Peter Weber
YahooThu, 18 Feb 2021 14:51 UTC
U.S. State Department officials serving abroad, especially in countries with high COVID-19 infection rates, are frustrated over delays in getting vaccinated against the coronavirus,
The Washington Post reports. At least 13 foreign governments have offered to inoculate U.S. diplomats with their own supply of U.S.-made Moderna and Pfizer/BioNTech vaccines, and
U.S. officials in Russia have even requested shots of Russia's Sputnik V vaccine, which hasn't yet been approved by the U.S. or World Health Organization.
"It's embarrassing for the world's richest country to require the charity of other nations when it comes to vaccines," one U.S. diplomat posted to the Middle East told the
Post, "especially when you consider that the best vaccines were made in the U.S." Relying on the kindness of foreigners is not "the only indignity,"
the Post adds:
In China, some U.S. personnel have complained about being subjected to anal swab tests for the coronavirus by Chinese authorities, said U.S. officials. The invasive technique has been heralded by Chinese doctors as more effective than a nasal swab despite the unpleasant nature of the procedure. In response to questions about the anal swab testing of U.S. officials, a State Department spokesman said the department was "evaluating all reasonable options" to address the issue with the aim of preserving the "dignity" of U.S. officials "consistent with the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations." [The Washington Post]
Comment: With the swab story coming from the Wapo, we can't be sure where the truth lies, however, if the situation is as critical as the Biden administration claims it is, wouldn't the diplomats be more concerned with the severity of the 'pandemic' over any perceived dignity they wish to preserve?
RT
provides more detail about US diplomats are opting for Russia's Sputnik-V vaccine:
"In Russia, some State Department personnel appealed to Moscow for doses of its Russian-made Sputnik V vaccine after Washington could not promise the delivery of US-made vaccines in the near future," the report outlined, citing officials. "The State Department is not recommending that its employees take it but is permitting them to make their own health decisions."
The publication also revealed that the frustration isn't limited to just Russia, with similar complaints coming in from American diplomats stationed around the world. The US State Department has requested 315,000 doses of vaccine to cover the entirety of its workforce but has received just 23 percent of this, the Post claims.
On Friday, Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs revealed that it had sent sent out invitations to all embassies in the country for their staff to be vaccinated.
"[This practice] is widespread in many states, and is quite understandable - successful fighting against the epidemic requires, as much as possible, a wide coverage of all people in the country," it stated.
While the US has not yet approved Sputnik V, the vaccine has already been authorized in 29 different countries, including Argentina, Mexico, and the UAE. The developers have also applied for European Union authorization through the European Medicines Agency (EMA). Last week, Hungary became the first EU country to begin inoculation using the Russian-made formula, despite a lack of approval from Brussels.
In Russia, mass vaccination began in January.
Created by Moscow's Gamaleya Institute, Sputnik V became the world's first Covid-19 vaccine to be registered in August last year. In February, British medical journal The Lancet published the preliminary results from the jab's phase III trial, which showed an efficacy of 91.6 percent.
Daily anal swabs for them all
Given the queen's age and vulnerability, she probably needs 3 anal swabs a day