The nation is at a crossroads because the first coronavirus vaccines are about to come out, but it's critically important that Americans continue to take the steps necessary to protect themselves and others, Adm. Brett Giroir of the White House Coronavirus Task Force said Thursday.
"We have a vaccine, probably two vaccines, and even more that are going to be coming," Giroir told MSNBC's Andrea Mitchell. "We'll be immunizing 20 million people in December, another 30 million in January, another 50 million in February, but the reality is right now, we have got to do what we've been telling everyone to do. And that is wearing a mask, physically distance, avoid crowds because those numbers are going up."
The vaccines also will not provide immediate relief, said Giroir. "We'll get it to the elderly and start protecting them, but it's going to be into 2021 before the majority of Americans can be vaccinated. So it's really critically important. The light is at the end of the tunnel."
Several new cases are being linked to travel over the Thanksgiving holiday, and Giroir said he knows it's been a difficult year heading into Christmas.
"[What] I'm imploring the American people to do is understand this is not forever," said Giroir. "We're going to have 100 million people vaccinated by the end of February but we have the ability to save or lose tens of thousands of American lives depending on what we do. We know that if we do these simple measures, it's not forever. It's for the next couple of months."
He added that schools and universities don't need to close, and "we don't have to end all businesses, but limits must be placed on indoor crowded spaces."
Meanwhile, Giroir said he's had several "unofficial, informal" calls and then an in-depth technical and policy briefing on testing with members of Joe Biden's potential administration.
"It was extremely positive, very interactive," he said. "I have another transition team meeting this afternoon. From my perspective on the public health side, some of the public health professionals are well known. We're well known to each other. We're colleagues. Saving lives and reducing suffering is not a political issue."
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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