President Donald Trump hailed on Monday Pfizer's efficiency progress in its COVID-19 vaccine trials and production plans, while President-Elect Joe Biden said mask use was still needed in the United States as widespread vaccination was still a long way due
WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 09th November, 2020) President Donald Trump hailed on Monday Pfizer's efficiency progress in its COVID-19 vaccine trials and production plans, while President-Elect Joe Biden said mask use was still needed in the United States as widespread vaccination was still a long way due.
"STOCK MARKET UP BIG, VACCINE COMING SOON. REPORT 90% EFFECTIVE. SUCH GREAT NEWS!" Trump tweeted, referring to the rally on Wall Street after Pfizer said the vaccine it developed jointly with BioNTech SE proved more than 90 percent effective in the latest trials.
Pfizer also said it expected to produce up to 50 million doses of its coronavirus vaccine in 2020 and up to 1.3 billion doses in 2021.
Biden, who said in a statement that he learned of the progress of the Pfizer vaccine program on Sunday night from his public health advisers, congratulated the company but called for continued use of masks and social distancing practices � measures Trump has played down.
"It is important to understand that the battle against COVID-19 is still months away," Biden said. "Even if that is achieved, and some Americans are vaccinated later this year, it will be many more months before there is widespread vaccination in this country. Americans will have to rely on masking, distancing, contact tracing, hand washing, and other measures to keep themselves safe well into next year. Today's news is great news, but it doesn't change the fact."
Biden's response to the pandemic has been a striking contrast to that of Trump's. The president-elect wore a mask throughout his White House campaign, holding "drive-in rallies" at parking lots attended by people who honked their support from cars. Trump, who was infected by COVID-19 himself, did not wear a mask throughout his campaign and held rallies with thousands of people who also barely used facial coverings or practiced distancing.
Trump, who lost the November 3 election to Biden accounting to vote counts tallied so far, has refused to concede to the president-elect, filing multiple lawsuits to challenge the outcome.
