The Biden administration will begin delivering COVID-19 vaccines directly to the suspected U.S. next week, ramping up vaccines as new potentially more dangerous changes emerge, the White House said Tuesday.
Jeff Zients, the president’s COVID-19 action group coordinator, said about 6,500 retail outlets nationwide will receive a million million doses in total.
The pharmacy program is administered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and includes major centers such as CVS Health. Walgreens Co, Walmart Inc, Rite Aid Co and Costco Wholesale, as well as a supermarket.
The number of participants is expected to grow as drug dealers increase productivity, allowing more doses to be dispensed – and the program is distinct from the one that uses participants to vaccinate nursing homes.
Drug stores have become the mainstay of flu vaccines and shingle vaccines, and the industry is capable of vaccinating tens of millions of people every month.
This will give people more sites to get vaccinated in their communities, ‘Zients told reporters, confirming that the initial opportunity will be available due to supply constraints.
Zients also announced a five percent increase in government-administered doses to states, districts and some major metropolitan areas.
These now make 10.5 million doses across all authorities, up from 10 million announced last week.
On Feb. 11, Biden administration will begin delivering one million coronavirus vaccines to a further 6,500 nationwide. Pictured: Pharmacist John Forbes delivers the Moderna GOVID-19 vaccine to physician assistant Meghan Bohlander at Medicap Pharmacy in Urbandale, Iowa, January 2021
The White House announced a 5% increase in doses sent to states, in addition to the 16% announced last week for a total of 10.5 million doses across all jurisdictions yo vaccine rate increase daily
To date, 26 million Americans have received at least one dose of the coronavirus vaccine and more than 6 million at least two doses
To date, the federal government has dispensed more than 52 million vaccines with 46 receiving at least one dose and more than six million at least two doses.
Getting vaccinations will be a priority for minorities who have suffered an extremely high toll of disease and deaths from the virus, Zeints said.
The partnership with drug stores was first announced by the Trump administration in November last year although no vaccines were agreed at the time.
CVS plans to start offering vaccines from doses reaching the first day, February 11th
The pharmacy plans to reach 250,000 doses at 330 stores across 11 states such as California and New York, Politico said.
Meanwhile, Walgreens said it will begin delivering doses the day after shipments arrive, Feb. 12.
‘With service, as we can increase supply, up to 40,000 nationwide could provide Covid-19 vaccines,’ Zients said.
The single million doses delivered will be impossible in addition to the 10.5 million doses given to states before the week.
The White House also took action to help states pay for their pandemic response efforts.
Zients said the federal government will make $ 3 billion to $ 5 billion available to states to cover certain costs that are eligible for reimbursement through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
These can range from protective equipment for healthcare workers, to the use of their National Guards, to setting up community food programs. State expenses from last January will now be eligible for reimbursement.
But Zients said states need much more financial support from Washington, revealing that Biden’s American Rescue Plan legislation requires $ 350 billion for states. The counter-offer of a group of Republican senators who went on over the weekend leaves out that line thing.
Data from the CDC show so far, 52 million doses, have been seen to carry
Jeff Zients, coordinator of the president’s COVID-19 action group, said states will also receive $ 3 billion to $ 5 billion to cover costs as a protective gear for health care workers. Pictured: Zients speaking to a press conference, December 2020
Some local authorities have started offering vaccines at drug stores, but in most places this is not the case. Signs on pharmacy front doors say vaccines are not yet available.
The two currently approved vaccines, from Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna, require dedicated cold storage.
And, since the release began in December, chains like CVS and Walgreens have become familiar with the specific handling requirements.
The Food and Drug Administration will soon be measuring approval for a vaccine from Johnson & Johnson, a one – shot regimen that requires only routine cooling.
The world at large is in a race with the virus to vaccinate so many people. Concerned mutations have been identified in the United Kingdom, South Africa and Brazil.
Officials say race to get vaccines vital as changes from UK, South Africa and Brazil spread across the county
The RA variant spreads more easily and carries a higher likelihood of fatal infection. The South African variant could slightly reduce the effectiveness of vaccines. All three mutations were identified in the U.S. with at least 482 cases.
The vaccine is free to Americans, thanks to legislation passed by Congress.
More than 60 per cent of doses have been administered so far, a significant improvement from just a few weeks ago.
Even with the massive snowstorm that hit the Northeast, Zients said ‘all the vaccines have been made available by the states according to schedule. ‘
But he recognized that some vaccination centers had to close for some time because of the weather.