As coronavirus deaths pass the grim milestone of 300,000, Trump’s efforts to downplay the coronavirus, politicization of the vaccine approval process, failure to secure funding for states, and refusal to concede the election have all threatened to hinder vaccine distribution and our ability to control the pandemic.

Coronavirus deaths just passed the grim milestone of 300,000 as hospitalizations remain at record highs.

Associated Press: “US COVID-19 deaths top 300,000 just as vaccinations begin around the country.”

Forbes: “U.S. Coronavirus Hospitalizations Reach All-Time High”

Trump’s refusal to concede the election to President-elect Biden risks making vaccine distribution more difficult.

Senator Alexander: “The states have counted, certified their votes. The courts have resolved the disputes. It looks very much like the electors will vote for Joe Biden. And when they do, I hope that he puts the country first — mean, the president — that he takes pride in his considerable accomplishments, that he congratulates the president-elect and he helps him get off to a good start, especially in the middle of this pandemic. We need to not lose one day in the transition in getting the vaccine out to everybody who needs it.”

The Trump administration is behind the curve on its coronavirus vaccine education campaign that is especially necessary to combat months of Trump’s constant lies and attacks on science.

CNN: “’Way behind the curve’: The messaging failures around coronavirus vaccine distribution”

New York Times: “The Trump administration, scrambling to make up for lost time after a halting start, is rushing to roll out a $250 million public education campaign to encourage Americans to take the coronavirus vaccine, which will reach the first patients in the United States this week. Federal officials acknowledge the effort will be a complicated one. It must compete with public doubt and mistrust of government programs amid deep political divisions created in part by a president who has spent much of the year belittling government scientists, promoting ineffective treatments and dismissing the seriousness of the pandemic — and is now rushing to claim credit for a vaccine that he has made a priority.”

The White House has repeatedly pressured health officials to speed up vaccine approvals, which threatens to undermine trust in the coronavirus vaccine.

Axios: “White House chief of staff Mark Meadows hinted to Food and Drug Administration commissioner Stephen Hahn on a phone call Friday that his job security might be in jeopardy as he pushed the FDA chief to approve Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccine by the end of the day, according to two sources familiar with the call.”

States are billions of dollars short in the funding they need to successfully provide coronavirus vaccinations to all who want them.

Wall Street Journal: “State leaders say they are short billions of dollars in funding needed to successfully provide Covid-19 vaccinations to all Americans who want to be inoculated by health officials’ June goal.”