Published 12:01 IST, February 17th 2021
Joe Biden promises to make 600 million COVID-19 vaccine doses available by end of July
Joe Biden, during a CNN town hall in Milwaukee, said that by the end of July there would be 600 million doses of the vaccine available.
- World News
- 3 min read
US President Joe Biden has drafted plans for the further stages of coronavirus vaccination in the country as he said that by the end of July there would be 600 million doses of vaccine available, enough to vaccinate every American. During a CNN town hall in Milwaukee, Biden said that he "don’t want to overpromise". The town hall aimed to sell his $1.9 trillion coronavirus aid package directly to the American people. The town hall touched on a range of issues related to the coronavirus, from protections for small businesses to the administration’s vaccination plans.
On being asked about when life would "get back to normal" in the States, Biden offered a tentative but hopeful assessment as he said a year from now fewer people would be needing to socially distance and wear masks. Talking about the country’s COVID-19 plan, Biden pointed out that his plan is popular as he said that the nation is not divided, there are "fringes" on both ends. He also tried and helped a woman in getting a vaccine for her son who is immunocompromised. However, he highlighted that the states take care of the eligibility process.
'A mistake in the communication'
Biden also reframed the goal of reopening of elementary schools as he ensured that a promising majority will be open five days a week by the end of his first 100 days in office. According to the reports by AP, he said, "I said open a majority of schools in K through eighth grade, because they’re the easiest to open, the most needed to be open in terms of the impact on children and families having to stay home". He further added that the comments by White House press secretary Jen Psaki earlier this month that one day a week of in-person learning would meet his goal were "a mistake in the communication".
Also, the President offered a sneak peek of living in the White House, as he expressed his discomfort with being tended to by staff. He joked that he wakes up in the morning, looks at his wife, Jill, and asks, "Where the hell are we?". He emphasised that his virus aid bill already has broad public support. Also, some have argued in favour of significant government spending to help boost the economy. He said that "now is the time we should be spending".
(Image Credits: AP/RepresentativeImage)
Updated 12:02 IST, February 17th 2021
