Fauci Denigrates Trump Admin’s ‘Rather Vague’ Vaccine Rollout Plan

WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 21: Dr Anthony Fauci, Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, listens during an event at the State Dining Room of the White House January 21, 2021 in Washingto... WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 21: Dr Anthony Fauci, Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, listens during an event at the State Dining Room of the White House January 21, 2021 in Washington, DC. President Biden delivered remarks on his administration’s COVID-19 response, and signed executive orders and other presidential actions. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images) MORE LESS
Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

Dr. Anthony Fauci, adviser to the president on COVID-19, said on Tuesday that the plan that Joe Biden’s predecessor left for vaccine rollout was “rather vague,” reinforcing reports that the Trump administration left little in place to carry out the distribution of vaccines before leaving office last month. 

The comments come after Vice President Kamala Harris told Axios in an interview that aired Sunday that the Biden administration was “starting from scratch” on its vaccinations plan. 

“There was no national strategy or plan for vaccinations,” Harris said. “We were leaving it to the states and local leaders to try and figure it out. And so in many ways, we’re starting from scratch on something that’s been raging for almost an entire year!”

When asked if he agreed with the assessment made by Harris, the nation’s top infectious diseases expert said that “the actual plan of getting the vaccine doses into people’s arms was really rather vague.” 

“It was not a well coordinated plan,” Fauci said of the former administration’s rollout effort. “Getting the vaccines made, getting them shipped through Operation Warp Speed was okay, but I believe what the vice president is referring to is: what is process of actually getting these doses into people?”

Fauci told CNN’s Jim Sciutto that the incoming administration had to “get much better organized” around its distribution of  vaccines, expanding its reach to community vaccine centers, as well as involving pharmacies and mobile units.

Fauci said Tuesday that his concern has now shifted to building supply, warning that demand for vaccine has now outweighed the supply of doses available. 

The White House has repeatedly said that it has secured enough of the two vaccines that have been authorized by the FDA to provide enough doses of the vaccine to cover all Americans by the end of the summer. White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Tuesday that Biden’s administration also had plans to increase coronavirus vaccine supplies sent to states to 13.5 million doses per week.

“As we get further into the spring, there will be more and more,” Fauci said, adding: “We need more doses. We have a good plan how to get the doses into people’s arms, we just need more vaccine.”

Latest News

Notable Replies

  1. Avatar for jinnj jinnj says:

    yes … maybe there will come a time when it is not the case - but until then -
    anytime science presents:

    • uncomfortable truths
    • requirements for additional effort
    • a shattering of treasured beliefs
    • a price to be paid

    Science is going to be under attack -

  2. Avatar for pshah pshah says:

    If Merrick Garland is half as mad at Trump as Dr. Fauci is, watch out! Though I suppose it’s more along the Harry Trumanism that he’s not giving them hell. He just tells the truth, and they think it’s hell.

  3. Hopefully, he’s not going to invest it in hydroxychloroquine futures.

  4. Good for Dr. Fauci! I wonder what organization(s) will get the donation?

    I remember one of the things Biden said in his Inauguration speech: Defend the truth, and defeat the lies.

    And, by happenstance, my daily calendar has this quote, from Byron Katie: “When I argue with reality, I lose–but only 100 percent of the time.” I feel that way about truth, nature, and science, too.

Continue the discussion at forums.talkingpointsmemo.com

61 more replies

Participants

Avatar for playitagainrowlf Avatar for genomeman Avatar for mattinpa Avatar for eldonlazar Avatar for bobatkinson Avatar for teenlaqueefa Avatar for arrendis Avatar for tacoma Avatar for drriddle Avatar for ralph_vonholst Avatar for gr Avatar for serendipitoussomnambulist Avatar for ronbyers Avatar for pshah Avatar for jinnj Avatar for cgd Avatar for castor_troy Avatar for brian512 Avatar for maximus Avatar for occamscoin Avatar for cantaresf Avatar for Volvo_Birkenstock Avatar for Hatmama Avatar for LeeHarveyGriswold

Continue Discussion
Masthead Masthead
Founder & Editor-in-Chief:
Executive Editor:
Managing Editor:
Deputy Editor:
Editor at Large:
General Counsel:
Publisher:
Head of Product:
Director of Technology:
Associate Publisher:
Front End Developer:
Senior Designer: