Why it matters: White House officials warned that the initial supply of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine would be limited due to production problems, although the company said it would stick to its agreement to supply the US with 100 million doses by the end of June.
“We are confident in our plans to deliver 100 million single-dose vaccines to the United States during the first half of 2021, and we continue to partner with the U.S. government to explore all options for accelerating delivery,” said Nettles.
The vaccine is 66% effective against the virus in general, but showed only 57% effectiveness in a test in South Africa, where a problematic strain, B.1.315, has spread widely. This strain has been reported in 10 US states.
What is the next: The Chamber panel will also hear from executives from Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca and Novavax about the ways in which major vaccine manufacturers are increasing production to meet the country’s vaccine demands.
Pfizer and Moderna each promised 300 million doses this year.