Biden says it will be hard to get there by the end of summer

President Joe Biden will not pledge to achieve collective immunity to the coronavirus in the United States by the end of the summer, suggesting a long way to go to defeat the deadly virus.

“The idea that that can be done and that we can get collective immunity well before the end of this summer is very difficult,” the Democrat said in an interview broadcast on CBS Sunday before the Super Bowl.

The comment came in response to prompting by journalist Norah O’Donnell, who said that at the current rate of around 1.3 million doses administered per day, it would take nearly a year to vaccinate enough Americans to obtain collective immunity.

The White House has set a target of at least 100 million doses in Biden’s first 100 days, although the pace of vaccinations is currently higher than that. Biden appeared to hit his target late last month, saying he believed the United States could administer up to 1.5 million doses per day.

Biden’s cautious remarks are consistent with warnings from scientists and public health officials as well as his past statements. They mark a reversal of the approach of Biden’s predecessor, former President Donald Trump, who has often claimed that the end of the pandemic is imminent.

Dr Anthony Fauci, the country’s leading epidemiologist, said it would take at least 75% of the public to be vaccinated against Covid-19 to gain herd immunity. He predicted a return to normal next fall.

Biden also said in the interview that he’s exploring new ways to vaccinate more Americans faster.

He said he supported a proposal by the National Football League to use its 30 stadiums as centers for mass vaccination, but stopped before committing to the plan.

“I’m telling my team they’re available, and I think we’ll use them,” Biden said.

The virus has killed more than 460,000 people in the United States and infected nearly 27 million.