[Athos]

Now that Quid is president, I'm relieved that other countries respect America again. And it happened so quickly.

We all are.

[jlisenbe]

Sarcasm deafness strikes again.

[tomder55]

<sarcasm> forgot to add the "<sarcasm> font "</sarcasm>

[Athos]

<sarcasm> forgot to add the "<sarcasm> font "</sarcasm>

So did I (irony) - on purpose.

[paraclete]

Now that Quid is president, I'm relieved that other countries respect America again. And it happened so quickly.

Run that by me again, how can the invisible man help us to respect america?

[tomder55]

Quid announced at G7 that the US will donate 500 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine to low income nations . This is a far better solution than the OP suggestion of the US breaking patent protection. Thanks to our capitalist system ;and it's patent protections ,we are in a position to make this distribution possible .

The problem is that the doses will go to WHO Covax. \COVAX was created to facilitate "equitable access to vaccines" , What it means is that the US will have little say on where the vaccines go and who gets them ;and the vaccines may not get to nations that need them the most ,or has the best ability to distribute the doses. As an example , South Sudan is planning to return 72,000 doses of vaccine to Covax because they can't distribute the doses fast enough to get them administered before expiration. Those doses given to India ,where they are ravaged by a new strain ,would be distributed swiftly . So yeah "equity " is part of the equation. But also distribution efficiency has to be a factor .

[jlisenbe]

Quid announced at G7 that the US will donate 500 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine to low income nations

I never cease to be amazed at decisions like this. One would think we had a budget surplus of billions of dollars rather than a deficit of trillions of dollars. It's obvious that the idea of figuring out how to pay for expenses vanished from D.C. years ago.

A day is coming.

[tomder55]

Assuming that this is a worthy give away then yes the costs should be taken from other gimmees. There are many to choose from.

[jlisenbe]

Well said.

[paraclete]

Quid will just print some money as he makes his application for the peace Prize. What I don't understand is can america afford to let its own go unvaccinated while doses are given away?

It really doesn't matter who the doses go to as long as they are used before expiratory, I expect this is what is behind the "gift"

[Athos]

What I don't understand is can america afford to let its own go unvaccinated while doses are given away?

The problem with America's "own" is that too many refuse to get vaccinated. They think it's a plot to insert tracking devices into arms.

[waltero]

The problem with America's "own" is

'They think'

[jlisenbe]

For themselves.

[paraclete]

No they listen to nutcases, antivaxxers, anarchists

[jlisenbe]

You live 10,000 miles away. You have no idea who they listen to.

[paraclete]

Hey, I might live on an Island but we have a common ancestry, the story is the same everywhere because the story is the same everywhere. Where ever liberty exists you get these single issue nutcases who think that one bad experience translates into a plot. You have managed to export all of these stupid ideas to the world, it is your largest export. Every silly idea that manifests there turns up here, every silly idea that manifests here turns up there

[waltero]

Welcome To America, Leader of the Free World. Monkey see Monkey do.
You are correct in saying 'the story is the same everywhere.

We are Screwed! The world has run amuck. As long as people continue to believe the Big lie and deny the truth, doom and gloom will prevail. Same old discussion, same old responses, different day. You won't find any answers frequenting this site.
The writings on the Wall (hmmm, wonder where that saying came from), nothing new under the Sun...just hit replay.

Keep trusting your politician, they're straight shooters!

[paraclete]

Welcome To America, Leader of the Free World. Monkey see Monkey do.
You are correct in saying 'the story is the same everywhere.

We are Screwed! The world has run amuck. As long as people continue to believe the Big lie and deny the truth, doom and gloom will prevail. Same old discussion, same old responses, different day. You won't find any answers frequenting this site.
The writings on the Wall (hmmm, wonder where that saying came from), nothing new under the Sun...just hit replay.

Writings on the wall, that originated in the Bible. The story is as old as time itself from the first cave painting to the street art. We should be getting smarter but it seems we are not

[tomder55]

There is no American who does not have access to vaccines . Some choose to not vaccinate . I know of one person who was sick for years from another vaccine . So now that person would rather not risk getting another vaccine .

We will know in time if there are negative consequences taking this vaccine . In the meantime we have been told for years that the health of one's body is a personal choice.

I ask again ;if covid becomes an endemic issue like the flu . Will we insist on everyone getting vaccinated on a routine basis ? And if so then why aren't there the same concerns about the annual flu ? There is vaccines available every year ,and we don't insist on anyone getting them ;even for going to public schools . 2019-20 season 38 million got the flu in the US . 18 million visited doctors or health providers . 400,000 were hospitalized . 22,000 died .And this does not include others that don't get diagnosed .

[jlisenbe]

Still don't see why it is anyone else's business if a person chooses not to get vaccinated. They would only be putting him/herself at risk. All the vaccinated people, or those who recovered from Covid, are safe aren't they? All the elderly in nursing homes have been vaccinated. In fact, anyone who wants to has been vaccinated, so why are we so concerned about any person who elects not to?

Politicians seize upon practically any issue to divert attention away from a federal budget that has become completely out of control and is producing deficit spending on a breath-taking level.