Following the recent approval of the emergency use of Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine, all American adults will be able to receive a coronavirus vaccine by the end of May, President Joe Biden announced on Tuesday.
Biden, during a press conference, officially announced that pharmaceutical giant Merck & Co. is teaming up with rival Johnson & Johnson to help manufacture its recently approved COVID-19 vaccine in an attempt to accelerate the country’s vaccination efforts, a process that started slowly, but has accelerated in recent weeks.
The emergency approval of a vaccine, in addition to the collaboration between Merck and Johnson & Johnson, was instrumental in moving the goal of making vaccines available to all adult Americans from July to late May, about two months ahead of schedule. Biden credited an “accelerated process” for seeing this accelerated schedule.
Johnson & Johnson previously agreed to supply the United States with 100 million doses of its unique vaccine by June, but White House officials said the company had struggled with supply and material issues.
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Last week, before the FDA’s emergency use authorization, Jeff Zients, White House COVID-19 coordinator, said the Biden administration was working to “further accelerate the pace and timeframe” for which the company delivered the combined supply after learning about Johnson & Johnson was delayed in its production schedule.
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The increased production of the Johnson & Johson jab is an “opportunity to help meet urgent vaccination needs more quickly,” said the president. He also noted that his goal of vaccinating 100 million Americans in the first 100 days of his government is likely to be achieved, as the country is already “halfway to that goal” in its first 37 days, Biden said, adding that he is “confident “in the USA”. will do it all the way. ”
With more vaccines, the country will also require more vaccinators, said Biden, noting that doctors and nurses across the country have come out of retirement to help with these efforts. He added that thousands of federal employees – mainly those from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Department of Defense and others – have also helped with vaccination efforts.
In addition, Biden wants all states to give priority to elementary and high school teachers, day care centers, school officials and other educators, advising states to provide at least one COVID-19 vaccine to this group by the end of March. That group could also use the federal pharmacy program to get a vaccination appointment, he said.
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In the meantime, Biden pleaded with all American citizens to remain vigilant, especially amid emerging variants of the new disease.
“Things can get worse again as new variants spread and we face setbacks, like the recent winter storms in the midwest and south. But our government will never take this threat to public health into account,” said Biden. “Now is not the time to let your guard down. People’s lives are at stake.”
Fox News’ Alexandria Hein contributed to this report.