Biden aims to vaccinate 70% of American adults by July 4
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden on Tuesday set a new vaccination goal to deliver at least one shot to 70 percent of adult Americans by July Fourth as he tackles the vexing problem of winning over the “doubters” and those unmotivated to get inoculated.
Demand for vaccines has dropped off markedly nationwide, with some states leaving more than half their available doses unordered. Aiming to make it easier to get shots, Biden called for states to make vaccines available on a walk-in basis and he will direct many pharmacies to do likewise.
“You do need to get vaccinated,” Biden said from the White House. “Even if your chance of getting seriously ill is low, why take the risk? It could save your life or the lives of somebody you love.”
Biden’s goal equates to delivering at least the first shot to 181 million adults and fully vaccinating 160 million.
Already more than 56 percent of American adults have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and nearly 105 million are fully vaccinated. The U.S. is currently administering first doses at a rate of about 965,000 per day — half the rate of three weeks ago, but almost twice as fast as needed to meet Biden’s target.
He said the administration would focus on three areas as it tries to ramp up the pace of vaccinations:
• Adults who need more persuading to take the vaccine.
• Those who have struggled or are in no hurry to obtain a shot.
• Adolescents ages 12-15, once federal authorities approve vaccination for that age group.
The Biden administration is shifting the government’s focus toward expanding smaller and mobile vaccination clinics to deliver doses to harder-to-reach communities. It is also spending hundreds of millions of dollars to try to boost interest in vaccines through education campaigns and greater access to shots through community organizations that can help bring people to clinics.
Biden touted creative efforts to make it “easier and more fun” to get vaccinated, such as grocery stores offering discounts to shoppers who come to get shots and sports leagues that hold promotions to gets shots for their fans.
Ahead of the Food and Drug Administration’s expected authorization of the Pfizer vaccine for kids ages 12-15, the White House is developing plans to speed vaccinations for that age group. Biden urged states to administer at least one dose to adolescents by July Fourth and work to deliver doses to pediatricians’ offices and other trusted locations, with the aim of getting many of them fully vaccinated by the start of the next school year.
The urgency to expand the pool of those getting the shots is rooted in hopes of stamping out the development of new variants that could emerge and helping the country further reopen by the symbolic moment of Independence Day. Biden sounded optimistic.
“The light at the end of the tunnel is actually growing brighter and brighter,” Biden said.