President-elect Joe Biden has promised a stronger US government response to the coronavirus pandemic. Here’s what we know about his plans to speed up the vaccine launch and defeat Covid-19:
What is Joe Biden’s vaccine distribution plan?
Mr Biden wants to speed up the pace of vaccinations by setting a target of administering 100 million doses of vaccine in the first 100 days of his presidency. He would spend $ 20 billion on the national vaccination program.
To speed up vaccinations, he said his administration will work with federal, state and local officials to set up thousands of community vaccination centers across the country and deploy mobile units in rural and disadvantaged areas. Mr Biden has promised 100 federally-supported centers by the end of his first month in office. The federal emergency management agency would help set them up, and the federal government will reimburse states that conduct the National Guard to help with vaccinations. Mr Biden also said he aimed to increase vaccination rates by making photos available at independent and chain pharmacies.
In addition, Mr Biden promised to make the vaccine available free of charge to all members of the public, without cost-sharing, regardless of immigration status.
His administration had also planned to release almost all available doses of the vaccine. The Trump administration withheld stock for the second dose, but then decided to release them as Covid-19 cases mounted.