It's come to this! @NYGovCuomo asks @pfizer to buy #CovidVaccines Absent a nat'l plan, will states compete like they did on testing & PPE? We can't have every governor doing separate vaccine deals. I get fighting for NY. But we must cooperate, not compete https://t.co/nRdNe9lYvG https://t.co/xDkw1DQdUd

Tomorrow morning in @ForeignAffairs @EricFriedman18 @SuerieMoon & I have a major piece out on vaccine nationalism & gross inequities. It's entitled, Averting Global COVID-19 “Vaccine Apartheid” It explains just why @DrTedros called #CovidVaccine distribution a "moral failure." https://t.co/IgVfaFoHEm

Reflecting on ethics of vaccine rollout: ACIP got priorities right. So why did it go so horribly wrong? The US has no nat'l health sys. You can't call your doctor for a vaccine, but must navigate a maze of websites, varying by state. Tech savvy got vaccines, the vulnerable didn't

What course will #COVID19 take in US? It'll be worse over next month @RWalensky projects 500K deaths. By April, we'll see declines in cases/deaths as vaccines break transmission chains. Summer will bring sharper drops in cases. By year's end, we'll be nearing normalcy & recovery.

* @DrTedros gets to heart of #CovidVaccine inequity: "Just 25 doses in 1 low income country - not 25 mil, not 25K -just 25. I need to be blunt: The world is on the brink of a catastrophic moral failure.” He's right. It's not just a moral failure, but it also makes us all unsafe

#mlk taught us that all inequalities are unconscionable but the greatest injustice is health inequality. As people of color feel the brunt of #COVID19, police violence and so much more, let’s act to end the greatest injustice of all. Everyone has a right to health & safety.

Biden #Covid plan is strong but I would shift priorities $20B to launch nat'l vax program, incl community cts & mobile units Great! $50B for testing is excessive I would reverse priorities. Vaccines are our way out of pandemic. Massive testing months ago was needed, not now.

Creating a political landscape conducive to global health security is vital. Learning from all the mistakes made in handling #COVID19, we can remake our national and global health systems to thrive against similar threats in the future.

The global scale of the #COVID19 pandemic means that we must recreate the global health governance landscape that will keep us safe from diseases and injuries. First step would be to provide @WHO with funding comparable to its mandate. https://t.co/9MfWiqnVRQ

From politicization to chronic underfunding, critical agencies, like @CDCgov & @US_FDA, as well as state/tribal/local health departments have suffered. Because of this, we’ve witnessed their inability to distribute & administer lifesaving #COVID19 vaccines fairly & efficiently.

The inadequacies of the US health system have been made clear. Facilities must be better-equipped, and personnel must be well-trained. We must also ensure that the needs of the most marginalized populations can be met. Health security must be inclusive of everyone. https://t.co/EoDPixogYM

A timeless battle between Mother Nature and human ingenuity led to the emergence of #COVID19—the biggest public health threat of this century. How can we make sure we’re prepared for the next pandemic? Sarah Wetter and I discuss in @Forbes: https://t.co/fvCkmfLbLr https://t.co/sPV6Y4ue0G

With all the misery sowed by this horrid pandemic, here is one hope. This microscopic virus has shown us what is important in life: our family, neighbors, & community. And let's give thanks to those wonderful people who work every day to keep our society healthy & functioning. https://t.co/LigTabeifU

Huge spike in alcohol during #COVID19. We fund #BigAlcohol w/ subsidies & tax breaks. But harmful alcohol consumption causes a death every 10 seconds globally, & a leading risk factor for NCDs, esp in LMICs. Stop giving #BigAlcohol a free pass.

Biden’s plan for #COVID19 prevention & recovery will take time. No one should expect a rapid turnaround. But he’s got a comprehensive national plan, appointed seasoned experts, & pushed for major funding. He’s following science & has a laser focus. How refreshing & reassuring.

Biden vaccine rollout has the funding & tools but will take time. Let’s rapidly bring on line pharmacies, GP offices, mobile vaccination clinics. Businesses should be vaccinating workers & colleges vaccinating students. We’ll need a corps of trained health workers to give shots.

https://t.co/J4bflHitPe Biden’s plan for mass #COVID19 testing & contact tracing corps is powerful but unlikely to change the epidemic’s trajectory. It could save us for the NEXT pandemic But ramping it up to scale will take weeks or months. Right now vaccine distribution is key

* @WHO @UNICEF @MSF @gavi plan to create a stockpile of #ebola vaccines in the event of future outbreaks of the deadly disease. 500,000 doses will be stored in Basel ready for shipment to countries when needed. This is a great model of global epidemic preparedness for the future. https://t.co/WcUHolVnxQ

A hugely important sci question is whether #CovidVaccines prevent acquiring & transmitting #SARS_CoV_2; or if they just prevent serious disease. Israel is far advanced in vaccinating its pop, has a nat'l health system, & strong health data capacities. We hope to gain insight.