Conflict grows between US, allies over vaccine supply
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden’s administration is stockpiling tens of millions of doses of a COVID-19 vaccine whose authorization in the U.S. remains uncertain, frustrating U.S. allies who say those doses should be used now to save lives overseas.
The standoff is part of a growing global debate over who should have access to hundreds of millions of doses of vaccine that pharmaceutical companies are churning out in the U.S. Besides generating ill will, Biden’s insistence on an excess supply for America is potentially creating new openings for geopolitical rivals Russia and China.
A two-dose vaccine from Astrazeneca has received emergency clearance from the European Union and World Health Organization but not from the U.S. Now America’s partners are prodding Biden to release his supply, noting that the administration has lined up enough doses of three already-authorized vaccines to cover every American adult by the end of May and the entire U.S. population by the end of July.
Astrazeneca says that the U.s.-produced vaccines are “owned” by the U.S. government and that sending them overseas would require White House approval.
“We understand other governments may have reached out to the U.S. government about donation of Astrazeneca doses, and we’ve asked the U.S. government to give thoughtful consideration to these requests,” Gonzalo Viña, a spokesman for Astrazeneca, said in a statement.
Even though the 27-nation European Union is eager to relaunch a more fruitful trans-atlantic relationship after the bruising Trump presidency, the vaccine issue is proving to be a thorny topic, with some in Europe seeing it as a continuation of former President Donald Trump’s “America First” focus.
EU member states’ ambassadors discussed the challenge
this week. The German government said on Friday it was in contact with U.S. officials about vaccine supplies but stressed that the European Commission has the lead when it comes to procuring shots for member states.
Biden and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen have directed representatives to discuss supply chains in the vaccine production.
“Hopefully, we will be in a
position on both sides of the Atlantic to ensure that sufficient quantities of vaccine doses are distributed out in line with the schedule so as to complete the vaccination campaigns,” EU commission chief spokesman Eric Mamer said.
Well over 10 million doses of Astrazeneca’s vaccine are stockpiled in the U.S. for use here.
“We want to be oversupplied and overprepared,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Friday, so Americans can still be swiftly vaccinated in the event of unforeseen issues with the existing production timeline.
“We have not provided doses from the U.S. government to anyone,” she said.
Asked about the stockpiled vaccine, White House COVID-19 coordinator Jeff Zients said, “We have a small inventory of Astrazeneca so, if approved, we can g et that inventory out to the American people as quickly as possible.” He said the U.S. was following the same procedure it used for the already-authorized vaccines.
Drug manufacturers that received federal assistance in developing or expanding vaccine manufacturing were required to sell their first doses to the U.S. In the case of Astrazeneca, whose vaccine was initially expected to be the first to receive federal emergency authorization, the government ordered 300 million doses — enough for 150 million Americans — before issues with the vaccine’s clinical trial held up clearance.
I’m either partially blind, or totally honest. That said, I say: Newborn babies are not cute. I can already hear the audible gasps of horror from some readers; the “finally, somebody had the guts to say it” from their counterparts.
I recall the “oohs” and “aahs” when our children were newborns, the exclamations of he/she “is so cute,” of “What a beautiful baby!,” of “Something just came out of your child’s nose!”
I don’t get it.
To me, there is little about a newborn baby that resembles what our culture defines as attractive. Who looks more like a baby, Channing Tatum or Danny Devito? George Clooney or Patton Oswalt? I don’t recall Misters Devito or Oswalt being finalists for People magazine’s “Sexiest Man Alive,” although I admittedly have missed an issue, or all issues, over the past two decades.
Our oldest son looked just like the late, great Wilford Brimley when he was born, without the mustache. Everyone constantly remarked about how adorable and cute he was. Same with his brother, and sister. Again, how many of you think the Quaker Oats guy is cute? Okay, then, how many of you under the age of 90?
I generalize on purpose. All babies look the same. Here’s proof: They put armbands on every baby born with their name on it, and go to great pains at the hospital not to mix them up. If they all looked different, they wouldn’t need such identification. More proof: “Oh, he looks just like his daddy.” “Oh, he looks just like his mama.” Same kid. Let’s get real – “Oh, he looks just like a little weasel.”
That’s why the practice of “going to see the baby” is so confounding. I love having visitors, love having friends and family over, and especially loved all the food they brought over when our children were born (why did it stop?!?). But I don’t understand the lure of going to see a newborn baby.
Why go see a baby that looks just like any other baby that age? I don’t tell my wife: “Hey, let’s go over to the Greshams’ house and see their new toothpicks. I hear they have toothpicks that look just like all toothpicks.”
Instead of going to see a newborn baby that looks the same as every other baby, why not wait until the kid is a teenager? Then, you can really tell something.
“Honey, let’s go over to the Greshams’ house tonight to see their 16-year-old son. I heard he has some really weird hair.”
At that point, you can actually tell who he looks like, he can talk, and you can decipher what kind of person he’s probably going to be.
Then, when the mother asks – “Who do you think he looks like, his father or I? – you can have a good, reasonable answer based on something substantial. And not have to guess based on what you think the person who asked the question wants you to say.
“He looks like neither of you, but he’s the spitting image of former Seattle Sonic power forward Shawn Kemp.”
That joke goes over well in some homes. Not so much in others.
So, come on over to see what our 16-yearold looks like. And don’t forget to bring some food.