The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

» Pfizer to supply additional 100 million doses of vaccine,

Government also has an option to buy 400 million more doses.

- By Ricardo Alonso- Zaldivar

WASHINGTON — Pfizer said Wednesday it will supply the U.S. government with an additional 100 million dose so fits COVID- 19 vaccine under a new agreement bet ween the pharmaceut­ical giant and the Trump administra­tion.

Pfizer and its German partner, Biontech, said that will bring their total current commitment to 200 million doses for the U.S. That should be enough to vaccinate 100 million people with the twoshot regimen. The government also has an option to purchase an additional 400 million doses.

“This new federal purchase can give Americans even more confidence that we will have enough supply to vaccinate every American who wants it by June 2021,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar in a statement. The cost to taxpayers: $ 1.95 billion for the additional 100 million doses.

To aid vaccine production, the government said it is using its authority under a Cold War- era law that allows it to direct private manufactur­ing.

Pfizer's vaccine was the first to be approved for emergency use by the Food and Drug Administra­tion. It has now been joined by another two- shot vaccine from Moderna, developed in close collaborat­ion with the National Institutes of Health. The government began shipping the Pfizer vaccine to states last week, and the one from Moderna this week.

The priority groups for first vaccinatio­n include health care workers and nursing home residents. Gradually, more Americans will have access to the free vaccines, which have been shown to be highly effective in clinical studies undertaken so far.

Under the Pfizer deal announced Wednesday, the company will deliver at least 70 million of the additional vaccine doses by June 30, with the remaining 30 million to be delivered no later than July 31.

“With these 100 million additional doses, the United States will be able to protect more individual­s and hopefully end this devastatin­g pandemic more quickly,” Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said in a statement. “We look forward to continuing our work with the U.S. government and healthcare providers around the country.”

 ?? NAM Y. HUH/ ASSOCIATED PRESS ?? Under the deal announced Wednesday, Pfifizer will deliver at least 70 million of the additional vaccine doses by June 30, with the remaining 30 million to be delivered no later than July 31.
NAM Y. HUH/ ASSOCIATED PRESS Under the deal announced Wednesday, Pfifizer will deliver at least 70 million of the additional vaccine doses by June 30, with the remaining 30 million to be delivered no later than July 31.

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