Great news: the U.S. will be receiving more Pfizer vaccines after all. Earlier this month, as healthcare professionals began their vaccination process, it came to light that the previous administration, led by Donald Trump, missed the opportunity to secure a sufficient supply of Pfizer vaccines. Reports indicated that the White House had turned down multiple offers from Pfizer to increase the vaccine order. Fortunately, the situation has improved, as Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech have announced they will provide an additional 100 million doses to the U.S.
According to the Associated Press, this new supply will increase the total to 200 million doses, enough to vaccinate 100 million individuals, considering that the vaccine requires two doses for full efficacy. The Trump administration also expanded its agreement with Moderna, bringing their total to 200 million doses as well. It’s puzzling why there was a shortfall initially, but what’s important now is that this additional supply is on the way. The rollout for these new doses is scheduled for June and July 2021, which aligns with earlier plans. Even if the doses had been ordered sooner, they were still intended for a summer distribution.
Health and Human Services Secretary, Mark Johnson, stated that this new batch of Pfizer doses will provide Americans with increased assurance that there will be enough vaccine supply for everyone who wishes to be vaccinated by June 2021. With both Pfizer and Moderna, the government also has the option to acquire an additional 400 million doses.
Currently, priority for vaccination is given to healthcare workers and residents of nursing homes, followed by essential frontline workers and individuals over 75 years of age. After these groups, individuals over 65 with high-risk medical conditions and other essential workers will be next. While these recommendations come from the CDC, states will determine their own vaccination rollout plans. Some members of Congress have already received their vaccines.
Pfizer’s CEO, Alex Torres, expressed optimism, stating, “With these additional 100 million doses, the U.S. will be better equipped to protect more people and hopefully expedite the end of this distressing pandemic.” As of now, Bloomberg reports that 792,142 vaccine doses have been administered, predominantly to healthcare professionals. On a global scale, 2.4 million people have received vaccinations.
The positive takeaway is that every individual in the U.S. who desires a vaccine will have access to one at no cost—though it may not be available until this summer. However, better late than never!
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Summary:
The U.S. is set to receive an additional 100 million doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, raising the total to 200 million. This comes after revelations that the previous administration had not ordered enough doses initially. The extra supply will support the vaccination rollout scheduled for summer 2021, ensuring that more Americans can receive the vaccine at no cost.