Wednesday, May 21, 2025
51.0°F

Biden to boost world vaccine sharing commitment to 80M doses

Zeke Miller | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 4 years AGO
by Zeke Miller
| May 17, 2021 10:30 AM

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden will announce Monday that the U.S. will share an additional 20 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines with the world in the coming six weeks, the White House said.

The doses would come from existing U.S. production of Pfizer, Moderna or Johnson & Johnson vaccine stocks, according White House press secretary Jen Psaki, who said more details would be released in the coming days. It would mark the first time that U.S.-controlled doses of vaccines authorized for use in the country will be shared overseas, as domestic demand for the shots has dropped significantly in recent weeks.

The announcement comes on top of the Biden's administration’s prior commitment to share about 60 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine, which is not yet authorized for use in the U.S., by the end of June. The AstraZeneca doses will be available to ship once they clear a safety review by the Food and Drug Administration.

Biden is also tapping COVID-19 coordinator Jeff Zients to lead the administration's efforts to share doses with the world. The Biden administration has yet to announce how they will be shared or which countries will receive them.

To date, the U.S. has shared about 4.5 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine with Canada and Mexico. Additional doses of the Pfizer vaccine manufactured in the U.S. have begun to be exported as the company has met its initial contract commitments to the federal government.

The U.S. has faced growing pressure to share more of its vaccine stockpile with the world as interest in vaccines has waned domestically.

More than 157 million Americans have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, and 123 million are full vaccinated against the virus. Biden hopes the U.S. will have 160 million people fully vaccinated by July Fourth.

Globally, more than 3.3 million people are confirmed to have died from the coronavirus. The U.S. has seen the largest confirmed loss of life from COVID-19, at more than 586,000 people.

MORE IMPORTED STORIES

Biden boosting world vaccine sharing commitment to 80M doses
Columbia Basin Herald | Updated 4 years ago
Biden boosting world vaccine sharing commitment to 80M doses
Columbia Basin Herald | Updated 4 years ago
Biden boosting world vaccine sharing commitment to 80M doses
Columbia Basin Herald | Updated 4 years ago

ARTICLES BY ZEKE MILLER

September 14, 2021 12:03 a.m.

Biden embraces message of unity on 9/11 anniversary

NEW YORK (AP) — From an urban memorial to a remote field to the heart of of the nation's military might, President Joe Biden on Saturday paid tribute at three hallowed places of grief and remembrance to honor the lives lost two decades ago in the 9/11 terror attacks.

September 14, 2021 12:03 a.m.

Bush warns of domestic extremism, appeals to 'nation I know'

SHANKSVILLE, Pa. (AP) — Warning that the nation was falling into division and extremism, former President George W. Bush appealed Saturday for a return to the spirit of cooperation that emerged — almost instantaneously — after the 9/11 attacks 20 years ago.

September 13, 2021 12:03 a.m.

Biden embraces message of unity on 9/11 anniversary

NEW YORK (AP) — From an urban memorial to a remote field to the heart of of the nation's military might, President Joe Biden on Saturday paid tribute at three hallowed places of grief and remembrance to honor the lives lost two decades ago in the 9/11 terror attacks.