Biden says Trump’s plan to distribute vaccines that are ‘far behind’

Elected President Joe Biden warns that the Trump administration’s attempt to vaccinate Americans against the coronavirus is “falling behind, far behind.”

Biden spoke on Tuesday in his hometown of Wilmington, Del., After meeting with advisers, a more aggressive attempt “to get the rate of vaccinations” back on track.

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The president-elect also criticized the outgoing government’s lack of COVID testing for Americans, calling it a “travesty.”

Elected President Joe Biden speaks at The Queen Theater, Tuesday, December 29, 2020, in Wilmington, Del.  (AP Photo / Andrew Harnik)

Elected President Joe Biden speaks at The Queen Theater, Tuesday, December 29, 2020, in Wilmington, Del. (AP Photo / Andrew Harnik)

Biden led his speech by warning that “things are going to get worse before they get better … We have to be honest, the next few weeks and months are going to be very difficult, a very difficult period for our country. Perhaps the most difficult during this whole pandemic. “

On a day when the death toll from the national coronavirus since the pandemic hit the U.S. in February and March was the peak of 335,000 people, Biden stressed: more lives in the coming months. ‘

The president-elect warned that “the Trump administration’s plan to distribute vaccines is lagging far behind.”

“As I have long feared and warned, efforts to distribute and administer the vaccine are not progressing as they should. A few weeks ago, the Trump administration proposed that 20 million Americans could be vaccinated by the end of December. “With only a few days left in December, we have only vaccinated a few million so far.”

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Trump officials who led Operation Warp Speed ​​last week acknowledged that the rollout of vaccines was unlikely to reach its goal of 20 million vaccinations by the end of the month.

Dr Moncef Slaoui, who heads the government’s efforts to speed up vaccine production and distribution, told reporters the process was “slower than we thought it would be.”

Biden said he was leading his team “to prepare for a much more aggressive effort with more federal involvement and leadership to get things back on track. We will find ways to increase the rate of vaccinations.”

He reiterates his goal of ensuring that 100 million shots are fired at the end of the first 100 days.

“If Congress provides the funding, we will be able to achieve this incredible goal. It will increase the current rate five to six times to 1 million shots per day,” Biden said.

He also acknowledged that “this will be the biggest operational challenge ever faced as a nation, but we are going to do it.”

The president-elect also said he would “use my power under the Defense Production Act if I swear to order the private industry to speed up the material needed for vaccines and protective equipment.”

The Biden administration plans to set up vaccination sites, send mobile units to hard-to-reach communities and encourage people in minority communities who may be more skeptical about the vaccinations.

“We will launch a massive public education campaign to increase the acceptance of vaccines. We will do everything in our power to show that the vaccines are safe,” he said.

While President repeatedly praised COVID’s test efforts under his government, Biden painted a very different picture. “After ten months of the pandemic, we still do not have enough tests. It is a travesty,” he said, adding that he should increase the test.

And he promises “more protective equipment for front-line health workers who still use masks and gowns.”

But the president-elect said all these efforts would require additional funding from Congress. He plans to propose a new COVID action package.

Biden also reiterates his goal of asking Americans to wear a mask for the first 100 days of his government to prevent the spread of the virus. He reiterated that he should carry a mandate for federal workers and in government buildings, as well as planes, trains and buses traveling between states. And he said he would work with the country’s governors and mayors to implement mask mandates in much of the country.

But he also looked to Trump, who has just over three weeks left in the White House, to help.

Biden said he hoped the president – who refused to wear a mask in public early in the pandemic – would “clearly and unequivocally promote the wearing of a mask”.

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The president-elect praised former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, a Trump ally infected with COVID. Christie is playing in a public service announcement this month calling on Americans to wear masks.

“I give credit to the former government, Chris Christie. He and I did not agree on a number of things, but I’m grateful he’s encouraging people now to do the right thing and make marks for their loved ones and their country. to wear, “Biden said. “I hope President Trump will listen to him. He can do that too. It will make a big difference for President Trump to say he wears masks.”

Fox News’ Allie Raffa contributed to this report

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