“... So they rush a vaccine, novel, no long-term testing. That’s risk two. ...”
A complex technical development has inherent risks. A complex technical development ‘speeded up’ has exponentially increased risks even if done for the best of reasons. At best the risks were poorly communicated if not ignored in the interests pushing mass vaccination. I’ve said this before I think Trump was ‘conned’ into ignoring the risks. Maybe his ‘germ phobia’ played a part in him accepting the ‘con’. Project management is one of Trump’s forte but this type of ‘project’ is outside his experience base, he trusted the ‘experts’ too much. Particularly Fauci, there were ‘red flags’ about Fauci’s veracity from his public hyperventilating about AIDS. Trump or his staff did no research on who they were working with. Fauci never should have been allowed in front of a camera.
Like it or not the data will be coming out that the ‘speed up’ created a disaster. Claims of a million people saved will be thrown around because it makes one feel good and is great PR to justify the action, but it is completely unverifiable. One might call it a ‘noble lie (maybe not so noble!)’.
The bottom line is, it was not the Black Plague, or even the Great Influenza of 1918-1919. It’s also difficult to come up with a true assessment of its effect because the statistics are so bogus. From Red China, to Europe, to the US, almost all the numbers are all ‘cooked’ for various local political reasons.
Trump will be blamed! The Rat role forgotten. What could he have done differently? Hard to say; he was thrust into a “damned-if-you-do-damned-if-you-don’t” situation. What does he do now? Accept the fact he was ‘conned’, explain that given the information he had it was the best he could do. Also, I don’t think anyone else would have done much better. (With exception the criticisms of certain governors! That shouldn’t have been done.) It sounds a little humble for Trump, but in this situation a little humility is best. Try to avoid discussions of the subject and move on.
I've read Pharma has been playing around with mRNA for 30 years. Merck bought the rights to to it and put it on the shelf after 20 years. Pfiser and Moderna then ran with it about 10 years ago. I've seen suggestions that DOD and Intel agencies are behind the revival of the technology. I don't have a problem with rushing out drugs for the right to try, but mandating them is criminal. It looks to me like it is back to the drawing board...