So last weekend Joe Biden, our dementia-addled President-elect and de facto leader of the “party of science”, wants to release all the vaccine stores being held in reserve for the second booster dose for those who already received the first dose, in stark contrast to the Trump administration’s plan. That way we can “get more shots into American’s arms now” said Biden’s spokesman, relying on the manufacturers to increase production so hopefully the second doses will be available when needed. Of course this is against the recommendations of the FDA and the drug manufacturers whose clinical research has indicated that roughly 28 days after the first dose, the recipient will only have approximately 50% immunity, thus requiring the second dose to reach its full potential of 95% effectiveness. A delay in receiving the second dose would be detrimental to achieving full immunity potential and goes against the protocols established in the clinical trials. Bloomberg called it a “second dose gamble” and even NPR reported that the “second shot carries many of the logistical challenges as the first one, plus the added challenge of ensuring that the second dose is actually available”. So under the Biden proposal, potentially more people will be vaccinated but with reduced effectiveness. Genius. Perhaps he is being advised on medical policy by Dr. Jill Biden.
But hold on: not more than 5 days later, after criticizing the Biden plan, the Trump administration abruptly reversed course and indicated that they will release the additional doses. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar now believes that the “manufacturing is predictable enough that we can ensure second doses are available to people from ongoing production”. Federal officials, according to the WSJ, said “there is enough supply to ensure booster shots will be available and that they won’t extend the current recommended dosing schedules”. Uh-huh. So what changed in five days? Is this a policy change based on science, on manufacturing or on politics? And where did the FDA disappear to in the midst of this debate? And if there is indeed such a glut of vaccine due to ramped up production, why can’t we set aside the second dose now to ensure that it will be there in 28 days rather than assume the risk? I don’t know about you, but after enduring the first dose, I want to be damn sure the second one is waiting for me rather than relying on some bureaucrat advising me that manufacturing is “predictable enough”. Besides, the problem may not actually be in the production, but in the logistics, and those logistics are currently controlled by the government. Witness New York’s botched roll out with vaccine discarded when no one showed up for their appointment leaving nurses scrambling to find local firefighters and police….. anyone who fit the state’s qualifications to receive the allocation before it expired. In Florida, seniors lined up for shots until the pharmacies ran out, while some locations were offering it to anyone within earshot. Doesn’t instill much confidence. Remember the nine most frightening words in the English language: “I’m from the government and I’m here to help”.
But hold on: not more than 5 days later, after criticizing the Biden plan, the Trump administration abruptly reversed course and indicated that they will release the additional doses. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar now believes that the “manufacturing is predictable enough that we can ensure second doses are available to people from ongoing production”. Federal officials, according to the WSJ, said “there is enough supply to ensure booster shots will be available and that they won’t extend the current recommended dosing schedules”. Uh-huh. So what changed in five days? Is this a policy change based on science, on manufacturing or on politics? And where did the FDA disappear to in the midst of this debate? And if there is indeed such a glut of vaccine due to ramped up production, why can’t we set aside the second dose now to ensure that it will be there in 28 days rather than assume the risk? I don’t know about you, but after enduring the first dose, I want to be damn sure the second one is waiting for me rather than relying on some bureaucrat advising me that manufacturing is “predictable enough”. Besides, the problem may not actually be in the production, but in the logistics, and those logistics are currently controlled by the government. Witness New York’s botched roll out with vaccine discarded when no one showed up for their appointment leaving nurses scrambling to find local firefighters and police….. anyone who fit the state’s qualifications to receive the allocation before it expired. In Florida, seniors lined up for shots until the pharmacies ran out, while some locations were offering it to anyone within earshot. Doesn’t instill much confidence. Remember the nine most frightening words in the English language: “I’m from the government and I’m here to help”.
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