Bipartisan lawmakers advocate United States leads global vaccine effort

Reps. Ami Bera (D-CA) and Ted S. Yoho (R-FL) recently forwarded correspondence to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, stating that America should participate in and lead global initiatives to coordinate COVID-19 vaccine production and distribution.

“The U.S. should consider participating in the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI),” the legislators wrote. “CEPI is funding the development of nine SARS-CoV-2 candidates. The organization is currently leading efforts to build an international vaccine cooperation mechanism. Participation in CEPI would accelerate the development of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines as well as providing a stake and a voice in CEPI’s vaccine cooperation efforts.”

Bera said increased testing and contact tracing would allow states to begin slowly loosening restrictions, but only with a vaccine would Americans return to normal.

“While I firmly believe that the U.S. will be the first country to develop a vaccine, it’s possible that others may do so first,” he said. “That’s why it’s critical that the U.S. lead on the international development, production, and distribution of a COVID-19 vaccine, including the creation of an international mechanism to ensure that a vaccine reaches healthcare workers around the world first.”

Yoho said he is honored to work with Bera in encouraging a multinational coalition to support the CEPI.

“One thing for certain is that America and the rest of the world was caught ill-prepared in the COVID-19 pandemic,” he said. “Now is the time for the United States to show leadership and contribute the funding necessary to support research and vaccine development for not only tackling COVID-19 but many other future diseases to come. We must work with the international community to quickly deliver a safe vaccine so that people, economies, and countries can return to some form of normalcy.”