WASHINGTON (AP) – President Joe Biden said on Tuesday that the US expects to receive enough coronavirus vaccine for all adults by the end of May – two months earlier than expected – and he urged states to take at least one shot in the arms of teachers at the end of May to speed up the reopening of schools.
Biden also announced that drug company Merck will help produce rival Johnson & Johnson’s newly approved one-time vaccine, comparing the partnership between the two pharmaceutical companies to the spirit of national collaboration during World War II.
“We are now on track to have enough vaccinations for every adult in America by the end of May,” said Biden.
Despite the increased pace of vaccine production, the work of vaccinating Americans could continue well into the summer, officials said, depending on both the government’s ability to provide doses and Americans’ willingness to roll up their sleeves. to stab.
Biden’s announcements soon raised expectations for when the nation could get out of the pandemic safely with the promise of faster vaccinations, but even while he was optimistic, Biden was quickly dampening prospects for a return to life as it was before the virus hit .
“I’ve been warned not to answer that because we’re not sure,” said Biden, before saying his hopes for a return to normal were something for “this time next year.”
As Biden spoke, states across the country were relaxing virus-related restrictions. This is despite objections from the White House and the country’s top infectious disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, who have warned against any relaxation of virus protocols until more Americans are vaccinated.
In Texas, GOP Governor Greg Abbott moved to lift his state’s mandate to wear the mask and to lift a host of other restrictions. Michigan’s Democratic government, Gretchen Whitmer, relaxed capacity limits for restaurants and both public and residential gatherings.
Fauci has previously said that the nation must achieve a vaccination rate of about 80% to achieve “herd immunity.” According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, only about 8% of the population is fully vaccinated, although the rate of vaccination is increasing. The US set a new daily record for injections last Thursday and Friday.
Hoping to increase vaccinations even further. the Biden administration told the governors to prepare to administer further doses in the coming weeks. More shots are also going to the federally-aided program of dispensing doses in pharmacies, which federal officials believe can double or triple their vaccination rate.
More than 800,000 doses of the J&J vaccine will also be distributed to pharmacies this week, in addition to the 2.4 million they are now getting from Pfizer and Moderna.
Those pharmacies will be key to getting the vaccines into the arms of teachers – especially in the 20 or so states where they have not been prioritized for admissions. The aim is to help reopen schools to better educate students who were at risk of falling behind during the pandemic and to reduce the burden on parents who had to choose between childcare and work.
“Let’s see personally learning as the essential service it is,” said Biden. Teachers can apply directly through participating pharmacies, the administration said.
White House press secretary Jen Psaki also announced on Tuesday that the federal government is expanding supplies of the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines to states to 15.2 million doses per week next week, up from 14.5 million earlier. States will also receive 2.8 million doses of the J&J shot this week.
In a call with governors on Tuesday, White House coronavirus coordinator Jeff Zients said states should prepare to deliver 16 million to 17 million total weekly doses of Pfizer and Moderna vaccines by the end of March, and April 17 to 17. million to 18 million weekly. The supply of J&J doses to states, which is expected to decline after the first shipment this week, will increase to 4 million to 6 million doses per week by the end of March and 5 million to 6 million doses per week by the end of April.
Officials have said J&J faced unexpected manufacturing problems with its vaccine, producing just 3.9 million doses before it was approved for emergency use on Saturday. The company has pledged to deliver 100 million doses by the end of June.
Before the J&J shot was approved, Biden had suggested it would take until the end of July for every adult in the US to have enough vaccine.
Faced with questions about the company’s slipping delivery schedule, J&J Vice President Richard Nettles told lawmakers on Capitol Hill last week that the company was facing “significant challenges” due to its “highly complex” manufacturing process.
Psaki said it took a “government effort” to get the two historic rivals to work together on the vaccines, even though there have been months of talks between J&J and Merck.
“There is a difference between talking and moving forward,” she said.
The White House said Merck would dedicate two factories to the manufacturing process. One would make the vaccine and the other would put the vaccine in vials and ensure strict quality controls. Psaki said the Biden administration was using its powers under the Defense Production Act to help Merck readjust to work on production.
Still, it was not immediately clear when the effect of Merck’s assistance would be reflected in the offer. Federal officials have warned it would take months to set up the highly specialized vaccine manufacturing lines.
Compared to the two-dose versions manufactured by Moderna and Pfizer, the J&J vaccine is less labor-intensive to distribute and administer, making it critical to U.S. plans to distribute vaccines around the world – but only if Americans have been vaccinated. The J&J vaccine can be kept refrigerated instead of frozen for months, and patients don’t have to come back three or four weeks later for a second dose.
J&J has established a global manufacturing network that includes brewing bulk vaccines at its Janssen facility in the Netherlands, and with a US company, Emergent BioSolutions, and another in India, Biological E. Ltd. Other contract manufacturers are on hand to assist with later steps, including vial insertion, in the US, Italy, Spain and South Africa.
In the battle to make COVID-19 vaccines, the three Western drug manufacturers that dominated the vaccine industry for decades – Merck & Co., Sanofi, and GlaxoSmithKline – surprisingly all fell short. Merck stopped its own plans to develop a coronavirus vaccine earlier this year and found that their candidates generated an inferior immune system response compared to other vaccines. It said it would instead focus its work on developing treatments for COVID-19.
Now, amid the global call for more vaccine doses, those heavyweights are helping manufacture doses for less experienced rivals whose vaccines have received the first emergency permits from regulatory agencies.
Merck has since said it was in talks to help other drug companies produce vaccines, but wouldn’t say on Tuesday if other deals are imminent.
“Merck remains steadfast in our commitment to contribute to the global response to the pandemic and to prepare for future pandemics,” the Kenilworth, New Jersey-based company said in a statement.
Johnson reported from Fairless Hills, Pa. Lemire reported from New York. Lauran Neergaard in Washington and Rachel La Corte in Olympia, Washington contributed to this report.