WASHINGTON (AP) – President-elect Joe Biden will launch most of the available doses of the COVID-19 vaccine to speed up delivery to more people, a reversal of Trump’s administration policy, his office said on Friday.
“The president-elect believes that we must accelerate the delivery of the vaccine while continuing to ensure that Americans who need it most receive it as quickly as possible,” said spokesman TJ Ducklo in a statement. Biden “supports the release of immediately available doses and believes that the government should stop withholding vaccine supplies so that we can get more injections into the arms of Americans now.”
Under the Trump administration’s approach, the government has withheld the vaccine supply to ensure that people can receive a second injection, which provides maximum protection against COVID-19. The Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines require a second injection about three weeks after the first vaccination. One-shot vaccines are still being tested.
After a glimmer of hope when the first vaccines were approved last month, the country’s vaccination campaign got off to a slow start. Of 29.4 million doses distributed, about 5.9 million were administered, or 27%, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Biden has already expressed his displeasure. In a speech last week, before his electoral victory was certified by Congress, the president-elect said he plans to speed up vaccinations by making the federal government have a stronger role in ensuring that vaccines are not only available, but that vaccines are happening in the arms of more Americans.
“Trump’s administration plan to distribute vaccines is falling behind – far behind,” said Biden. “If you continue to move as you are now, it will take years, not months, to vaccinate the American people.”
The American Hospital Association estimates that the country would need to vaccinate 1.8 million people a day, every day, from January 1 to May 31, to achieve the goal of having widespread immunity by summer. This is also called “herd immunity” and would involve vaccinating at least 75% of the population.
Without giving details, Biden said his government will put in place a much more aggressive vaccination campaign, with greater involvement and federal leadership, and the goal of administering 100 million vaccines in the first 100 days.
He said he and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris have been talking to state and local leaders about a coordinated approach that mixes government efforts at all levels. Among the specifics: opening vaccination posts and sending mobile vaccine units to communities that are difficult to access.
“The main thing is that there is no coordinated national plan,” Biden consultant Dr. Rick Bright told the Associated Press.
Ducklo said Biden will share additional details next week on how his government will tackle the pandemic when he takes office on January 20.
Biden’s plan to change the vaccine distribution plan was first reported by CNN.