Biden not ‘starting from scratch’ on vaccine distribution

Anthony Fauci said the Biden administration is not starting from square one on its COVID-19 vaccine distribution, contradicting reports that Trump officials did not leave them with a plan.

“We’re certainly not starting from scratch, because there is activity going on in the distribution,” Fauci told reporters during an appearance in the White House briefing room.

The nation’s top infectious disease expert indicated that the Trump administration left a blueprint, but Biden officials will build on it.

For example, Fauci touted President Biden’s plans to open community vaccination centers, expanding access through pharmacies, pharmacy buy-in, and invoking the Defense Production Act in certain circumstances.

“We’re coming in with fresh ideas, but also some ideas that were not bad ideas with the previous administration. You can’t say it was absolutely not usable at all,” Fauci said.

“It’s taking what’s going on, but amplifying it in a big way,” Fauci added.

The rollout of vaccines in the waning days of the Trump administration was choppy and inconsistent. But while it fell short of the “last mile” of distribution, Operation Warp Speed had a plan to allocate and distribute vaccines.