Biden administration buys 500 million Pfizer doses for global use
The Biden administration is purchasing 500 million doses of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine to donate to the global supply, according to a source familiar with the purchase; this will provide enough shots to fully vaccinate 250 million people.
The U.S. is donating 200 million doses this year and 300 million doses in the first half of 2022, the source said. All of the doses will be distributed through COVAX — the global entity that is working to ensure equitable access to COVID testing and vaccines — and will be given to 92 low- and middle-income countries and the African Union.
President Biden is expected to announce the purchase Thursday in his remarks before the Group of Seven summit in Britain.
Purchasing 500 million doses of the vaccine would be the greatest contribution yet by the U.S. to ending the pandemic worldwide. The White House had already committed to sending 80 million doses to other nations.
Other countries have been urging the U.S. to give them more vaccine, since America has the largest vaccine supply of any nation, as well as some of the most effective vaccines.
