Washington — President Trump is delivering remarks Tuesday at the Operation Warp Speed Vaccine Summit as two U.S. pharmaceutical companies and the federal government prepare to begin distributing the first batches of coronavirus vaccines amid a surge in infections.
The summit, held at the White House, brings together governors, private-sector executives, drug distributors and representatives from companies that will be instrumental in distributing and administering COVID-19 vaccines once the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) gives approval. Absent from the event, however, are executives from Pfizer and Moderna, which are seeking emergency use authorizations for their respective vaccines from the FDA.
How to watch President Trump's remarks at the vaccine summit- What: President Trump delivers remarks at an Operation Warp Speed Vaccine SummitDate: Tuesday, December 8, 2020Time: 2 p.m. ETLocation: The White HouseOnline stream: Live on CBSN in the player above and on your mobile or streaming device
If given the green-light, the two companies are expected to provide roughly 40 million doses of their vaccines by the end of the year, which would give up to 20 million people the required two doses. Last week, an advisory committee within the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended the first batch of vaccinations be distributed to health care workers in the U.S. and residents of long-term care facilities.
During the summit, Mr. Trump is expected to sign an executive order that will direct the Department of Health and Human Services to prioritize vaccine doses for the American people and provide a framework for donating and distributing vaccine doses internationally once supply meets U.S. demand, senior administration officials said Monday. Vice President Mike Pence is set to deliver closing remarks.
The president's address at the vaccine summit is one of few public appearances he has made since President-elect Joe Biden was projected the winner of the presidential election. The president has seldom answered questions from reporters in the weeks following the November 3 election and has instead aired grievances about the outcome of the presidential race on Twitter.
He did appear at a campaign rally in Valdosta, Georgia, on Saturday to drum up support for Republican incumbent Senators David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler, who are competing in a pair of runoff elections in Georgia on January 5. The outcome of those Senate races will determine which party holds power in the Senate. Mr. Trump also awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom to wrestler Dan Gable on Monday.