Biden and Harris Introduce New Members of the COVID 19 Response Team and Warn Vaccine Distribution Needs to be Accelerated

 President-Elect Biden and Vice President-Elect Harris have introduced nine new members of the incoming Administration's COVID 19 response team.

They also warned that the current Trump Administration's efforts to distribute vaccinations have fallen short and more work will need to be done in order to fulfill the Biden/Harris's teams goal to have 100 million vaccines administered by the first 100 days of the new administration.

New Members of the COVID 19 response team

The nine new members of the COVID 19 response team are:

• Sonya Bernstein, COVID Senior Policy Advisor.
• Bechara Choucair, Vaccinations Coordinator.
• Eduardo Cisneros, COVID Intergovernmental Affairs Director.
• Clarke Humphrey, COVID Digital Director.
• Carole Johnson, Testing Coordinator.
• Tim Manning, Supply Coordinator.
• Osaremen Okolo, COVID Policy Advisor.
• Courtney Rowe, Director of Strategic Communications and Engagement.
• Cyrus Shahpar, COVID Data Director.

Please click here to access the biographies of the new team COVID 19 team members.

Commenting on the new members of the COVID 19 response group, President-Elect Biden stated:

“This accomplished and experienced team will work to get the pandemic under control so that the American people can get back to their lives and to their loved ones. To recover from this pandemic, we must take aggressive action to manufacture, distribute, and administer vaccines, testing, and personal protective equipment in an equitable way. These individuals are deeply qualified and will restore public trust in the pandemic response by leading with facts, science, and integrity.”

Vice President-Elect Harris wrote:

“Containing the coronavirus pandemic is one of the defining challenges of our time. This outstanding team will help us defeat this challenge by helping us get this virus under control, responsibly reopen our economy, and safely reopen our schools. I look forward to working closely with these dedicated public servants to save lives, contain this pandemic, and build better preparedness for future pandemics and other public health threats.”

Incoming White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain relayed:

“To contain the COVID-19 pandemic, we must implement an aggressive response to slow the spread of the virus, protect frontline workers, and ensure the safe and efficient delivery of treatments and vaccines. This team is deeply qualified to help lead our White House efforts to protect the American people from the virus.”

Improving the Distribution of Coronavirus Vaccines to the American People.

Earlier in the day, President-Elect Biden spoke to the American People and warned that more work will need to be done in order to achieve distributing 100 million vaccines to the American People in the first 100 days of the new Administration.

While expressing optimism for the long term prospects of the American People and the National Economy, Mr. Biden warned:

"The next few weeks and months are going to be a very tough period of time for our nation — may be the toughest of the entire pandemic.

I know that’s hard to hear. But it’s the truth.

So, we need to steel our spines for what’s ahead.

We need to follow even more closely the recommendations to slow the spread of the virus.

And each of us needs to do what we can to protect ourselves, our families, and our fellow Americans.

We are going to get through this.

Brighter days are coming.

But it’s going to take all the grit and determination we have as Americans to get it done.

So today, I want to clear about five things every American should know about our efforts to contain COVID-19 and where the vaccine stands today."

These five things are:

• The Pandemic is "going to get worse before it gets better."
• "The Trump administration’s plan to distribute vaccines is falling behind, far behind."
• "The Biden-Harris Administration will spare no effort to make sure people are getting vaccinated." But it may take longer to accomplish.
• "I will move Heaven and Earth to get us going in the right direction." That includes a national effort, coordinated with state and local governments and the full use of the National Defense Production Act, to increase the amount of distributions. It also includes setting up vaccination sites and prioritizing vulnerable communities.
• "While the pandemic rages on and as we increase the supply, distribution, and administration of the vaccine, we must remain vigilant." That includes continuing preventive measures such as wearing masks and social distancing, fully funding the vaccination distribution, more testing and protective gear, and safely reopening schools.

Mr. Biden finished by stating:

"And let me also say this to the American people: we can save 60,000-100,000 lives in the weeks and months ahead if we step up together.

Wear a mask. Stay socially distanced. Wash our hands. Avoid large indoor gatherings.

I know that these are often not easy asks.

You’re already making tremendous sacrifices every single day.

It’s hard on your lives, on your livelihoods, and on your kids and families.

It’s not small what’s being asked of you.

But we are in it together.

And the actions we take now will help us contain the pandemic and get us back to our lives and loved ones.

So, to the American people, I know there’s a lot that we have to do.

But I want you to know there’s also so much we can do.

We are the United States of America.

We’ve been through hard times before as a nation, and we’ll come through this as well.

I promise you. We will.

May God bless you all.

May God protect our troops."

It is very refreshing that the country will soon have a President that will be upfront, as honest as possible with the people, and not blow sunshine up people's butts just so he can look good.