GOP's vaccine push amid delta variant may be too little, too late experts say Share Updated: 10:55 PM EDT Jul 22, 2021 By JILL COLVIN and BRIAN SLODYSKO Associated Press GOP's vaccine push amid delta variant may be too little, too late experts say Share Updated: 10:55 PM EDT Jul 22, 2021 Hide Transcript Show Transcript >>HE T SERIES OF VACCINATIONS PROTECTS AGAINST A SYMPTOMATIC INFECTION FROM THE DELTA VARIANT. REPORT:ER REPUBLICAN ANDY HARRIS, A LEADING ICE VOIN WASHINGTON THURSDAY AMID AN ORGANIZED MESSAGING SHIFT BY A GROWING NUMBER OF GOP LAWMAKERS ON THE VIRUS, THE VACCINES, AND THE DELTA VARIANT. >> MEMBERS OF THE DOC CAUCUS LIKE MYSELF HAVE BEEN VACCINATNG PATIES,NT PARTICIPATING IN CLINICS, GETTING THE MESSAGE T.OU TALK TO YOUR PHYSICIAN, GET THE VACCE.IN REPORTER: CONGRESSMAN HARRIS WAS THE FIRST MEMBER OF THE DOCTOR’S CAUCUS TO STEP UP TO THE MIC TODAY. HE FOCUSED HIS REMARKS, AS HE HAS BEFORE, ON VACCINE SAFETY AND EFFICACY. >> I COUL’N'T AGREE MO.RE REPORTER: WE ASKED JOHNS HOPKINS EPIDEMIOLOGIST, DR. DAVID DOY,WD WHAT HE MAKES OF THIS CHANGE IN CONSERVATIVE RHETORIC. >> I THINK ANY MESSAGE THAT HELPS PEOPLE GET VACCINATED IS A GOOD ONE. REPORTER: BUT WHAT’S NOT HELPFUL HE SAID IS THE CONTINUED FOCUS ON THE LAB LEATHK EORY. ACCUSATIONS LOBBED AT CHINA, CONSUMING THE BULK OF THIS PSSRE CONFERENCE TOD.AY >> DOES THAT MATTER? FROM WHERE YOU’RE SITTING IS NOT IMPORTANT RIGHT NOW? >> NOW. I THINK WHAT WE NEED TBEO DOING AS AMERICAN SOCIETY IS THINKING ABOUT HOW WE CAN MECO TOGETHER TO MAKE SURE THIS VIRUS DOES NOT EXACT THE SAME TOLL OF SICKNESS DAN DEATH THAT WE’VE SEEN IN THE PAST. REPORTER: THE PRESS CONFERENCE SPENT THE MAJORITY OF ITS TIME LOBBING ACCUSATIONS AT CHINA. AT THE SAME TIME, THE U.S. MILITARY IS RESPONDING TO ACCUSATIONS FROM CHINA THAT COVID-19 ORIGINATED FROM THE INFECTIOUS DISSEEA LAB AT FORT DIETRICH HERE IN MARYLAND. IN A STATEMENT TO 11 NEWS WE ASKED FOR A RESPONSE TO, U.S. ARMY SPOKESPERNSO RESENTED COLONEL BRANDON KLYEL SAID THAT THE INSTITUTE OF INFECTIOUS DISEESAS HAS ABSOLUTELY NO INVOEMLVENT WITH THE NOVEL CORONAVIRUS, HAD NO INVOLVEMENT PRIOR TO ITS CURRENT SUPPORT OF THE WHOLE OF GOVERNMENT EFFORT TO COMTBA COVID-19. THE INSTITUTE FIRST RECEIVED A SAMPLEF O CIDOV FROM THE CDC IN FEBRUARY 2020.