Biden admin to purchase 200 million more vaccine doses, send more doses to states: reports

The Biden administration said Tuesday it would increase the amount of coronavirus vaccines sent to states by about 16% for the next three weeks and will purchase enough additional doses to vaccinate the U.S. population with a two-dose regimen by the end of the summer, The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times reported.

Both reported that a senior administration official said the purchases would increase the administration’s total vaccine order by 50%, raising it from 400 million to 600 million doses. The Times reported that it was during a Tuesday phone call with reporters to preview the announcement of these purchases.

The purchases will provide enough doses to vaccinate 300 million Americans in a two-dose regimen over the summer.

Despite the boost in doses sent to states beginning next week, supplies aren’t yet sufficient for what is needed, a senior administration official said.

“It’s going to take a number of months for us to be in a position for us to say to Americans it’s open season to sign up for vaccinations,” the official said, according to The Journal.

The administration will also begin giving states a three weeks’ advance notice of their estimated vaccine allocations, updated on a running basis, to assist them with their planning, according to The Journal. Governors had said allocations fluctuated under the Trump administration, complicating efforts to staff vaccination sites and manage appointments.

Members of President Joe Biden’s administration, including Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Rochelle Walensky and White House coronavirus coordinator Jeffrey Zients, briefed state governors on the updates on a call Tuesday afternoon, people familiar with the discussion told The Journal.

https://saraacarter.com/biden-admin-to-purchase-200-million-more-vaccine-doses-send-more-doses-to-states-reports/