fully vaccinated.
The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines each require two doses, spread a few weeks apart. The newer Johnson & Johnson vaccine requires only one dose. In all cases, it takes two weeks to build up immunity after being fully vaccinated.
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EDITOR’S NOTE: A Look at the Truth of Political Political Figures.
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