Biden Wu Hu Flu Task Force shaping up as expected

Dr. K being currently unavailable, a substitute has been found

Dr. Zeke Emanuel (yes, brother of Rahm), who four years ago said that 75 was the right time to leave this mortal coil for himself and any other lingerers, now says we have a moral duty to distribute any Kung Flu “equitably” to other countries.

Emanuel, who served as a key architect of the Affordable Care Act under the Obama administration, co-authored a paper in September in which he encouraged officials to follow the "Fair Priority Model," which calls for a "fair international distribution of vaccine," rather than what he and his co-authors characterized as "vaccine nationalism."

Emanuel and his co-authors argued against a proposal by the WHO to distribute vaccines globally at a rate proportional to each country's population, and dismissed the belief that high death toll could be avoided by providing vaccines to countries based on "the number of frontline health care workers, the proportion of population over 65, and the number of people with comorbidities."

The WHO proposal fails to consider the fact that death is not the only form of harm, Emanuel argued, and that prioritizing seniors at higher risk would mean sending a disproportionate amount of vaccines to wealthier countries, where average life expectancies tend to be longer.

Instead, Emanuel and his co-authors advocated for focusing on preventing premature death, the consequences of school and business closures and reducing general transmission of the virus.

Remember that President who called for an “America First” policy? Down the memory hole.

There’s an argument to be made that, with 200 million international visitors entering the country each year, we’re not going to stop COVID entirely until the rest of the world also develops an immunity. That’s an argument I’d listen to; an argument for rationing based on some sense of universal fairness and a desire to see that old people not be '“prioritized” from a man who sees no value in living past 75 anyway, isn’t.

As an aside, I personally share the good doctor’s opinion on the value of living past 75, but that’s just me; those who disagree, and are approaching Emanuel’s cut-off date might well be worried. Joe? You listening? Kamalla awaits.