'We've got a long way to go', says Biden as US prepares to buy 200 mn more COVID doses

On Tuesday, US President Joe Biden announced that the government working on a plan to purchase additional 200 million doses of Coronavirus vaccines that have been authorised for emergency use. Notably, the country hit yet another grim milestone yesterday after crossing 25 million infections mark. Biden informed that his administration will increase overall weekly vaccination distribution to states and tribal territories from 8.6 million doses to a minimum of 10 million doses. This came up after the review of the current vaccine supply and manufacturing plans.

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Biden said starting from next week, there will be an increase of 1.4 million doses weekly and will be distributed to states based on the population.

“We've got a long way to go, though,” he said in his address to the nation on the steps he is taking to address the coronavirus pandemic.

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Biden said the end goal is to beat COVID-19 as he reiterates his ambitious goal of 100 million shots in 100 days. He has also directed COVID-19 response coordinator Jeff Zients to increase the supply of the vaccines for the Americans and work with the Department of Health and Human Services.

“We believe that we will soon be able to confirm the purchase of an additional 100 million doses for each of the two FDA authorised vaccines Pfizer and Moderna,” he said, adding this is 200 million more doses that the federal government had previously secured not in hand yet but ordered. We expect these additional 200 million doses to be delivered this summer," he added.

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Biden to reach 600 million doses this summer 

The White House said that the Biden administration is working to reach 600 million doses this summer and vaccinate 300 million people by purchasing additional 200 million more doses of Covid-19 vaccines. 

"The Biden-Harris administration is working to purchase an additional 100 million doses of each of the two Food and Drug Administration-authorized vaccines - Pfizer and Moderna," the release said on Tuesday. "This increases the total vaccine order for the US by 50 per cent, from 400 million to 600 million with these additional doses expected to deliver this summer."

Kamala Harris Administered 2nd COVID Vaccine Dose

Kamla Harris, US Vice President received her second dose of the coronavirus vaccine in a televised setting at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) on Tuesday and also urged Americans to get vaccinated. Harris, 56, is now fully vaccinated along with President Joe Biden, who received his second and final dose of the vaccine earlier this month.

"I want to urge everyone to take the vaccine when it is your turn. It will save your life," she said.

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(With PTI Inputs)