Joe Biden

Statement by President-elect Joe Biden on FDA Emergency Use Authorization for Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine

December 18, 2020

At a time when our country is suffering from record high COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths, Jill and I share the frustration and grief so many Americans feel right now. Our hearts go out to the families who have lost a loved one or have gotten sick, or are suffering from the disease.

Today's emergency use authorization by the Food & Drug Administration of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine is another milestone in our battle to overcome the crisis our country is facing today. The authorization of two vaccines, Pfizer-BioNTech and now Moderna, assures us that brighter days lie ahead. We are grateful to the scientists, medical experts, and trial participants who helped to deliver these vaccines and evaluated their safety and efficacy free from political influence.

The fight against COVID-19 is not yet over. We know the immense challenges ahead, including scaling up manufacturing, distribution, and the monumental task of vaccinating hundreds of millions of Americans. We need to make sure we have the resources to do all of this and to do it quickly. And, we need a coronavirus and economic relief package passed immediately.

This week, health care workers and residents of long-term care facilities around the country began receiving the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. Today, the American people saw bipartisan leaders including Vice President Pence, Speaker Pelosi, and Senator McConnell publicly receive the vaccine as well. This is about more than politics. This is about saving lives. I look forward to receiving the vaccine publicly on Monday and continuing to build confidence in the scientific process. Vaccines don't save lives, vaccinations do. I believe we can administer 100 million vaccine shots in the first 100 days of my administration. My administration will focus on the science and managing a robust and aggressive plan to contain the virus on day one. It will take all of us, continuing to do our part, to slow the spread of the virus including mask wearing and social distancing.

When we come together as Americans, there is nothing we can't do.

Joseph R. Biden, Statement by President-elect Joe Biden on FDA Emergency Use Authorization for Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/347462

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