Biden Admin Aims to Buy Another 100 Million J&J Vax Doses by Year’s End
STOCKING UP
President Biden is looking to purchase another 100 million doses of the Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccine by the end of 2021. “This order allows for the president to plan for the future and the latter part of the year,” White House senior adviser Andy Slavitt said Wednesday morning. “As facts still emerge, it gives us maximum flexibility for our upcoming needs.” The president is expected to officially announce the plan Wednesday afternoon during a meeting with the CEOs of Johnson & Johnson and Merck, which is helping J&J increase production of their vaccine. J&J had already promised 100 million doses for the U.S. so the latest order would double the total stockpile.
Biden previously said there would be enough vaccines available “for every adult in America” by the end of May, although it will take longer to get shots into arms.