US ‘on track’ to vaccinate every adult by May, says Biden
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US President Joe Biden has said the US will have enough Covid vaccines for all adults by the end of May, but admitted the country is unlikely to get back to normal until next year.
“We’re now on track to have enough vaccine supply for every adult in America by the end of May,” Biden said, pushing forward his original timeline which initially targeted July.
In a speech at the White House on Tuesday the president encouraged states to prioritise teachers and make sure they receive at least one dose by the end of this month.
“As yet another move to help accelerate the safe reopening of schools, let’s treat in-person learning like an essential service that it is. And that means getting essential workers who provide that service — educators, school staff, child care workers — get them vaccinated immediately. They’re essential workers,” he said.
Earlier in the day Biden said his administration would invoke the Defense Production Act to boost production of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
Earlier this week the US regulator gave the single-shot jab emergency approval, becoming the third vaccine to be approved after Pfizer and Moderna. The company said it was ready to ship 4m doses immediately, slightly lower than the 10m the US government was hoping for.
In an unusual move which Biden likened to that of the Second World War, the administration is helping ensure that Merck facilities can help Johnson & Johnson boost its production.
Despite Biden’s ambitious plans he was careful to caution the return to normality would take some time yet.
“I’ve been cautioned not to give an answer to that because we don’t know for sure,” before saying he hoped it would be sometime before “this time next year”.