Um yes, desperately. Also i want to call the police but maybe youre the police. Yeah. Just incredible. Thank you, my friend. Well done. Well done. And thanks to you at home for joining us this hour. Tonight we are going to be joined live this hour by the person who is fast becoming one of the most familiar faces and voices of the new administration, jen psaki, white house spokesperson is going to be our guest tonight. Even though were only one week into the administration, i can show you this many pictures of her conducting different White House Press briefings because we have daily White House Press briefings again. She does these every day. Under the Trump Administration, they started out bad until they disappeared entirely. They seemed not to be able to handle talking to the press every day and bring questions. But immediately day one, President Biden brought back the briefings and jen psaki is the spokesperson. They started reversing things that were broken by the previous presiden
Every day and bring questions. But immediately day one, President Biden brought back the briefings and jen psaki is the spokesperson. They started reversing things that were broken by the previous president as they set to restore some of the basic things that had gone by the wayside over the years like daily briefings. As they set taught pass ambitious policies and programs that biden campaigned on, that democrats in congress campaigned on, it is sort of awkward but i think unavoidable to realize that one crucial thing that going to make the lifeordeath difference as to whether or not the new administration and new congress are actually able to get stuff done is a thing that we only have because of Richard Nixon being such a terrible president. And specifically because of something that Richard Nixon did right before he resigned. And it seemed like nothing much at the time. It got not that much attention at the time, but it very well may now determine if the biden presidency and the De
Company says its phase 3 trial in the u. S. Found its 72 effective in preventing moderate to severe symptoms and says it will file for Emergency Authorization in the coming week, that could mean approval by the end of february. Heres whats key, the vaccine does not require Ultra Cold Temperatures for storage and Shelf Life Is Good for up to two years, huge win. The other breaking story were following, scientists warning the u. S. Is in a race against time with the new Coronavirus Variants popping up across the country and one of those strains, the South African Variant, is now officially here. Two cases have been confirmed in the state of south carolina. Even more concerning, the state departments Public Health warning says that two infected adults had no recent travel history and no connection to one another. And its raising concerns the strain may already be circulating within the community as new data indicates the vaccines we have may be less effective against this one. That said,
We have a ton of developments today in the Coronavirus Vaccine situation. What we do know is encouraging in many waysramping up vaccine production. What we dont know about the effectiveness is terrifying. It makes you wonder if the u. S. Needs to dramatically rethink the current Vaccine Distribution strategy. Lets start with the good news. Today johnson and johnson leased some promising data from its phase three clinical trials. The vaccine is 72 effective in the u. S. At preventing moderate to severe illness. Experts consider that a strong level of protection. Here is the potential worrying news. The company disclosed the data suggests the vaccine was less effective against the South Africa Covid Variant we have been dropping. Effectiveness dropped from 72 to 57 . Its called that because it was south africa was the first place it was found which is more contagious and resistant to the vaccines we have. Its already in the United States and appears to be spreading. The more contagious u
Now on bbc news. Its hardtalk. Welcome to hardtalk, im stephen sackur. The roll out of covid 19 vaccines has boosted hopes the virus can be tamed, but it will have to be a worldwide effort if its to be effective, and right now the signs are not so good. While tens of millions have already been vaccinated in the rich west, the worlds poor are facing a very long wait the phrase Vaccine Apartheid has already been coined. My guest is the chief scientist at the world health organization, dr Soumya Swaminathan. Is Vaccine Inequity undermining the fight against covid . Dr Soumya Swaminathan in geneva, welcome to hardtalk. Hello, stephen. Thank you for having me. Its a pleasure to have you on the show. Lets start with an overview. Is there any reason to believe that we are getting on top of this Global Pandemic . Well, one year ago, the Director General of the who announced that this covid 19 was a Public Health emergency of international concern. That was on 30 january, 2020. And he said that