Biden says 90% of U.S. adults will be eligible for Covid vaccines by April 19 with sites within five miles of their homes

President Joe Biden has said 90% of adults in the United States will be eligible for Covid-19 vaccines by April 19 and can get them within five miles of their homes as part of a plan to expanded vaccination he announced on Monday.

About 40,000 pharmacies will distribute the vaccine, up from 17,000, Biden said, and the United States will set up a dozen additional mass vaccination sites by April 19.

“For the vast majority of adults, you won’t have to wait until May 1. You will be eligible for your injection on April 19,” Biden said at a press conference on the government’s response to Covid-19 and vaccination efforts. around the country.

A few weeks ago, Biden called on states, tribes and territories to make all U.S. adults eligible for vaccination by May 1. To date, 31 states have said they will open eligibility to all adults by April 19, according to the White Loger.

Biden is pushing for 200 million Covid vaccines to be administered in his first 100 days in office. As of Friday, $ 100 million had been donated since Biden’s inauguration. That goal – which Biden set as his initial goal – was achieved on his 59th day in office.

Since last week, the rate of US vaccinations has averaged about 2.5 million doses per day. If that rate is maintained, Biden’s target of 200 million would be reached in about five weeks, or around April 23 – a full week before Biden scores 100 days in the White House.

Even as the pace of vaccinations accelerates, cases of Covid-19 are on the rise.

The United States records a weekly average of 63,239 new cases of Covid-19 per day, a 16% increase from a week ago, according to a CNBC analysis of data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. Daily cases now increase by at least 5% in 30 states and DC

Earlier Monday, the head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr Rochelle Walensky, issued a terrible warning to reporters. She said she feared the nation could face “impending disaster” as daily Covid-19 cases start to rebound again, threatening to send more people to hospital.

“I’m going to take a break here, I’m going to lose the script, and I’m going to reflect on the recurring feeling I have of impending doom,” Walensky said at a press briefing. “We have so much to hope for, so much promise and potential from where we are and so much to hope for, but right now I’m scared.”

At Biden’s press conference, the president called on Americans to “hide,” saying it was their “patriotic duty.”

“We are making progress on vaccination, but cases are increasing and the virus is still spreading in too many places,” he said. “That is why today I am taking these steps to further accelerate our history of turnaround in the United States, our vaccination program.”

“The progress we are making is a significant testament to what we can do when we work together as Americans, we still need everyone to do their part,” he added. “We are still at war with this deadly virus. We are strengthening our defenses, but this war is far from won. Together we have so much to be proud of over the past 10 weeks.”

Asked by a reporter about whether some states should suspend reopening efforts, Biden simply said “yes.”

As part of Biden’s goal to vaccinate more Americans, the White House said it will also announce a new effort to fund community organizations to provide transportation and assistance to older people and people with disabilities. most at risk of the country. This builds on the $ 10 billion investment to expand access to vaccines in hardest-hit communities, the White House said.