Biden announces 90% of adults will be eligible for vaccine by April 19

President BidenJoe Biden The Hill’s Morning Report – Biden to talk about infrastructure in mid-border, voting controversies Juan Williams: GOP’s Big Voting Rights Lie Schumer goes into re-election mode MORE announced Monday that 90% of U.S. adults would be eligible for the coronavirus vaccine and have a vaccination site within 5 miles of their place of residence by April 19, while also warning Americans not to Let our guard down on the rise in COVID-19 cases.

Biden also announced in a speech Monday afternoon that the number of pharmacies participating in the federal immunization program will more than double, from 17,000 to 40,000 as of the same date.

He previously set a goal for all U.S. adults to be eligible for the vaccine by May 1. As supply grows, many states opened up eligibility to all adults long before that date, which experts expected given the growing number. available doses.

Even as vaccinations progress, Biden warned cases were on the rise again and people should not let their guard down.

“I reiterate my call to every governor, mayor and local leader to maintain and restore the mandate of the mask,” he said. “Please, this is not politics. Reinstate the warrant if you drop it. “

Biden said “we share the sentiment” Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Rochelle WalenskyRochelle Walensky One year later, US still sees too many COVID-19 deaths: US CDC director records over 30 million coronavirus cases amid vaccination effort The Hill’s Morning Report – Biden takes a strong interest in gun control PLUS, who earlier today warned of “looming disaster” following a new wave of cases.

“If we let our guard down now, we could see the virus getting worse, not better,” Biden said.

Vaccinations are not yet widespread enough for the country to be completely safe from a new wave of COVID-19.

The administration is also working to increase the number of available sites, including by significantly expanding the pharmacy program, designed to make it easy for people to get vaccinated at their local pharmacy.

A dozen additional mass vaccination sites, as well as $ 100 million to help immunize at-risk seniors and people with disabilities, are also part of the new efforts.

Being eligible for the vaccine doesn’t necessarily mean someone will be able to get it right away, as finding an available appointment can take some time.

Still, vaccine supplies are increasing rapidly and experts say the country will reach a point in the coming months where demand will start to exceed supply, instead of the other way around. The country will have a new high of 33 million doses this week, Biden said.

At this point, efforts to reduce vaccine hesitancy and allow hard-to-reach people to get vaccinated will become even more important.

The country has set new records of more than 3 million shots per day in recent days. And nearly 75% of people over 65 have received at least one injection.

Biden urged the elderly, “if you haven’t had your chance yet, take it this week.”

Before reaching generalized vaccinations, however, more contagious variants, combined with the easing of restrictions, raise the prospect of a surge ahead.

On Sunday, the United States officially surpassed the 30 million documented coronavirus cases, and Walensky said on Monday that the seven-day average of new cases was around 60,000 per day, a 10% increase over the past year. last week.

“When we see this increase in cases, what we’ve seen before is that things really do tend to rocket and rocket,” she said.

—Updated at 3:15 p.m.