Coronavirus variant B117, the coronavirus variant originating in the UK that is up to 50%

more transmissible, has hit the US.

Meanwhile, as of January 2nd, only 4.2 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered,

far fewer than the 20 million planned by the end of the year.

The US is experiencing nearly 3,000 COVID-19 deaths a day on average, with the consequences

of holiday travel yet to hit us.

This is America Dissective.

I'm your host, Dr. Abdul-Lsaid.

2020 may be over, COVID-19 is definitely not.

There's a difference between a vaccine and a vaccination.

We have not just one, but two safe and effective vaccines, with more on their way.

We have far fewer vaccinations than we'd like.

That's because, as I've said before, vaccinations are more than just a safe and effective

vaccine.

To be sure, the scientific achievement in going from identifying a new virus that has never

before been observed in humans to a safe and effective vaccine in less than a year is

nothing short of a scientific marvel.

And we'll talk to Dr. Kismikia Corbett, one of the NIH scientists who made that possible

later in the show.

But the work doesn't stop there, and as we're painfully discovering now.

To turn that vaccine into vaccinations, we also need to clear the logistical hurdle of

getting that vaccine to the people who need it and the communications and trust hurdle

...