Over One Million COVID-19 Vaccinations Administered

Lucia Gleason (L), inoculates Milena Espeio with the Moderna vaccine at the East Boston Neighborhood Health Center in Boston, Mass. on Dec. 24, 2020. Joseph Prezioso/AFP via Getty Images

More than 1 million people in the United States have received the COVID-19 vaccine up until Wednesday, according to Robert Redfield, Director of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

“The United States achieved an early but important milestone today—jurisdictions have now reported that more than 1 million people have received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine since administration began 10 days ago,” Redfield said in a statement.

On Dec. 13, Redfield approved the recommendation from the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), following the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an emergency use authorization on Dec. 11.

On Dec. 18, Vice President Mike Pence received the vaccine. He said that “it’s a miracle indeed” to administer millions of doses to the American people in less than one year. He mentioned that experts told him that the average vaccine normally takes between 8 and 12 years to develop, manufacture, and distribute.

“In fact, under Operation Warp Speed, we are poised to have the vaccine for 20 million Americans before the end of December. It is truly a medical miracle and an inspiration to people across this country,” Pence added.

“Be confident that we have cut red tape, but we’ve cut no corners when it comes to the development of this vaccine,” Pence said at a roundtable discussion on Operation Warp Speed in Indiana on Dec. 15.

The Trump administration started Operation Warp Speed in May to accelerate the development, manufacturing, and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines. COVID-19 is a disease caused by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus.

Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden received the vaccine on Monday. He said that the Trump administration deserves credit.

“I think the administration deserves some credit for getting us off the ground with Operation Warp Speed,” said Biden.

Two vaccines are currently authorized and recommended to prevent COVID-19, one from Pfizer-BioNTech and another from Moderna.

“Distribution of both vaccines is going very smoothly. Amazing how many people are being vaccinated, record numbers. Our Country, and indeed the World, will soon see the great miracle of what the Trump Administration has accomplished. They said it couldn’t be done!!!” Trump wrote on Twitter Tuesday.