WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States expects to vaccinate 100 million people by the end of March with the corona virus vaccine, the chief adviser on the US Govt-19 vaccine program said Sunday.
The first vaccine was approved for emergency use by U.S. regulators Friday night and shipping began Sunday.
“We would have vaccinated 100 million people in the first quarter of 2021,” Dr. Moncef Slawy, chief adviser on US Operation Warp Speed, told Fox News on Sunday.
The United States hopes to distribute about 40 million doses of the vaccine by the end of December, of which the vaccine is approved by Pfizer Inc. and is expected to receive similar emergency use this weekend from Moderna Inc.
A further 50 million to 80 million doses will be distributed in January, the same number will be distributed in February, Slavy said. The vaccine requires two shots per person.
“We are working with Pfizer to continue to assist and support them in achieving our goal of providing us with another 100 million units in the second quarter of 2021,” Slavy said.
The first to be vaccinated are front-line health workers and residents of long-term care facilities.
He said that in order for the United States to gain “herd immunity” to prevent the spread of the deadly virus, about 75% or 80% of the population must have been vaccinated, and he hopes to reach that level by mid-May. And June.
“However, it is important that the majority of the American people decide to accept the vaccine,” Slavy said. “We’m very worried about the reluctance we see.”
He hopes people will keep an open mind, “Listen to the data. I openly agree that this is a very effective and safe vaccine, so take it.”
In a major clinical trial, the Pfizer vaccine was 95% effective in preventing disease with some serious side effects.
Slavy underestimated the recommendations that there would not be enough vaccine to go around. He noted that a vaccine from Johnson & Johnson may be ready for approval in late January or early February, and that the AstraZeneca vaccine will be “acceptable somewhere in late February.”
White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows responded to questions about reports that he had called Stephen Hahn, president of the Food and Drug Administration, on Friday, saying the political pressure to approve the vaccines was “not helpful because it was not needed.” You may lose the vaccine or work that day.
Criticizing both the FDA and Pfizer, President Donald Trump said in a tweet on Friday, “Get rid of the bad vaccine now, Dr. Hahn.”
“If that phone call happens, I think it’s useless and unfortunate. Some tweets are like that,” Slavy said.
Susan Cornwell Report; Editing by Lisa Schumacher and Bill Berkrod