“Now the United States Needs Presidential Leadership” … Pfizer Vaccine Leaves the US.

On the morning of the 13th (local time) in Calama, Michigan, a new vaccine against coronavirus infection (Corona 19) is beginning to be shipped throughout the United States. [EPA=연합뉴스]

“Now the United States needs presidential leadership.”

With the launch of the new vaccine against coronavirus infection (Corona 19) in the United States in Michigan, President-elect Joe Biden expressed his determination to actively resolve public distrust of the vaccine.

A large-scale transportation operation of the Corona 19 vaccine developed jointly by the US pharmaceutical company Pfizer and the German Bioentech began on the morning of the 13th (local time). The Pfizer vaccines received from St. Louis, Missouri and Andover, Massachusetts, and manufactured in a factory in Calama, Michigan, were delivered by express shipping specialists such as UPS, FedEx and DHL. The vaccine will be distributed in three weeks to local pharmacies and vaccination facilities.

How to transport the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. Graphic = Reporter Jaemin Shin [email protected]

The day before, the elected Biden emphasized that “we need the leadership of the president to design procedures to protect our lives and our families,” and expressed his intention to take office before taking office.

The background behind Biden’s remarks is the distrust of many Americans towards vaccines. The Associated Press and the University of Chicago Public Opinion Research Center (NORC) surveyed 1,117 adult men and women in the United States from 3 to 7, and only 47% of those surveyed said they would receive the Corona 19 vaccine. 26% said they would not receive the vaccine at all.

Politico, an American political media outlet, noted that the Trump administration’s pressure on the FDA in the approval process of a COVID-19 vaccine and the fact that the question of overcoming COVID-19 became a political issue during the presidential elections, distrust of the vaccine increased. Furthermore, the fact that there were cases of allergy side effects in the UK, where the world’s first vaccination began, also amplified the anxiety.

Biden said the day: “You have to have confidence in this (vaccine). There is no political influence.” These are the best scientists. ”Earlier, Biden-elect publicly announced that he would receive the vaccine to overcome feelings of rejection. Three former US presidents, including Barack Obama, George W. Bush, and Bill Clinton, also pledged to receive vaccines. in front of the camera.

The president-elect of the United States, Joe Biden. [AP=연합뉴스]

Michael Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota, said: “It is not enough to simply provide the vaccine to the community, and we must get the community to accept the vaccine.” .

Accordingly, the US Department of Health and Welfare plans to invest $ 250 million (about 275 billion won) to encourage vaccination against Corona 19 over the next two years. The US Advertising Board and others decided to spend $ 50 million (approximately 54.5 billion won) starting next year in tune with Biden-elect.

A member of the Biden Transition Committee said: “We are planning a way to communicate with the public in the most creative, transparent and effective way.”

Reporter Baek Hee-yeon [email protected]