'Americans CAN trust miracle vaccine': Fauci, 79, gives thumbs up as he and HHS Secretary Alex Azar get their Moderna shot live on air - but it could be JULY until everyone else gets it
Dr Fauci gave an enthusiastic thumbs up after getting his Moderna vaccine on Tuesday along with HHS Secretary Alex Azar at the NIH in Bethesda, Maryland and eight people who work there after giving the somber prediction that the vast majority of Americans won't be vaccinated until July.
Before getting his vaccine, Fauci said it was an 'honor' and that the vaccine was a 'symbol' of hope for the country and the world. Azar told the audience that all Americans could trust the vaccine and that it was a 'medical miracle'.
Earlier in the day however, Fauci warned that it may take until July next year for most of the American public to be inoculated.
He says that the vaccine won't start being rolled out to the public at the end of March - later than what Azar has previously said - and that it could take four months after that for most of the public to receive shots in the arm.
The US has agreed to buy 200million doses from Moderna and 100million from Pfizer but there are more than 330million in the country and everyone needs at least two shots.
Pfizer has already said it will not be able to restock the US until June or July because other countries rushed ahead of them to place orders, despite it being an American company.
Fauci and Azar were vaccinated on Tuesday as a new mutant strain of COVID wreaked havoc on the UK and Europe and daily COVID deaths and cases across the US continued to rise.
Dr. Fauci receives the Moderna vaccine at the NIH in Bethesda, Maryland, on Tuesday morning
Dr Anthony Fauci gives a thumbs up after receiving the Moderna vaccine at the NIH in Bethesda, Maryland, on Tuesday
During an appearance on Good Morning America, he sought to clarify the muddy timeline of exactly when Americans will get the shot after Joe Biden's pick for Secretary General said it could take until the end of summer.
Fauci said the vaccines will start going out to the public in the spring, at the end of March. But he said it could take up to four months after that point for people to have actually received it in any meaningful number.
No official, including those from Operation Warp Speed - the White House's task force - has explained properly why it will take so long for Americans to get shots in the arm and many have given differing timelines.
Azar previously said Americans would get the shot in late January and February. NY Governor Andrew Cuomo claims phase II - which applies to essential workers and high-risk members of the public - will start at the end of January in his state.
Fauci said on Tuesday: 'You're going to get different versions from different people. The reason is the uncertainty about the efficiency of how you get it implemented.
'In other words, when you say we've reached the point that it's open season, anybody can get the vaccine, not just the people in the priority areas that we're doing... we likely will be able to start vaccinating people in the broader category somewhere around the end of March, beginning of April.
'How long it takes to get everyone who needs to be vaccinated vaccinated it really varies.
'It depends on the efficiency of the process.
'What I've been saying, I think it's correct but it could be a variant of a month or two, in earnest, I think we'll start vaccinating the general public... it may take two, three or four months or more before you get everyone vaccinated. That's the difference.
'We're really all saying the same thing - we'll start at a certain time, it may take two, three or four months before everyone gets vaccinated who needs to be.
'By the time we get into the summer, I hope we'll almost be at that point.'
How the vaccine is distributed will be down to the states.
Generally, they are following the CDC's guidelines on who gets it first, with healthcare workers being among the first along with nursing home staff and residents.
Then, the most vulnerable members of the public will get it, followed by the public at large.
HHS Secretary Alex Azar receiving his Moderna vaccine on Tuesday morning
Secretary Azar applauds after being given the vaccine on Tuesday. He spoke beforehand to tell all Americans they could trust the vaccine
NIH Director Francis Collins also received the vaccine on Tuesday morning
The doses have been divided up based on population size and are currently being distributed.
It is then up to each state to mobilize the vaccination program in hospitals or healthcare sites.
President Trump said earlier this month that WH staff, including him, would wait until the vaccine was more widely available to the public. He had the virus in October
Speaking before he got the shot in Bethesda, Fauci said: 'What we're seeing now is the culmination of years of research that has led to a phenomenon that is unprecedented.
'A virus that was described in January of this year to less than one year later, have vaccines going into people's arms.
'I consider it an honor to be part of this process.'
Azar called the vaccine a 'medical miracle' and insisted that Americans could trust the vaccine and 'any' vaccine that the FDA approves.
He added: 'I am doing it because I want to symbolize the importance to people that everyone who can get vaccinated get vaccinated but also it's a good feeling of accomplishment because this originated in laboratories in my institute.'
President-elect Joe Biden, 78, received the vaccine on Monday at Christina Hospital in Newark, Delaware
Vice President Mike Pence received his vaccine last week. He said afterwards: 'I didn't feel a thing!'
The Moderna vaccine was the second to be approved by the FDA after Pfizer's.
AOC, 31, has been accused of jumping the line to get the vaccine
Earlier in the week, lawmakers including Alexandria Ocasio Cortez were slammed for seeming to cut the line to get their jab.
President Trump has not yet had his vaccine. He said he would wait until the 'appropriate time' to do it.
Vice President Pence has had it, as has President-elect Joe Biden.
On Monday, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said he would wait until it is rolled out to the general public because he also did not want to be seen to be going in front of anyone else.
He said that while he was eager to get it on camera and was willing to, he did not want 'the flip side' of being accused of taking a vaccine from a frontline worker when they are hard to come by.
When exactly the American public will be able to get the vaccine is not yet known.
Fauci said on Tuesday that there should be enough supply for the majority of the country to get it in March but that rolling it out may delay it.
He said it by early summer, people 'should' be able to get access to it, but others have said it may take as long as next fall.
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