Biden vaccine plan seems to ignore science

Joe Biden's announcement that his administration would make all doses of the COVID-19 vaccines available immediately to the states shows that his campaign mantra of "follow the science" was meaningless as his decision is neither logical nor scientific.

First, it is widely reported that only about 30% of the already distributed vaccine doses have been administered so that adding more to the current state stockpiles won't increase herd immunity. Since the vaccines need to be stored in special low-temperature freezers, it also begs the question if there is local capacity for holding the additional doses.

Second, what little scientific data exists shows that a single dose of a vaccine is only about 50% effective rather than 95% with two doses. Where's the scientific data that says possibly doubling the vaccination rate with a single dose at 50% efficacy is more effective than the lower rate double dose at 95%? (Simple math says it should be about the same in reducing cases.) There is no scientific data that indicates how long that 50% efficacy lasts without a second dose. There's no scientific data on what the single dose efficacy will be on the new virus mutations. There is no scientific data supporting using vaccine for the second dose that's different from the first dose.

All in all, it sounds like just another political decision rather than "following the science."

David Swanson

Elgin