During Friday’s White House press briefing, Today News Africa chief White House correspondent Simon Ateba asked Psaki, “Not to shame any vaccine skeptic. In Africa, people are looking for the vaccine but can’t find them. In the U.S., there’s an abundance of vaccine but up to 80 million people have refused to receive them and 1,500 people are dying every day. Will you say that too much privilege is sending so many American[s] to their early grave.”
Psaki responded, “I’m not sure what your question is.”
“Is too much privilege sending many people to their early grave,” said Ateba.
“Well, I would say, first, that the United States wants to be an arsenal vaccine distribution to the global community and we have provided, donated more than every other country in the world combined.”
“We also know, and it is the responsibility of the president, to protect and save lives in the United States as well. That’s why we announced the steps that we announced yesterday,” continued Psaki, referring to the announcements President Joe Biden made on Thursday in efforts to combat the coronavirus. “We need to do both.”
Ateba followed up: “I was asking is
“Well, I think that’s a hard question,” replied Psaki. “I don’t know that I have a comment on that from the U.S. government. I would say that our objective here is to convey to people, whenever we can avoid it, that vaccines will save your life. That everybody should go get one and they’ll save your neighbors, your friends, your grandparents. And that’s our objective.”
Watch above, via CSPAN.