THE FIFTH COMPANY TO LAUNCH A
LARGE TRIAL IN THE UNITED
STATES.
>> THANK YOU, LET’S TURN NOW TO
THE DEAN OF HEALTH.
GOOD MORNING.
>> GOOD MORNING.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME ON.
>> I FOLLOW YOU ON TWITTER AND
READ WHAT YOU DESCRIBED AS A BIT
OF A RANT LAST NIGHT ABOUT THE
VACCINE ROLL OUT.
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SAID WE’D
HAVE SOME 20 MILLION BY THE END
OF THE YEAR.
WE HAVE TWO DAYS LEFT.
WHAT HAPPENED?
>> GOOD MORNING, AGAIN, CRAIG.
THIS IS FRUSTRATING.
IT IS NOT LIKE WE DIDN’T KNOW
VACCINES WERE COMING.
IT DIDN’T CATCH US OFF GUARD.
TWO THINGS, WE HAVE NOT GOTTEN
VACCINES OUT TO STATES AS
QUICKLY AS PROMISED.
THE IMPORTANT ISSUE IS THERE HAS
NOT BEEN MUCH OF A PLAN OF WHAT
HAPPENS AFTER VACCINES GET TO
THE STATES.
STATES ARE REALLY STRETCHED.
THEY ARE GIVEN VERY LITTLE
MONEY.
WE ARE REPEATING THE MISTAKES WE
MADE WITH PPE ALL OVER AGAIN.
>> IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SAID THE
ACTUAL ROLLOUT, THE NEEDLE IN
THE ARM, THAT RESPONSIBLE WOULD
FALL TO LOCAL GOVERNMENTS IN
STATES, WAS THAT NOT MADE CLEAR?
>> TWO PARTS TO THIS.
THE LONG-STANDING RELATIONSHIP
WITH PUBLIC HEALTH HAS ALWAYS
BEEN A FEDERAL STATE
PARTNERSHIP, SO THAT PART IS
RIGHT.
THE ISSUE IS, STATES ARE
INCREDIBLY STRETCHED WITH ALL
THE TESTING.
THEY NEED MORE PLANNING AND
HELP.
THAT ISN’T HAPPENING.
WE HAVE TWO CHOICES.
WE CAN DECIDE ALL OF OUR 50
STATES ARE FAILING US OR WE CAN
REALIZE WE NEED THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT TO BE HELPING STATES
AND NOT JUST SAYING YOU ARE ON
YOUR OWN.
>> FROM A PRACTICAL STANDPOINT
NOW, WHAT SHOULD THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT BE DOING RIGHT NOW?
>> I THINK THERE IS A LOT.
I THINK CONGRESS FINALLY PASSED
A BILL TO GIVE MORE MONEY TO THE
STATES.
THAT WILL HELP.
WE CAN STAND UP HOSPITALS, FIELD
HOSPITALS IN DAYS.
WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO SET UP
PLACES TO GET PEOPLE VACCINATED.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE PLACES USE
THINGS LIKE THE NATIONAL GUARD
OR OTHER SERVICES.
PART OF THE PROBLEM IS, WE KNEW
THIS FOR MONTHS AND DIDN’T DO
THE PLANNING AND NOW WE ARE
TRYING TO PLAY CATCH UP.
I THINK WE WILL CATCH UP.
STATES WILL FIGURE THIS OUT.
I WISH WE HAD PLANNED BETTER FOR
THIS.
>> I WANT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT
HERD IMMUNITY.
WE KNOW TO GET TO THE FINISH
LINE IN THE PANDEMIC, WE HAVE TO
ACHIEVE THIS TO A CERTAIN
EXTENT.
70%, WE’VE HEARD 90% WOULD HAVE
TO BE VACCINATED.
WHAT DO YOU SAY, DOCTOR?
>> WE DON’T KNOW THE EXACT
NUMBER.
PART OF IT IS REALLY DEPENDING
ON HOW CONTAGIOUS THIS VIRUS IS.
WE KNOW NEW VARIANTS ARE MORE
CONTAGIOUS.
THAT MAY BUMP UP THE NUMBER.
NORTH OF 70%.
SOMEWHERE IN THE 70, 80, 90%.
THAT NUMBER IS CHANGING BECAUSE
WE ARE LEARNING MORE.