Covid 19 coronavirus: Donald Trump says he is rejecting the early vaccination plan at the White House

US President Donald Trump says he is repealing an administration directive to vaccinate top US government officials against Covid-19, while public distribution of the vaccine is limited to workers in the frontline health and vulnerable people.

Trump made the announcement today, just hours after his administration confirmed that senior American officials, including some White House advisers who work in close proximity to Trump and Vice President Mike Pence, would be offered coronavirus vaccines as soon as this week under the federal continuity of the government. plans.

“People who work in the White House should get the vaccine a little later in the show, unless specifically necessary,” Trump said in a tweet. “I have asked for this adjustment to be made.”

It was not immediately clear what the scale of the vaccination program was supposed to be, according to two people briefed on the matter, or what effect Trump’s tweet would have on the U.S. government’s efforts to protect top leaders.

The news that White House staff would receive the vaccine early drew criticism on social media. Trump and his assistants have consistently disobeyed Covid-19 guidelines issued by their own administration, including holding large Christmas parties with unmasked attendees in December.

Officials said today that doses of Pfizer’s recently approved vaccine will be available to those who work in close quarters with the nation’s top leaders.

They said the move was meant to prevent further Covid-19 from spreading in the White House and other critical facilities. Trump was hospitalized with the virus for three days in October.

“Senior officials in all three branches of government will receive vaccinations in accordance with the continuity of government protocols established in executive policy,” said National Security Council spokesman John Ulyot.

“The American people must be confident that they are receiving the same safe and effective vaccine as senior officials in the United States government with the advice of public health professionals and national security leaders.”

According to guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there is not yet enough information to determine whether those who have had Covid-19 should also receive the vaccine.

The Pfizer vaccine requires two doses administered three weeks apart, meaning that Trump administration officials would receive the last injection just weeks before leaving office.

Advisers to President-elect Joe Biden have been discussing when and how he should get the vaccine and have been working to put in place plans to push safeguards against the virus in the West Wing to keep the 78-year-old Democrat healthy.