Biden Announces Plans for COVID-19 Vaccine for Every Adult American 

By Nida A. Imam

President Joe Biden informed the nation on March 2, that there will be enough COVID-19 vaccine doses for every adult American by the end of May. The president sees hope with the new date that speeds up the timeline by two months. 

“There is light at the end of the tunnel, but we cannot let our guard down now to ensure victory is inevitable, we can’t assume that. We must remain vigilant, act fast and aggressively and look out for one another. That’s how we’re going to get ahead of this virus, get our economy going again and get back to our loved ones,” Biden said according to CNN.

Many Americans have been waiting anxiously to get the vaccine, especially with reports from the end of January indicating that several states are experiencing escalating vaccine shortages.

Kentucky’s public health commissioner, Steven J. Stack, told The Washington Post at the time that apportioning limited supply of the vaccine is like sprinkling “pixie dust” across the state.

However, the new deadline does not guarantee that all Americans will receive shots by May 31. Issues with distribution and available resources indicate that it may take much longer for all doses to be administered, CNN noted.

Partnerships between major U.S. drug makers nevertheless support a rise in optimism for the new target date. The White House announced it was utilizing the Defense Production Act to help equip two Merck facilities to manufacture the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

It was just this past Sunday when news outlets such as ABC News reported that the Center for Disease Control and Prevention gave its regulatory approval for the Johnson & Johnson one-shot COVID-19 vaccine. There is reason to acknowledge the headway with 4 million doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, the third COVID-19 vaccine, being available to the public immediately.

“We’re making progress from the mess we inherited. We’re moving in the right direction. And today’s announcements are a huge step in our effort to beat this pandemic,” Biden stated Tuesday.

Words of caution also followed the President’s recognition of the progress. “Though we celebrate the news of a third vaccine, I urge all Americans, please keep washing your hands. Stay socially distanced. Wear masks keep wearing them. Get vaccinated when it’s your turn. Now is not the time to let up,”