AAFP ready to help Biden vaccine push, recovery plan

The president of the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) says the organization applauds President Joe R. Biden’s American Rescue Plan and is eager to assist to help combat the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic.

In a statement, AAFP President Ada D. Stewart, MD, says that Biden’s legislative agenda will provide support to families struggling during the pandemic.

“We are encouraged by the framework to scale up vaccination efforts and access, specifically the plans to collaborate with primary care physicians and community-based practices to reach underserved communities,” Stewart says in the statement. “Family physicians are committed to ensuring equitable access to the vaccines. We know the ultimate success of this effort will hinge on widespread coordination and communication with all stakeholders; primary care physicians and practices should play a key role in the vaccination strategy.”

Due to family physicians’ position in their communities, they are able to educate patients, prioritize access, and coordinate administration of COVID-19 coronavirus vaccines, but Stewart urges the administration to ensure that they are vaccinated as soon as possible.

“Nearly 200 million individuals see a family physician each year, and more than 500 million patient visits are made to primary care practices annually,” Stewart says. “The faster we vaccinate all primary care physicians and their teams, the faster they can more safely provide care to their communities.”

AAFP also commended three executive orders aimed at addressing the pandemic during his first day in office: the ‘100 Day Masking Challenge,’ establishing a COVID-19 response coordinator, and re-engaging with the World Health Organization.

“This legislative agenda and these executive orders will go a long way to stopping the spread of COVID-19 and accelerating the nation’s recovery,” Stewart says. “Family physicians can play an important role in helping our country effectively respond to this horrible pandemic, and we are eager to partner with the Biden administration for this critical work.”