U.S. Has Shared Fewer Than 10 Million Vaccines Despite Biden's 80 Million Goal
The U.S. has shared fewer than 10 million COVID-19 vaccine doses globally despite President Joe Biden's goal to distribute 80 million around the world by the end of June, the Associated Press reported.
Taiwan received 2.5 million doses from the U.S. over the weekend and around 1 million doses were shipped to Mexico, Canada and South Korea in early June. Officials said that U.S. and legal, logistical and regulatory requirements of the receiving countries are causing a slowdown in the distribution.
Biden on May 17 pledged that "over the next six weeks, the United States of America will send 80 million doses overseas.
"This will be more vaccines than any country has actually shared to date—five times more than any other country—more than Russia and China, which have donated 15 million doses," he said.
On Monday, the White House announced that 20 million vaccines will be specifically directed and 60 million will go to COVAX, the global vaccine sharing initiative.
For more reporting from the Associated Press, see below.
Biden is expected to fall short of his commitment to shipping 80 million COVID-19 vaccine doses, officials said as they announced new plans Monday.
Officials said that while the U.S.-produced doses are ready, deliveries have been delayed. A White House official said shipments will go out as soon as countries are ready to receive the doses and the administration sorts out logistical complexities.
The excess doses are not needed in the U.S., where demand for vaccinations has plummeted in recent weeks as more than 177 million Americans have received at least one shot.
Earlier this month, Biden announced that on top of the 80 million, the U.S. was purchasing 500 million doses from Pfizer to donate globally over the coming year, with the first deliveries expected in August.
Biden initially committed to providing other nations with all 60 million U.S.-produced doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine, which has yet to be authorized for use in America but is widely approved around the world. The AstraZeneca doses have been held up for export by a weekslong safety review by the Food and Drug Administration.
Given declining domestic demand, Biden was expected to be able to meet the full 80 million commitment without the AstraZeneca doses. The White House unveiled plans earlier this month for the first 25 million doses for export from existing federal stockpiles of Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines and some have already begun shipping.
On Monday, it revealed plans for 55 million more shots.
Through COVAX, the latest batch of doses will include about 14 million for Latin America and the Caribbean, including Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, Paraguay, Bolivia, Uruguay, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Haiti, Dominican Republic, Panama and Costa Rica; approximately 16 million for Asia for India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Maldives, Bhutan, Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Laos, Papua New Guinea, Taiwan, Cambodia and the Pacific Islands; and about 10 million for Africa, with countries selected in concert with the African Union.
About 14 million doses will be shared directly with Colombia, Argentina, Haiti, Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, Panama, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, Cabo Verde, Egypt, Jordan, Iraq, Yemen, Tunisia, Oman, West Bank and Gaza, Ukraine, Kosovo, Georgia, Moldova and Bosnia.
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