Johns Hopkins Professor Says U.S. COVID Response is Like 'Operation Turtle Speed'

Operation Warp Speed is a misnomer, according to a Johns Hopkins doctor ... the frustrated doc says it's more like Operation Turtle Speed.

Professor Marty Makary is angry the FDA hasn't gone the route of Great Britain by approving the COVID vaccine and injecting its citizens.

Dr. Makary says he can't believe the FDA is still reviewing the efficacy and safety of the 2 promising vaccines -- courtesy of Pfizer and Moderna.

He says, "FDA regulators are wasting precious time in greenlighting a COVID vaccine as more than 2,000 Americans are dying each day and the pandemic continues to starve American society."

Dr. Anthony Fauci said Friday, most Americans who are not in high-risk groups will probably have the vaccine available to them by April. Fauci had said he believed England cut corners in approving the vaccine and that the FDA was the gold standard and would be more thorough. He apologized for his comment the next day, presumably because it undermined confidence in the vaccines.

Fauci's feelings don't sit well with Dr. Makary, who shot back ... the FDA could have approved the vaccine within 24 to 48 hours without cutting any corners. He does not explain why he thinks the FDA process could be accelerated without rolling the dice on safety.

The sad reality is this ... there are now models suggesting more than half a million Americans will be dead from COVID by late April. The country is now in the grip of the virus ... more than 100,000 people are in the hospital and on Friday more than 2,600 died.