On Tuesday, the Biden government said that it was on the point of securing an additional 200 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccines authorized for emergency use in the U.S.
The purchase would increase available supply by fifty percent, adding 600 million doses by this summer.
Because both products- one developed by Moderna and the other by Pfizer and German company BioNTech- are two-dose regimens that would be sufficient to fully vaccinate 300 million people. Approximately 260 million people in the United States are currently eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. However, Moderna and Pfizer have started trials for children as young as 12, expanding the pool.
The purchases promised by Biden would not immediately increase the number of vaccinations. But they would significantly speed up his chances of returning the nation to some equilibrium by late summer or the fall.
On Monday, the president said he expects the general citizens to gain access to the vaccine by the spring. As he seemed to raise his government’s goal from 1 million vaccinations a day to 1.5 million. Although aides said that was ambitious.
Biden said on Tuesday morning; he expected the additional shots to be delivered through the summer.
The companies were very cautious in public statements, although people informed about the deals said formal deals were impending. The government was using options built into contracts negotiated by the Trump government to purchase additional doses. Those people spoke on the condition of anonymity to explain internal matters.
Amy Rose, Pfizer’s spokeswoman, said the company “is engaged in constant communications with the Biden government, and we stand at the ready to start negotiations.”
Ray Jordan, the Moderna spokesperson, declined to comment.
