President Biden’s call for every adult American to be eligible for a coronavirus vaccine by May 1 comes at a time when doses are being administered at a rapid pace.
In the past month alone, vaccinations have increased by about 40 percent to an average of 2.3 million shots per day from Friday, compared to an average of 1.7 million shots per day on February 12, according to a New York Times database.
The increased rate of vaccinations comes as vaccine production has increased. The team of mr. Biden has made important decisions that have accelerated production and distribution, though some of the success is due to the Trump administration having a vaccine production effort when Mr.
But now that the vaccine supply is approaching the demand of those who are eligible, the country faces the challenge of getting all the shots in the arms, an operation that requires not only enough doses, but also access to improve color communities. as space, manpower, and messages to convince Americans for various reasons to be careful that the vaccination is safe and effective.
Mass vaccination sites are already opening and expanding across the country, and some sites are extending the hours available there. The White House announced Friday that another vaccination site run by the Federal Emergency Management Agency will open in a football stadium in Detroit that could deliver 6,000 shots a day.
More and more states have also expanded the criteria for people who may now also be eligible for vaccinations.
Since the vaccination campaign began in December, there have been 101 million doses was administered across the country, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The number of shots has gradually increased and since January 20 more than 84 million doses administered from Thursday. The president initially set a target of 100 million shots in his first 100 days in office and later said he was aiming for an average of 1.5 million shots per day. At the current rate of 2.3 million shots per day, the country would exceed the point of 100 million shots during its administration within about a week.
What you need to know about rolling out vaccines
In mid-February, Mr. Biden said that by the end of July, there will be enough vaccine available for any adult in the country. In early March, he said the timeline had moved to the end of May. Mr. Biden also recently announced that its administration will secure an additional hundred million doses of Johnson & Johnson single vaccine by the end of this year, a boost that could eventually make the vaccines available to children. The additional doses can also be used for booster shots, if needed.
Vaccinating the country has become a race against time, with new variants emerging nationwide and state leaders getting serious about easing restrictions as the weather warms. Mr. Biden’s health team has warned that this is not the time to lift restrictions, especially to put mask mandates in place that appear to be able to successfully stop the spread of infections.
“We need everyone to keep washing their hands, staying social and wearing the mask as recommended by the CDC,” he said. Biden said Thursday during a national speech. “Because even if we spend all the resources we have, it depends on national unity to beat this virus and become normal again.”
Amy Schoenfeld Walker and Noah Weiland contribution made.