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President Joe Biden plans to announce that 90% of U.S. adults will be eligible to receive a Covid-19 vaccine in three weeks and that its administration will more than double the number of pharmacies where injections are available, officials familiar with. the question.
Biden will make the announcement Monday afternoon at the White House, marking April 19 as another milestone in the vaccination effort. He will also say that almost all American adults will be able to get the vaccine within 5 miles of their home, said officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
The announcement comes as the United States continues to ramp up its vaccination efforts. Biden doubled his vaccine target last week after the United States reached its initial target six weeks earlier. The United States hit a three-day record of at least 3 million daily shots from Friday to Sunday, and the White House has said its three licensed vaccine producers are all on track to meet their delivery targets this week.
About three-quarters of vaccines still go directly to states, but Biden has directed an increasing share to federal channels, including pharmacies, as supply increased. This change has allowed Biden to target underprivileged zip codes as he attempts to address disparities in access, often on racial lines.
Vaccine Tracker: more than 546 million doses administered in 141 countries
At the same time, Rochelle Walensky, head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, pleaded with Americans to wear masks and stick to Covid-19 mitigation measures, warning of ‘impending disaster’ as cases, hospitalizations and deaths start to rise again. .
Speaking at a press briefing on Monday, she held back tears as she described a series of warning signs and said she was afraid of an impending fourth wave of Covid cases. “We have so much to hope for, so much promise and potential from where we are and so many reasons for hope, but right now I’m scared, ”Walensky said.
Walensky said she would speak to governors about the increase in cases. “We have to work together now to avoid a fourth outbreak,” she said.
Read more: CDC chief warns of ‘imminent fate’ Covid Cases, deaths are increasing
As part of his announcement, Biden will outline his plans to launch a dozen community supplemental vaccination sites over the next three weeks, officials said, including in St. Louis, Missouri, and Gary, Indiana. He will also say that the vaccines will be available in nearly 40,000 pharmacies during this period, compared to around 17,000 currently.
Officials have warned that not all eligible Americans will be able to immediately make an appointment on April 19.
Biden previously ordered states to open eligibility to all adults no later than May 1. A total of 31 states have said they will fully open up eligibility by April 19. Biden’s announcement on Monday is based on those moves – and will mean around 90% of the United States. adults will be eligible, officials said.
Biden said the United States will have an adequate supply by the end of May to vaccinate all American adults, although the administration of the vaccines may take longer. Until recently, eligibility was generally based on age or whether a person had underlying health conditions that put them at higher risk. Full adult eligibility means anyone 16 years of age or older can get the vaccine, regardless of their medical history.
The average daily injections given over 7 days rose to 2.7 million, the highest level to date. Biden has pledged to administer 200 million shots in total under his presidency by the end of next month and is set to do so.
Biden will also announce $ 100 million in funding to help immunize vulnerable and at-risk seniors, as well as people with disabilities, officials said. The program would aim to ensure that people at high risk are scheduled and driven to appointments for the vaccine, including those with mobility issues.
The US vaccination effort is supported by vast supplies. The administrations of Biden and his predecessor, Donald Trump, have used wartime powers to prioritize US government orders.
Biden said the United States will begin sharing vaccines with other countries once they have enough to cover all American adults, including the potential need for booster vaccines and a stockpile for children. , given the uncertainty of which vaccines will best suit younger age groups.
(Updates with Walensky in the seventh paragraph. An earlier version corrected the number of pharmacies in the eighth paragraph.)
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