Get 40% Off
🤯 This Tech Portfolio is up 29% YTD! Join Now to Get April’s Top PicksGet The Picks – Just 99 USD

Biden says Trump 'did not do his job' on coronavirus vaccination program, urges patience

Published 02/11/2021, 05:01 PM
Updated 02/11/2021, 07:36 PM
© Reuters. U.S. President Joe Biden visits the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, Maryland

© Reuters. U.S. President Joe Biden visits the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, Maryland

By Alexandra Alper

BETHESDA, Md. (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden on Thursday said the coronavirus vaccination program he inherited from Donald Trump was in "much worse shape" than he had expected, while urging patience and also announcing the government has bought 200 million more doses.

"We're not going to have everything fixed for a while, but we're going to fix it," Biden said in remarks at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland.

With demand for the vaccine far outstripping supply, Americans are struggling to get appointments for their inoculations, leaving Biden with an acute problem less than a month after taking over from Trump.

Biden said Trump, who spent his last two months in office in a futile effort to overturn the results of the Nov. 3 presidential election that he lost, did not order enough vaccine and did not do enough to get people lined up to get vaccinated.

He said the vaccine program he inherited was in "much worse shape" than he had anticipated and that his transition team had been misled about the vaccine supply.

"While scientists did their job in discovering vaccines in record time, my predecessor - I’ll be very blunt about it - did not do his job in getting ready for the massive challenge of vaccinating hundreds of millions," Biden said.

Brian Morgenstern, a former White House official involved with the coronavirus effort, said the Trump administration's Operation Warp Speed program had prepared plans well in advance, aided by many career officials still serving in government.

"That is why the new Administration’s goals were being surpassed before they even came into office. Enough with the lies, excuses & political pot shots. Time to lead," he said.

Trump had expressed pride in the speed of the vaccine development on his watch.

Biden said the U.S. coronavirus death toll is likely to reach 500,000 next month. He urged Americans to wear masks to prevent the spread.

"We've now purchased enough vaccine to vaccinate all Americans," Biden said.

He said the U.S. government has signed contracts for 100 million doses of the Moderna (NASDAQ:MRNA) vaccine and 100 million more from Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) to help reach the target.

"We appreciate the confidence that the U.S. government has demonstrated in our COVID-19 Vaccine," Moderna CEO Stéphane Bancel said in a press release.

Pfizer spokeswoman Sharon Castillo confirmed that it and BioNTech had reached a deal with the U.S. government.

"We will deliver 100 million doses by the end of March, a total of 200 million doses by the end of May, and the full 300 million doses by the end of July," she said.

The new vaccine orders, in addition to 400 million doses previously contracted, would allow the United States to vaccinate a total of 300 million people by July 31 using doses from the two vaccines authorized.

That would be enough to vaccinate most people in the 330 million population who want it, given that the two vaccines are not authorized for children and that many people have said they don't want shots.

© Reuters. U.S. President Joe Biden visits the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, Maryland

In addition, Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ)'s vaccine candidate is likely to be authorized later this month, and the company expects to supply 100 million doses of its single-shot vaccine to the United States by the middle of the year.

Latest comments

Biden is the cause why medicine in the USA increased 500%
they censored my realistic comment.....ok...never getting real truth out!
Try being CONSTRUCTIVE.
come on Man! you know the virus..reminds me just the other day I was sniffing something what was it? you know...the thing! well you get the point and thays why. society ( the puppy) Adam sandler.. economics... moderator....ok well were all a lot dumber for listening to everything that was just said.
you ever see what happens in the markets when you start the the masses...the governments never tell the truth about anything.. its all grayscale
correction: startle the masses
One more time for all Trump supporters: 1 the virus is a hoax  2 it will go away in September  3 no need to were masks 4 injecting bleach will help 5 only 100.000 Americans will loose their lives 6 etcetera  7 etcetera  How dump can one be to even try to compare what Biden can do to what Trump can do for the USA on this pandemic. All solutions come from understanding a problem. Trump doesn’t understand the problem. It was always to much for his golfclub chicken wing brain
You really are quite deluded. Biden has been in office for 3 weeks. The current progress, the vaccine, etc. is all thanks to Trump not President Potato Head.
What did he do except talking # about the virus?
Joe will keep his promises. Raise minimum wage, paid time off, raise business taxes, reinstate Obamacare. He just doesn't realize that all of these things will crush our economy. Ooooops
Says the economist that resides on investing.com 🤔
 and you do?
EXACTLY
President Biden will restore humanity and sanity...and make it even better than pre-Trumpcrap era.
 you sound like a baby here Darren
The only reason we have vaccines is because President Trump made it happen while the dums were trying to impeach him.. These narcissists spend every minute blaming others while doing literally nothing to help. feeble and sad excuses..
Trump had NOTHING to do with developing a vaccine. Pharma saw cash and ran to be first.
An understatement. Trump is guilty of criminal negligence, that has cost more lives in this country than WW2 did. Lock him up!
With those statements you sound like a dolt NOT a gladiator
Sniffer is the brightest bean in the bucket
Certain drug prices under Biden gone up by 500%. Insulen from $60 to $320( with a discount coupon), otherwise it would be $500
2022 mid-terms will tell all
You guys are fools to believe it will swing next election. The botes were rigged , 2022 will be even worse than 2020
totally shocked to see how ingrained the swamp is in washington. but people see it now, Dems have exposed themselves
Deminta Joe. don't forget to take you namenda.
Trump had no vaccine.....
Yup the Dems have the presidency and he goes the blame blame blame just like Obama years Well at least Pelosi has been practising the last 4 years
send him to Europe. Even if he was vas, still better than we have.
Typical Democrat
getting ready with excuses for not succeeding with the vaccine program.
what a weasel. own up joebo
Risk Disclosure: Trading in financial instruments and/or cryptocurrencies involves high risks including the risk of losing some, or all, of your investment amount, and may not be suitable for all investors. Prices of cryptocurrencies are extremely volatile and may be affected by external factors such as financial, regulatory or political events. Trading on margin increases the financial risks.
Before deciding to trade in financial instrument or cryptocurrencies you should be fully informed of the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite, and seek professional advice where needed.
Fusion Media would like to remind you that the data contained in this website is not necessarily real-time nor accurate. The data and prices on the website are not necessarily provided by any market or exchange, but may be provided by market makers, and so prices may not be accurate and may differ from the actual price at any given market, meaning prices are indicative and not appropriate for trading purposes. Fusion Media and any provider of the data contained in this website will not accept liability for any loss or damage as a result of your trading, or your reliance on the information contained within this website.
It is prohibited to use, store, reproduce, display, modify, transmit or distribute the data contained in this website without the explicit prior written permission of Fusion Media and/or the data provider. All intellectual property rights are reserved by the providers and/or the exchange providing the data contained in this website.
Fusion Media may be compensated by the advertisers that appear on the website, based on your interaction with the advertisements or advertisers.
© 2007-2024 - Fusion Media Limited. All Rights Reserved.