Emergent BioSolutions executives said Wednesday they accept full responsibility for spoiling millions of COVID-19 vaccine doses at a Baltimore plant and pledged to fix problems with "diligence" and "urgency" amid the pandemic.
The guidance released Thursday said fully vaccinated people could go most places safely, indoors or outdoors, without a mask. It created immediate confusion at the state and local levels as officials adjusted to federal advice that came without warning and wasn’t pegged to future metrics or Mr. Biden’s July Fourth target for normalcy.
The White House said it learned about the change Wednesday night, a day after members of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions grilled Dr. Walensky on the CDC’s messaging on masks.
Many aren’t convinced the administration took a hands-off approach.
Persons who were previously infected by the coronavirus produced high levels after a single injection, giving the companies hope that their vaccine could serve as an effective booster.
The drugmakers plan to enroll more than 35,000 adults in multiple countries to test the shots against the original strain and the aggressive South Africa variant.
Several COVID-19 vaccines are circulating now, though scientists say it is good to employ multiple options to bolster supply and have a range of vaccine platforms capable of fighting the wily virus.
Sanofi’s recombinant technology inserts genetic information for the coronavirus directly into insect cells, so they can grow proteins that match features of the virus’ trademark spike and teach the body to attack it.
Previously, the U.S. said it would share 60 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine with other countries once they pass checks by the Food and Drug Administration. The vaccine is being used elsewhere but hasn’t been approved in the U.S.
“This will be more vaccines than any country has actually shared to date. Five times than any other country, more than Russia and China, which have donated 15 million doses,” Mr. Biden said of the new total.
Speaking from the White House East Room, Mr. Biden said the U.S. will work with COVAX, a large vaccine-sharing alliance, and characterized America as the “arsenal of vaccines” as experts say he needs to do more to counter vaccine-diplomacy by rival superpowers.
In this file photo, a downtown Bethesda, Md. restaurant is closed as Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan’s executive order takes effect, closing bars, restaurants, gyms and movie theaters across the state in response to coronavirus, Monday, March 16, 2020. On Dec. . more > By Shen Wu Tan - The Washington Times - Monday, May 17, 2021
Prince George’s County will lift all capacity and distancing restrictions for all indoor and outdoor venues on Monday at 5 p.m.
However, face masks will still be mandated for indoor venues, public transportation and crowded outdoor venues for the county.
Meanwhile, Montgomery County is on the path to further reopen by May 28, WTOP reported Sunday.