Vice President Mike Pence, who leads the Trump administration coronavirus task force, sparked an avalanche of criticism on Twitter Tuesday after calling the COVID-19 vaccine a “medical miracle.”
“The development and manufacturing of a vaccine typically takes 8-12 years but under Operation Warp Speed, we have done it in 8-12 months and we are on track to deliver MILLIONS of doses before the end of December! This is a Medical Miracle!” Pence wrote on Twitter.
Pence’s suggestion of divine intervention was quickly shut down by critics.
“A miracle is something that cannot be explained by natural or scientific laws,” wrote one. “This vaccine was developed via hard work, intelligence, science, and perseverance. There was no magic involved.”
Added another: “It’s actually science, not a miracle.”
Check out Pence’s post and some of the responses below.
The development and manufacturing of a vaccine typically takes 8-12 years but under Operation Warp Speed, we have done it in 8-12 months and we are on track to deliver MILLIONS of doses before the end of December! This is a Medical Miracle! pic.twitter.com/ZLRM76FFVt
— Mike Pence (@Mike_Pence) December 15, 2020
It’s actually science, not a miracle.
— Janet (@granite847) December 15, 2020
A miracle is something that cannot be explained by natural or scientific laws.
This vaccine was developed via hard work, intelligence, science, and perseverance.
There was no magic involved.— Natasha Stoynoff ✒️ (@Tashka9) December 15, 2020
Scientists did that!
— Healthcare 🇺🇸Voter (@RoverGrover) December 15, 2020
Bless our scientists. THEY are the amazing ones!
— 🇺🇸🎄Holly~AR🎄🇺🇸Rise Up, Move Mountains🎶 (@HollyinAR) December 15, 2020
It’s called investing in science.
— kim marsden (@KimlynnMarsden) December 15, 2020
Science wins again
— Paul loucks (@Paulloucks52) December 15, 2020
Thank you to the researchers, the scientists, the epidemiologists and the volunteers.
Trump is responsible for this human disaster but your work will save thousands, if not millions, of lives.— PearlyBidenisPOTUS (@PearlyB57) December 15, 2020
This was not a miracle. This was science and hard work. And, just so you know, this vaccine would have taken this long no matter who was President. The difference is that fewer people would now be dead from lack of leadership. https://t.co/8m9JDLq9Nw
— 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗗𝗶𝗰𝗸𝘀𝗼𝗻, coder, songs, music, grumpy (@nathandickson) December 15, 2020
The researchers and scientists did it not the politicians
— ken wilkinson (@glassmanken) December 16, 2020
It’s called scientists doing scientific things! pic.twitter.com/XJoJqXQ0iX
— Ro ♠️♦️♣️♥️ (@Ennndora) December 15, 2020
