White House dismisses WHO objection to U.S. COVID booster program

[riversedge]

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White House dismisses WHO objection to U.S. COVID booster program

Dylan Stableford

Wed, August 18, 2021, 12:59 PM·2 min read
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At a virtual press conference announcing the booster program, members of the White House COVID-19 response team were asked to respond to comments from Dr. Michael Ryan, executive director of the WHO Health Emergencies Programme, who had objected to the move.

“We’re planning to hand out extra life jackets to people who already have life jackets, while we’re leaving other people to drown without a single life jacket,” Ryan said.

White House COVID response coordinator Jeff Zients said that the United States can do both.

“To end this pandemic, we have to protect the American people, and we have to continue to do more and more to vaccinate the world,” Zients said. “Both are critical.”



Zients noted that in June and July the United States administered 50 million vaccine doses to Americans while shipping more than 100 million overseas.

And the U.S. has donated more doses than all other countries combined, he said...................

[Scrivener7]

1. It is good that we are donating a lot, but WHO has a point.

WE OURSELVES won't be safe until the world is vaccinated. And Americans only need boosters because other Americans refuse to do their part and get the vaccine.

I can see why others think we suck.

[luv2fly]

2. I can see why others think we suck too

A few days ago I posted about people lying to get their third shot, despite the fact that third shots are not supposed to be happening yet for anyone other than the immunocompromised. Many people expressed support for the actions of the liars, often using the rationale that the shots are getting thrown away anyway, ignoring the fact that people are lying to do this. I was surprised, and a bit saddened by the "me first, screw everyone else" attitude.

It's awesome that we are providing so many shots to the rest of the world, but I don't care if our efforts are more or less than the efforts of any other country... it's not a contest.

Yeah, I too can understand why other people think we suck.

[Scrivener7]

4. "It's not a contest." Exactly. Do we want this under control or not?

And yes, DU seems to be going through a phase of unkindness and thoughtlessness. It has happened before and people do eventually come to their senses.

But right now there is such a buzz of low grade fear around us, and that causes it. And we've all been dealing with it for a long, long time.

Joe has improved it, but now he is using his position to do things like the Afghanistan withdrawal. It totally needs to be done, but it was never going to go smoothly and we just have to go through this period that amps up a lot of fears again.

Fears like, "Will this let the crazies dominate the message enough to take over again?" Which is significant. I know I for one just can't see how we survive another insanity driven 4 years.

The fear does get inside and does promote the "me first" attitude. I just keep holding onto the knowledge that everything changes and this will pass as the attention-deficit American public moves on to the next thing.

[luv2fly]

5. Fear

I do understand the fear aspect, but I don't understand how people let it control their thinking or, in some cases, their take on the morality of all of this. My spouse is front line in healthcare where exposure is part of the job, and as a J&J recipient myself, I have some fears as well.

I learned about DU while listening to Thom Hartmann one day and lurked here for a year or so before I decided to join, and I don't have the long-term perspective others here have. Thank you for sharing your perspective on the ups and downs experienced here relative to kindness.

[WHITT]

3. But It's An Altruistic Point

The rest of the non-first world doesn't have the minus 100 degree freezers required for storage of the mRNA vaccines. We've already donated our entire stockpile of vaccines that only require refrigeration to the rest of the world, and are set to donate a half a billion more doses, and another half a billion after that. We've already contributed billions of dollars to Covax, which will also distribute vaccines to the rest of the world.

[muriel_volestrangler]

6. The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines can be stored at fridge temperatures for up to a month

Before mixing, the vaccine may be stored in the refrigerator between 2°C and 8°C (36°F and 46°F) for up to 1 month (31 days).

https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/info-by-product/pfizer/downloads/storage-summary.pdf

Thawed shelf life
Unpunctured vial – maximum shelf life time
• Refrigerator (2°C to 8°C): 30 days
• Cool storage up to room temperature (8°C to 25°C): 24 hours

http://www.bccdc.ca/resource-gallery/Documents/Guidelines%20and%20Forms/Guidelines%20and%20Manuals/Epid/CD%20Manual/Chapter%202%20-%20Imms/Guidance_Receiving_Handling_Moderna_COVID-19_Vaccine.pdf

[WHITT]

7. And?

[muriel_volestrangler]

8. And your "point" about refrigeration temperatures is thus incorrect

It's not a matter of "we can't send mRNA vaccines to countries that can't distribute it using ultra-low temperatures". There's a whole month to distribute it; that could even work for countries without one central low-temperature store.

[WHITT]

9. A "Whole Month"?

Less shipping time, waiting around on docks, transporting overland...

Good luck wit dat.

[muriel_volestrangler]

10. Developing countries do have airports

I realise this could come as a shock to some.

2021.

[WHITT]

11. Then What?