Biden inherits non-existent coronavirus vaccine distribution plan and must start from scratch, sources say

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The Biden administration has vowed to try to reverse the Covid-19 pandemic and dramatically speed up the pace of Americans being vaccinated against the virus. But within hours of Biden being sworn in on Wednesday, sources with first-hand knowledge of the new administration’s work related to Covid told CNN that one of the biggest shocks Biden’s team has had to take digesting during the transition period was what they saw as a complete lack of a vaccine distribution strategy under former President Donald Trump, even weeks after the approval of several vaccines in the United States.

“There is nothing to rework. We are going to have to build everything from scratch,” said a source.

Another source described when it became clear that the Biden administration should basically start from “square one” because there just wasn’t a plan like, “Wow, just a new assertion from complete incompetence ”.

The incoming White House is now facing intense pressure to keep promises Biden made during the campaign and the transitional phase to radically change the situation on the pandemic and conduct itself completely differently from Trump when it comes to the virus and distribution. vaccines.

Prior to inauguration day, some of Biden’s Covid-19 advisers had wanted to be careful not to be overly critical in public about the Trump administration’s handling of the virus and vaccine, given that the transition team de Biden was already struggling to get critical information. and the cooperation of the outgoing administration, the source said.

Now that the transition of power has taken place, the Biden administration is hoping that it can quickly begin to get a clearer picture of the current state of vaccine distribution and administration across the country, going through an exercise in ” fact check ”. on exactly what the Trump administration did and didn’t do, they added.

CNN previously reported that the Biden team’s most pressing concerns regarding Covid-19 include potential vaccine supply issues, coordination between federal and local governments, as well as funding, staffing and staffing needs. other resources for local governments. This is in addition to emerging variants of Covid, which the new White House – in consultation with scientists and experts – is watching with suspicion.

Biden has made it clear that slowing the spread of Covid-19 and getting 100 million vaccines in the arms of Americans in his first 100 days in office are of the highest priority – goals that will determine whether the first years in office of Biden are ultimately considered successful. .

Hours after taking the oath, Biden signed an executive order requiring masks on all federal property, part of his campaign pledge to push for a federal mask term during his first 100 days in office.

“This will be the first of many engagements we’re going to have here,” Biden said when he appeared in the Oval Office for the first time as president. “I thought with the state of the nation today there was no time to waste. Get to work immediately.”

On Thursday, on Biden’s first full day in office, the White House is focused on Covid-19 by rolling out a national strategy to bring the pandemic under control, including numerous executive actions related to vaccination and testing.

Criticizing the Trump administration’s “lack of cooperation” as an “obstacle” to the new administration, White House Covid coordinator Jeff Zients told reporters on Wednesday that he still believes the administration can achieve its goal of 100 million vaccines in 100 days. .

“For almost a year now, Americans have not been able to look to the federal government for any strategy, let alone a comprehensive approach to responding to Covid,” Zients said. “And we have seen the tragic costs of this failure. As President Biden takes office today … that will change tomorrow.”

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