Following the announcement by Moderna that its experimental vaccine was 94.5% effective in preventing coronavirus based on interim data from a late-stage clinical trial, President Donald Trump sent out a tweet on Monday to take credit for the news.
“Another Vaccine just announced. This time by Moderna, 95% effective,” the president wrote. “For those great ‘historians’, please remember that these great discoveries, which will end the China Plague, all took place on my watch!"
The Trump administration awarded, as part of "Operation Warp Speed," a $1.5 billion contract to Moderna in August to develop and deliver at least 100 million vaccine doses, the Blaze reported.
Moderna CEO Stéphane Bancel said the Trump administration was a key part of accelerating the company's progress in developing the vaccine.
However, World Health Organization head Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned that “A vaccine on its own, will not end the pandemic,” Forbes reported.
He stressed that while this should hopefully relieve pressure on healthcare systems and reduce deaths, “the virus will still have a lot (of) room to move,” adding that “We still have a long road to travel.”
Tedros said that even with a vaccine, it will be crucial to continue measures currently being used such as contact tracing, testing, surveillance, and isolating cases, as well as encouraging communities and individuals to be careful.
Brian Freeman ✉
Brian Freeman, a Newsmax writer based in Israel, has more than three decades writing and editing about culture and politics for newspapers, online and television.
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