WH boosts vaccine supply; supports riot commission

President Joe Biden's administration is increasing coronavirus vaccine supplies sent to states to 13.5 million doses per week.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki says that represents a 57 per cent increase from when Biden took office nearly a month ago on Jan. 20.

Psaki also says the administration is doubling to 2 million doses per week the amount of vaccine being sent to pharmacies across the country as part of a program to extend access into neighbourhoods.

Jeff Zients, Biden's coronavirus coordinator, made the announcements during a regular White House call with governors on Tuesday.

Psaki says the administration is monitoring severe weather across parts of the country that has forced some vaccination centres to close temporarily, and that could jeopardize the viability of the vaccines.

The administration says the weather is expected to affect shipments from a FedEx facility in Memphis, Tennessee, and a UPS facility in Louisville, Kentucky. Both facilities serve as vaccine shipping hubs for multiple states.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other federal agencies are working with the jurisdictions, as well as manufacturing and shipping partners, to assess weather conditions and to help offset potential delivery delays and cancellations.

Just days after the Senate's impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump resulted in an acquittal, Psaki said Biden "would support" moves by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to set up a

an independent, Sept. 11-style commission to look into the Jan. 6th insurrection.

Psaki said the president "backs efforts to shed additional light on the facts to ensure something like that never happens again."

Asked whether Biden supports criminal prosecution of Trump for his role in the Jan. 6 riots, as some Democrats are calling for, Psaki brushed off the question saying it will be up to the Department of Justice to determine.

"We're doing something new here and there's going to be an independent Justice Department to determine what any path forward in any investigation would look like," she said.