White House press secretary Jen Psaki on Tuesday was concerned about the Biden government’s credit for a partnership between Johnson & Johnson and Merck to boost production of the Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccine.
The Johnson & Johnson vaccine received emergency approval in late February after participating in the Trump administration’s Operation Warp Speed. Psaki announced on Tuesday that the federal government will appeal to the Defense Production Act to assist Johnson & Johnson and Merck.
MERCK, JOHNSON & JOHNSON PARTNER ON COVID-19 VACCINE MANUFACTURING
“We wrote our first story at The New York Times about a possible partnership between Merck and [Johnson & Johnson] for the production on January 21, ‘a reporter told Psaki during the Psaki press conference.
‘My understanding is that discussions between the businesses were going on … could you help explain how the Biden government deserves credit for bringing these two together if it seems like the discussions were going on before you arrived here has? ? “
Victor Villegas (78), right, receives a COVID-19 vaccine shot from a health worker at a vaccination center in the Mission District of San Francisco, Monday, February 8, 2021. (AP Photo / Haven Daley)
Psaki replied that she’m talking about when [the partnership] has been finalized so that we can continue it. ‘
“Of course there are talks between companies, but as for the point, and of course the Johnson & Johnson vaccine was only approved last weekend, right?” she said.
“But there is a difference between talks and continuing and the use of the Defense Production Act, which has committed this president, and not the previous president, to calling,” Psaki continued.
“Also, the commitment to help upgrade helps to get the manufacturing facilities in place where they needed to be to manufacture the vaccines. So I’m just passing on what it got across the finish line. And I think it’s clear that just happened relatively recently, ‘she added.
Earlier in the briefing, Psaki said Johnson & Johnson was behind in the production, but that Biden’s government had acted so that “we will have more than enough doses to vaccinate the American people.”
President Biden said on Tuesday that all U.S. adults could receive a coronavirus vaccine by May.