WASHINGTON (AP) – Days after setting a solemn milestone in the pandemic, President Joe Biden is celebrating the pace of his efforts to end it.
On Thursday, Biden scheduled to administer the 50 millionth dose of the COVID-19 vaccine since his inauguration. The moment came days after the country reached the devastating 500,000 coronavirus deaths and before a meeting with the country’s governors about plans to further accelerate distribution.
“The more people get vaccinated, the faster we will beat this pandemic,” said Biden at the White House ceremony, noting that his government is on track to exceed its promise to deliver 100 million vaccines in its first 100 days of office.
“We are halfway there: 50 million shots in 37 days,” said Biden. “This is weeks ahead of schedule.”
In all, more than 45 million Americans have received at least one dose of the approved vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna since they received approval from the Food and Drug Administration in December, with more than 20 million receiving the two required doses.
As part of the ceremony, four frontline employees – a pair of emergency medical technicians, a school counselor and a grocery store employee – received doses of the vaccine live on television as part of the White House’s efforts to increase confidence in the vaccination program.
Biden predicts that by the end of spring there will be enough vaccine to give to anyone who wants it, but that hesitation about the vaccine will limit the number of people who want it. “We will have the vaccine waiting,” said Biden, predicting that this point could occur within 60 to 90 days.
He promised a “massive campaign to educate people” about vaccine safety and effectiveness, hoping to stimulate demand, as the country plans to vaccinate about 80% of adults to achieve collective immunity and end the pandemic.
Biden said he planned to visit a mass vaccination site run by the US military in Houston on Friday, one of several ways his government plans to speed up injections, especially when supplies increase.
Biden noted the promise of a third vaccine to be approved as early as this weekend, when the Johnson & Johnson single-dose candidate is analyzed by the FDA.
“We have a plan to implement it as soon as Johnson & Johnson can,” said Biden.
In a meeting with governors, Biden asked for their help in approving his $ 1.9 trillion “American Rescue Plan”, which provides funding to expand vaccination and testing, as well as economic relief for people struggling during the pandemic.
“The economic toll of this pandemic continues to hit our country as brutally as the virus itself,” said Biden.
Biden also warned that variants could continue to spread, leading to more cases and hospitalizations. He called on Americans to monitor social distance measures and use facial coverage.
“This is not the time to relax,” he said.