Russian President Vladimir Putin may have announced the first registered COVID-19 vaccine, but standards are far different in the United States and the Russians are "nowhere near where we are," presidential counselor Kellyanne Conway said Tuesday.
"The U.S. standards are so much more stringent," Conway said on Fox News' "Fox and Friends." "Of course, the FDA [Food and Drug Administration] in our country sets the standards and what I understand from the Russia announcement is this is nowhere near where we are, which is, we have six different vaccine candidates into phase 3, and they don't seem to be there yet."
Putin claimed that the vaccine has "passed all necessary tests," but Conway noted that Dr. Anthony Fauci had testified before Congress earlier this month and said he is concerned that China and Russia could release vaccines without them having gone through rigorous enough testing.
President Donald Trump will later on Tuesday discuss the six vaccine candidates, said Conway, adding that "we are in the final phases with a couple of those six vaccine candidates and we think we can have hundreds of millions of doses in the next month alone."
Also on Tuesday, Conway praised members of the Secret Service for their response after a Trump press conference was interrupted when shots were fired outside the White House Monday.
"The violence erupting in our cities is the bigger story here," said Conway. "Look at Chicago, a beautiful American city. They have had 414 people murdered this year over a roughly 50% increase over last year ... just stop and think about the nine children who have been murdered in Chicago this year through gunshots."
Conway also discussed the ongoing coronavirus relief bill impasse, insisting that the White House has never quit talking.
"Maybe [Senate Minority Leader] Chuck Schumer can use his convention speech next week to announce he has a relief package with Republicans and the White House," Conway added. "That would be a much better use of his time."
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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