The adm. Brett Giroir, the White House’s coronavirus testing tsar, expressed confidence that a new, more infectious strain of the vaccine detected in the UK would not be more deadly than the most common strain.
“We don’t know if he’s here or not, there’s definitely a chance he’s here or not,” Giroir told Fox News Sunday. “It is no more serious than normal COVID stains. You can still protect yourself through mitigation measures … we have no evidence to suggest, nor do we believe the vaccine would be effective. “
Giroir added that “we would certainly encourage states to place quarantine orders or to test once these travelers arrive” from the UK, but noted the existing protocols for travelers from the UK and continental Europe who are already in vigor.
Asked if public health officials predicted an increase in infection as a result of the holiday season, Giroir said, “It really depends on what travelers do when they get where they’re going.”
“We know that the actual physical act of traveling by plane can be very safe,” he added. “What really worries us is the bubble mix once you get to your destination.”
Giroir also discussed the continued distribution of vaccines and said there could be problems President Trump
Donald Trump: The post office will bear the name of Pearl Harbor’s oldest veterans as federal agents seek residence in Antioch in connection with the Nashville explosion on Sunday show preview: COVID-19 relief awaits signing of Trump; the government continues to deploy MORE receive the vaccine immediately due to the presence of monoclonal antibodies after their own attack with the virus.
However, he said, for “President Trump, for his own protection, and to set an example to the 75 million people who voted for him, I think it’s a great idea.”
When asked when the vaccine is likely to be available to anyone who wants it, Giroir said, “Even with the vaccines we have right now, we hope that any American who wants a vaccine can be vaccinated on the June … that’s really exciting. “