States to receive biggest boost yet in vaccine doses, White House tells governors

Exclusive: States to receive biggest boost yet in vaccine doses, White House tells governors The number of doses states will receive will increase from the 8.6 million a week they received during Biden's first week in office to 13.5 million. Maureen Groppe USA TODAY

WASHINGTON – States will receive their biggest boost yet in coronavirus vaccine doses this week, a 23% increase over the previous week and a 57% increase since President Joe Biden took office, administration officials told governors Tuesday.

The White House announced that it’s doubling to 2 million the number of doses sent directly to pharmacies.

“This program will expand access to neighborhoods across the country,” Jeff Zients, Biden’s COVID-19 coordinator, told USA TODAY in an exclusive interview before holding his weekly call with governors.

Cities scramble to vaccinate residents, not only necessary to speed the nation's health and economic recovery but also to slow the mutation of the virus. Although vaccine distribution has increased, vaccination sites all over the country are shutting down while hundreds of thousands of people are on waiting lists.

There’s great variability among states about who is eligible to be vaccinated. In 35 states plus the District of Columbia, people 65 and older can seek an appointment. Some states haven't moved beyond vaccinating essential workers and those 75 and older.

The number of doses states will receive will increase from the 8.6 million a week they received during Biden's first week in office to the 13.5 million that Zients told governors Tuesday they will receive.

“That’s a minimum,” Zients said. “Supply will continue to ramp up.” ...

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