Biden Calls for Widespread Eligibility for COVID-19 Vaccine by May 1
- March 12, 2021
In his first prime-time address March 11, President Biden said he will direct states to make all adults eligible to be vaccinated for COVID-19 no later than May 1. “That doesn’t mean everyone’s going to have that shot immediately, but it means you’ll be able to get in line beginning May 1,” he said.
He also announced plans for a new website to help individuals find where they can get vaccinated.
Earlier in the week, the administration said it will purchase an additional 100 million doses of the newly authorized Johnson & Johnson (J&J) vaccine for COVID-19.
Administration officials said the move will double the supply of the J&J vaccine to 200 million doses to "maximum flexibility for our upcoming needs.”
The Food and Drug Administration issued February 27 an emergency use authorization for J&J’s COVID-19 vaccine, adding to the two other authorized COVID-19 vaccines from Moderna Inc. and Pfizer Inc.
The administration previously announced that Merck & Co. will work with J&J to boost production of its COVID-19 vaccine. J&J previously had signaled it was behind on production of its one-dose shot.