Joe Biden announced that 90% of adults in the United States will be able to get the COVID-19 vaccine by April 19

US President Joe Biden announced on Monday that given the expansion of production and distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine, as well as the decision by most states to expand the demographic groups eligible for vaccination, 90% of the country’s adult population will be able to access an inoculant from April 19. And he said that figure will reach 100% on May 1.

In a message from the White House, the president gave governors credit for the announcement, assuring that part of the acceleration in deadlines is due to the decision to start vaccinating the bulk of the population even before May 1, which he had set as a suggested date.

He also indicated that his administration will increase the number of pharmacies in which the federal government will administer vaccines, unlike these centers managed by different states. They will go from about 17,000 to almost 40,000, so that “all Americans have a vaccination center within five miles. (a little over eight kilometers) or less from their homes ”.

However, the president also drew attention to the increase in cases recorded in recent days. Biden echoed statements from Centers for Disease Control (CDC) director Rochelle Walensky, who in the morning said that she had a feeling of “impending doom” and that she was “afraid”.

“Our work is far from over. The war is far from won. It is extremely serious. If we let our guard down, things will get worse, no better. Reckless behavior means we’ll have more cases in the coming weeks. People are abandoning their precautions, and it’s very bad, ”Biden said.

And he continued, “Cases have been reduced by two-thirds since I took office. But now they are increasing again. In some states, deaths are also on the rise. We all have to do our job“. In this sense, he also called on the governors who lifted orders for the use of masks – like Arizona, Florida and Georgia, among others – to back down with them.

During the past week, the country recorded an average of 57,000 infections per day, a 7% increase in the number of confirmed cases compared to a week ago. Hospital admissions are 4,700 patients per day, and states like New York or New Jersey – which were the epicenter of the pandemic last summer – are once again topping the lists of new infections.

However, unlike previous waves, in this case, about 75% of people over 65 have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, so this could have fewer hospitalizations and deaths.

Beyond that, Walensky was alarmed: “In any case, I would be concerned to see a new wave of infections that could be avoided if we maintain basic habits such as constant hand washing, social distancing, l ‘use of masks and frequent exams,’ he said.

“Now is one of those times when I have to share the truth and I have to wait and trust them to listen. I will leave the script and I will reflect on the recurring feeling I have of impending doomWalensky said at a press conference, during which he was sometimes on the verge of losing his temper.

“We have a lot to hope for, a lot of promise and potential … and a lot of reason to hope. But right now I’m scared», He expressed.

Last week’s rise in the number of infections is the first such indication that we see in two months, week after week, the curve was going down. 22 states saw an increase of at least 10 percent in the number of new cases detected last week. Hospitalizations, while not increasing, slowed their downward trend for the first time. The number of patients hospitalized with the virus has fallen by 70% since January in the United States.

Another concern is that with the phenomenon of more cases, less evidence has also been observed. In other words, fewer people were tested for COVID 19. Last week, the average number of coronavirus tests fell 12.2%, while the percentage of positives increased by 4, 2 and 4.8%. With fewer people getting tested, states fear that the actual number of infected may be greater than one might think, especially worrying asymptomatic cases that can turn into big infections.

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