President Joe Biden says that a minimum of 10 million shots will be administered per week moving forward, an increase of 17%, as states and regions have been forced to close mass vaccination sites due to strained supply.
According to a White House press release, Biden announced that the US is purchasing an additional 200 million doses of each of the two approved coronavirus vaccines to be delivered this summer.
Biden said in a statement from the White House State Room that he hopes that 300 millions will be fully vaccinated by the end of the summer, and that if anything, the US will have too much supply of the vaccine.
On Tuesday, Biden pledged to provide states at least three weeks in advance of delivery to allow for them to plan accordingly for injections.
"This increased transparency will give state and local leaders greater certainty around supply so that they can plan their vaccination efforts and administer vaccines effectively and efficiently," the White House said in the news release.
Biden closed his news conference on an optimistic note.
"We didn't get into this mess overnight, and it is going to take months for us to turn things around," Biden said. "But let me be equally clear. We are going to get through this. We will defeat this pandemic. And to a nation waiting for action, let me be clearest on this point, help is on the way. We can do this, if we come together. If we listen to the scientists."
According to the CDC, 44,394,075 doses have been distributed and 23.5 million people have been vaccinated.
There are currently two coronavirus vaccines that have garnered an emergency use authorization from the FDA. A vaccine produced by Pfizer, which studies indicate has a 95% efficacy rate, began being administered in the US last month. A second coronavirus vaccine, which is produced by Moderna and has a 94% efficacy rate, began being administered last month as well.
