U.S. won’t reach Biden’s July 4 vaccine goal, White House says

Washington — Jeff Zients, White House’s coronavirus response coordinator, will acknowledge Tuesday that the U.S. will fall short of President Biden’s goal of having 70% of American adults receive at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose by July 4, according to a White House official.

But, during Tuesday’s White House COVID-19 response team briefing, Zients will emphasize that at least 70% of U.S. adults 30 and older have received at least one shot, and the U.S. is on track for 70% of adults 27 and older to have received at least one shot by July 4. 

So far, 65.4% of U.S. adults have had at least one shot, according to data from the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control, and more than 150 million Americans are fully vaccinated. Zients is expected to acknowledge in Tuesday’s COVID-19 response team briefing that the U.S. has more work to do to encourage 18- to 26-year-olds to get vaccinated.

Zients will also announce that since Mr. Biden took office, COVID-19 cases and deaths are down by 90%, and July 4 will represent “independence from the virus.” White House officials plan to emphasize that Independence Day celebrations are a sign that America is back. 

More than a dozen states have reached the president’s goal of vaccinating 70% of their adult populations or more, but many states, particularly some in the South, are lagging far behind that goal. 

Kathryn Watson contributed reporting.