He added that the vaccine approval process must be guided by science so the public can trust that it is safe and effective.
“With cases increasing once again, it is imperative that we increase our production of personal protective equipment, to ensure that our courageous healthcare workers have what they need to safely fight this virus,” Biden said in a press conference today.
“I implore you, wear a mask. Do it yourself. Do it for your neighbor. A mask is not a political statement, “Biden said, adding that he will spare no effort to reverse the pandemic once he is sworn in.
“I won’t be president until January 20. But my message today is for everyone: It doesn’t matter who you voted for … we could save tens of thousands of lives if everyone wore a mask over the next few months. Not Republican lives or Democratic lives but American lives. “
Biden, in his press conference, also spoke about the newly appointed COVID-19 task force and plans for the pandemic.
“In short, I will spare no effort to reverse this pandemic once we are sworn in on January 20,” he said.
Biden, who has routinely worn face coverings himself while campaigning and in public, said that even when good news has emerged from a successful coronavirus vaccine trial, “the most effective thing we can do to stop the spread of Covid is to wear a mask. “
In announcing the transition of the COVID-19 advisory board, he said the board “is comprised of distinguished public health experts” to develop “a plan that we can implement as soon as Kamala and we take office.”
The COVID-19 Advisory Board will help guide the Biden-Harris Transition in planning the president-elect’s robust federal response.
Among the distinguished members, Indian-American physician Dr. Vivek Murthy will be one of three co-chairs to address the coronavirus pandemic.
Dr. Beth Cameron and Dr. Rebecca Katz are serving as advisers for the COVID-19 Transition and will work closely with the Advisory Board, the Biden-Harris transition team said.
Among the board members is Indian-American Atul Gawande, who previously served as a senior advisor in the Clinton Administration’s Department of Health and Human Services.
Other members of the Advisory Council are Luciana Borio, Rick Bright; Ezekiel Emanuel; Celine Gounder; Julie Morita; Michael Osterholm; Loyce Pace; Robert Rodríguez; and Eric Goosby.
Meanwhile, earlier today, pharmaceutical giant Pfizer and BioNTech announced today that their Covid-19 vaccine candidate, BNT162b2, has prevented more than 90% of infections in a study of tens of thousands of volunteers in phase 3 trials, the most encouraging scientific breakthrough yet. in the battle against coronavirus.
The two companies became the first drug companies to publish data from successful trials.
“The mRNA-based candidate vaccine demonstrated evidence of efficacy against COVID-19 in participants without prior evidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection, based on the first interim efficacy analysis conducted on November 8, 2020 by a Monitoring Committee of External and independent data (DMC) from the phase 3 clinical study, “the company said in a statement.
Preliminary results pave the way for companies to seek an emergency use authorization from regulators if further investigation shows the injection is also safe.
However, in a previously issued statement, Biden hailed as cause for “hope” the news that a Covid-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech was 90% effective, but warned of a long battle ahead.
“I congratulate the brilliant women and men who helped produce this breakthrough and give us cause for hope,” Biden said in a statement, adding that he received advance notice of the announcement Sunday night.
Currently, the United States is the nation most affected by the pandemic in the world.
New cases are increasing in at least 40 states, with more than 9.3 million total infections and more than 236,000 deaths, said a press release announcing the COVID-19 Advisory Board.
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