40 million COVID-19 vaccine doses to be available by the end of the year: White House

Washington: The Trump administration is ready with a plan to distribute the COVID-19 vaccine across the country as soon as the US Food and Drug Administration gives the necessary Emergency Use Authorisation to them, the White House said on Friday.

As many as 40 million doses of such vaccine will be available by the end of the year, it said.

“With regard to the vaccine, we believe that there will be 40 million doses available by the end of the year. Again, this is extraordinary. This is the fastest vaccine in history by fivefold,” White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany told reporters at a news conference here.

“It was only made possible because of this President, who said at the same time, ‘I am pursuing a vaccine; I am going to do something novel. I am going to manufacture it’. So, many American lives will be saved thanks to President Trump and the great work of Operation Warp Speed,” she said.

In recent days, Pfizer and Moderna reported the highly successful results of their coronavirus vaccine development, each achieving over 90 per cent effectiveness, she said.

“We know Moderna is 94.5 per cent effective and Pfizer 95 per cent,” McEnany said.

In July, the Trump administration as part of Operation Warp Speed, had agreed to provide Pfizer with USD 1.95 billion to manufacture and distribute its COVID vaccine, and allowing the vaccine to be provided free for Americans.

“While Democrats were pursuing a highly divisive and entirely baseless impeachment endeavour, as far back as January 13, this President, the Trump administration, and the National Institute of Health were partnering with Moderna and working on this vaccine for the American people,” McEnany said.

“This administration has remained engaged on the development and distribution of a safe and effective vaccine throughout the year,” she added.

The White House Press Secretary also said the administration has partnered with 64 jurisdictions in the country to make sure that each of these had individualised vaccine distribution plans.

“Those have been assessed and made certain that they are good and operational,” she said, adding that the plan is available on line.

“There is also a distribution plan in place, which is why you heard General Perna say yesterday that within 24 hours of getting the Emergency Use Authorisation (EUA), we will be able to distribute this all across the country,” she added.