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The United States is working to vaccinate a high percentage of its population against COVID-19 as soon as possible in order to stop the spread of the disease and end the outbreak of the disease in the country.
The mission becomes even more urgent as versions of the coronavirus appear around the world, raising concerns that the virus could evade our efforts to control it if the spread is not suppressed quickly.
Since vaccine distribution began in the U.S. on Dec. 14, more than 87 million doses have been administered, reaching 17.3% of the total U.S. population, according to federal data collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The United States currently produces over 2.1 million shots a day.
In addition to the states, the federal government distributes vaccines and four federal agencies, five U.S. territories and three freely affiliated states.
Currently, two of the three COVID-19 vaccines approved for emergency use require a double injection regimen spaced three or four weeks apart. The third vaccine that requires only one shot is approved Feb. 27.
Distribution strategies – together with process efficiency and fairness – vary from state to state.
Vaccinating millions of people priority order, represents a major logistical challenge for states. As a result, there is often a delay between when states receive their federal shipments of vaccines and when all people are shot in the arms.
Vaccination rates have improved since December, but millions more doses are still being distributed to states than are given to humans.
States receive weekly vaccines from the federal government based on their total adult population. Each state has its own plan for how to bring these vaccines to its residents — through county health offices, hospital systems, pharmacies, mass vaccination sites, and mobile clinics — and some states use their supplies more efficiently than others.
The federal government also sends vaccines directly to some large retail pharmacies i community health homes.
Some government officials claim that CDC data do not represent exactly how effectively they administer the doses of vaccine they receive. The CDC says its data may reflect a backlog in reporting up to five days.
President Biden has announced a goal to get 100 million bullets in the first 100 days of his administration – an effort that stretches from late January to April.
To speed up efforts to vaccinate the U.S. population, Biden says the country needs more supplies to vaccine manufacturers and greater state efficiency.
President Biden announced on February 11 that the federal government had entered into buyout agreements 600 million doses of vaccine from Pfizer and Moderna, which will be delivered by summer. The federal government has also announced its use Law on Defense Production to help smooth out other bottlenecks, such as limited syringe supplies or protective equipment.
At the end of January The Biden administration promised provide states with more reliable projections of vaccine supply at least three weeks ahead of time, increase the number of vaccinees and cover the nation with thousands of new government-backed locations where people can go get vaccines.
Zach Levitt, Selena Simmons-Duffin, Ruth Talbot, Thomas Wilburn and Carmel Wroth contributed to this report.
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