Biden says it will be difficult to get there by the end of the summer

President Joe Biden will not commit to achieving herd immunity to the US coronavirus by the end of the summer, suggesting there is a long way to go to defeat the deadly virus.

“The idea that this can be done and that we can get immunity a lot before the end of this summer is very difficult,” the Democrat said in an interview that aired on CBS on Sunday prior to the Super Bowl.

The comment came in response to an exhortation from journalist Norah O’Donnell, who said that at the current rate of about 1.3 million doses administered per day, it would take nearly a year to vaccinate enough Americans to achieve herd immunity .

The White House has set a target of a minimum of 100 million doses in the first 100 days of Biden, although the rate of vaccinations is currently faster than that. Biden appeared to be reaching his goal late last month, saying he thinks the US can administer up to 1.5 million doses per day.

Biden’s cautious comments are in line with the warnings of scientists and public health officials, as well as his earlier statements. They mark a change from the approach taken by Biden’s predecessor, former President Donald Trump, who often claimed that the end of the pandemic was just around the corner.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s leading epidemiologist, has said that a minimum of 75% of the public must be vaccinated against Covid-19 to achieve herd immunity. He has predicted a return to normal next fall.

Biden also said during the interview that he was exploring new ways to vaccinate more Americans faster.

He said he supported a National Football League proposal to use its 30 stadiums as mass vaccination centers, but he did not stick to the plan.

“I tell my team they are available and I think we will use them,” said Biden.

The virus has killed more than 460,000 people in the US and infected nearly 27 million people.