The United States is kicking butt in efforts to get adults vaccinated while Europe is struggling. China’s vaccines are being used in multiple countries but its lack of efficacy is being blamed for surging cases in Chile.
Summary
130 million Americans 18 and older have gotten at least one dose of the coronavirus vaccine according to government officials.
- This trails only a few nations including Israel, which recently rescinded outdoor mask mandates as a result of their successful vaccination program, and Chile, which is seeing a surge in coronavirus cases despite a majority of its population having been vaccinated.
- Supply chain problems are constraining Moderna’s ability to deliver its orders to Canada and Britain in order to make full deliveries to the European Union, which has bungled its vaccination program.
- Last week, a Chinese official admitted Chinese-made vaccines “offer low protection” for coronavirus (Reminder that Chile is using Chinese-made vaccines).
- BBC detailed the repercussions of vaccine politics, in reference to Russia’s “Sputnik V” vaccine and how international tensions with Moscow on non-coronavirus issues complicates the European effort to “speak with a single, convincing voice on Russia” as some EU nations turn to Russia for vaccines and others, who view Russia as a clear and present danger, are hesitant.
- Europe’s vaccine woes are further explored by Yahoo News, which laments long wait times, uncertainty about the AstraZeneca shot and blood clot side effects, and frustration over European-manufactured doses being shipped outside the EU.
- Vox gave President Joe Biden all the praise and credit for the United States’ successful vaccine rollout, saying because of the ramp-up in daily average vaccinations since he took office, the pause in using the Johnson & Johnson vaccine will not affect the U.S. as much as previously thought.
- The question of whether, how often, and where fully vaccinated people will have to continue masking has not been the subject of intense coverage by the mainstream media, while RedState roasted Dr. Anthony Fauci for effectively ignoring data showing those fully vaccinated are not carriers or spreaders of the virus.
- Fauci was also the subject of reporting by The Daily Wire, covering his remarks on CNN saying that he expects the Johnson & Johnson vaccine to be re-approved with “restrictions” by the end of the week, with the Daily Wire noting the panel that must meet to make the recommendation already has and did not give the J&J shot the go-ahead.
- The Wall Street Journal highlighted Chile’s struggles in containing the virus despite a robust vaccination program made up of one of China’s vaccines, quoting Chilean health officials who blame the Chilean people for overestimating the effectiveness of the vaccine.
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© Dallas Gerber, 2021
