While Pfizer initially promised the government 100 million doses over the next few months – enough to vaccinate 50 million people – the government did not take advantage of an option to extend that deal to 500 million shots.
“Pfizer has had no manufacturing problems with its COVID-19 vaccine, and no shipments of the vaccine have been suspended or delayed,” said Pfizer spokesman Sharon Castillo. “We will continue to ship orders to locations specified by the US government.”
Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla commented earlier this week on the company’s efforts to expand production.
“The US government has asked us for an additional 100 million doses. And we’re able to deliver them, but we’re on the timeframe, ”Bourla said on CNBC’s Squawk Box on Monday. “We can provide a lot of that in the third quarter, the US government wants it in the second quarter.”
Although Warp Speed has entered into agreements with six manufacturers to supply 900 million doses to the US, many of those drug manufacturers are still in trials to prove their vaccines work, and several have been delayed. The government last week doubled its agreement with Moderna to deliver 200 million doses of its vaccine, expected to be the second coronavirus vaccine approved this week. Moderna and Pfizer used a similar technology for their recordings.
Senate Democrats this week demanded an explanation of reports that the Trump administration repeatedly passed offers from Pfizer to buy more shots.
“We are concerned that the inability to secure enough vaccines will unnecessarily prolong the COVID-19 pandemic in this country, resulting in further loss of life and economic devastation,” a group of senior lawmakers wrote in a letter to leaders. from Operation Warp Speed. shared with POLITICO.