U.S. NEARS BIDEN’S GOAL OF DISTRIBUTING 1.5M VACCINE DOSES A DAY
The United States is on the verge of administering 1.5 million doses of the coronavirus vaccine a day, nearing a goal President Joe Biden set shortly after taking office last month.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1.49 million shots, on average, have been administered each day over the past week, up from an average of about 900,000 doses when Biden took office.
The president has vowed to get “100 million COVID-19 shots in the arms of the American people” by his 100th day in office, a goal that some criticized as not ambitious enough since vaccinations had already been increasing during the final weeks of Donald Trump’s presidency. Since the vaccines were approved in December, about 32.9 million people in the United States have received at least one dose, including about 9.8 million who have been fully vaccinated with two shots.
But even as the rollout picks up speed, state leaders have complained that the limited supply of vaccines has slowed their ambitions.
“Right now, we don’t have enough doses for everyone who wants one,” said Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan of Minnesota. “Until the federal government steps up and provides them, our providers need to quickly use the precious supply we have on hand.”
Public health departments are also under pressure to head off racial disparities in the distribution of the vaccines and to make sure people who are eligible for shots are able to get to appointments.
In Detroit, officials are offering $2 round-trip bus fare to a vaccination site downtown, as well as new neighborhood vaccine clinics at churches. In North Carolina, the health department is setting aside some doses for events in underserved communities.
“Speed is critical, but we are also emphasizing equity,” Gov. Roy Cooper of North Carolina said. “Communities of color have been disproportionately impacted by this devastating pandemic, and the state is working to reduce the high rates of sickness this population is experiencing.”