BREAKING: Biden Transition, U.S. Coronavirus Vaccine Teams to Meet Amid Surge, Distribution Questions

Photo: Reuters

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The chief adviser for U.S. efforts to develop a coronavirus vaccine said on Sunday he planned to meet with President-elect Joe Biden's team this week to discuss the program before the expected first round of vaccinations this month.

Moncef Slaoui, chief adviser to the U.S. government's Operation Warp Speed initiative, said he has not yet met with Biden, who last week criticized the Trump administration's vaccine distribution plan.

Biden said on Friday his team had not seen a detailed outline from the Trump administration to distribute a vaccine to states, which he called an expensive and difficult process.

President Donald Trump's refusal to acknowledge his loss to Biden in the Nov 3 presidential election caused a delay in the transition process that allowed White House health advisers to communicate with the new Biden health advisory team.

Biden was due to announce members of his public health team this week.

First-responders, health care workers and nursing home residents will be the first groups to receive the vaccine once the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves it, which is expected in the next week or two.

The FDA's outside advisers are scheduled to meet on Thursday to review Pfizer's emergency use application for its vaccine.

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