Azar says he's already met with Biden transition team
'I want to ensure that any transition is as smooth, as professional as possible'
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said Wednesday that he’s already met with the Biden transition team, looking to ensure a smooth transition of power.
"I have already met with the Biden transition team. We want to make sure they get everything that they need," Azar told CNN, as President Trump presses forward with his campaign to overturn the election results. Azar added that he would be in touch with President-elect Joe Biden’s pick to lead HHS, California Attorney General Xavier Becerra.
“I want to ensure that any transition is as smooth, as professional as possible, because we are about ensuring the health and well-being of the American people and that's what matters to me," Azar said.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}AZAR BELIEVES 'VULNERABLE' POPULATIONS SHOULD GET VACCINE FIRST, BUT GOVERNORS HAVE FINAL SAY
In a presser later Wednesday Azar said 20 million Americans could be vaccinated by the end of this year. He said on CNN the Trump administration is working to negotiate with Pfizer to secure more doses of its vaccine.
The U.S. placed an initial order for 100 million doses of the vaccine, enough to inoculate 50 million people. The New York Times this week reported that the Trump administration over the summer turned down an offer to secure more doses, and the White House might not be able to do so until the summer due to Pfizer’s prior commitments with other countries. A White House official told Fox News the Times’ story is “fake” and was “planted” by the pharmaceutical giant.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Azar said that combined with other vaccine candidates, the U.S. had options of up to 500 million vaccine doses.
The United Kingdom has already begun vaccinating citizens with the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration advisory committee is set to meet Thursday to review it for emergency use authorization.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The U.S. has averaged over 200,000 new coronavirus cases per day and a record number remain hospitalized with the virus.