President Biden said today that the U.S. will have enough vaccine for every adult in the country by the end of May.
Biden made the announcement on the heels of green-lighting the Defense Production Act to be used to assist Merck with manufacturing Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine.
He also announced an initiative to get schools reopened by prioritizing the vaccination of K-12 teachers and staff using the federal pharmacy program during a brief speech from the White House’s Roosevelt Room.
‘When we came into office the prior administration had contracted for not nearly enough vaccine to cover adults in America,’ he said pointing a finger at former President Donald Trump. ‘We rectified that about three weeks ago and were able to say that we’ll have enough vaccine supply for adults by the end of July.’
‘I’m pleased to announce today as a consequence of the stepped up process that I’ve ordered and just outlined, this country will have enough vaccine supply – I’ll say it again – for every adult in America by the end of May. That’s progress,’ the president added.
Biden also said by March 2022 the pandemic could be largely over.
‘I’ve been cautioned not to give an answer to that because we don’t know for sure,’ Biden said as he was leaving the podium. ‘But my hope is by this time next year we’re going to be back to normal, and before, that’s my hope.’
Earlier at the White House briefing, press secretary Jen Psaki explained that the U.S. government is facilitating the partnership between Johnson & Johnson and Merck in ‘several key ways.’
‘Including invoking the Defense Production Act to equip two Merck facilities to the standards necessary to safely manufacture the vaccine,’ Psaki explained.
She also said the Defense Department would provide ‘daily logistical support’ to assist Merck’s and Johnson & Johnson’s efforts.
The news of the ‘historic partnership’ between the two companies broke earlier today.
Biden applauded Johnson & Johnson and Merck for being ‘good corporate citizens.’
‘This is the type of collaboration between companies we saw in World War II,’ the president noted.
‘As I’ve always said, this is a wartime effort and every action has been on the table, including putting together breakthrough approaches,’ Biden said.
Psaki pointed to the announcement as evidence that the Biden administration was getting things done.
‘These obviously are two companies that have historically been competitors so the fact that they are coming together speaks to the ability of this administration broadly to bring them to the table and work together to address the pandemic in the country,’ Psaki said.
She added that it was an ‘across-the-administration effort.’
‘As soon as we learned about the fact that Johnson & Johnson was behind in the manufacturing steps and efforts, we took steps to ensure we can expedite that and partner them with one of the world’s biggest manufacturers,’ the press secretary explained.
One of the two DPA-assisted Merck production facilities will help with ‘fill-finish capacity,’ the actual filling and packaging of vaccine vials. The DPA was also used to help get the correct incredients for the vaccine, which will be produced in the other Merck facility.
Psaki wouldn’t say if the reason why the administration stepped in was because Johnson & Johnson wouldn’t be able to fulfill its obligation of 100 million doses to the U.S. government otherwise.
‘I wouldn’t put it in those terms,’ she said, instead saying the White House wanted to ‘capitalize on the scientific breakthrough’ and ensure that vaccine production was ‘expedited.’
On Saturday, the Food and Drug Administration issued an emergency use authorization for Johnson & Johnson’s one-shot COVID-19 vaccine, making it the third to gain the U.S. government’s approval.