90% of US adults to be eligible for jab by April: Biden

ANKARA

US President Joe Biden on Monday said by April 19 the vast majority of American adults will be eligible to get coronavirus vaccine shots.

"With all work we've done in the past 10 weeks ... I am pleased to announce that at least 90% of all adults in this country will be eligibly vaccinated by April the 19th, just three weeks from now," Biden told reporters, adding that the final 10% will be eligible no later than May 1.

The president said that he directed his COVID team to "ensure there is a vaccine site within five miles of 90% of all Americans by April the 19th" as well.

"We're going to do this by growing from having 17,000 pharmacies giving out vaccination shots to nearly 40,000 pharmacies," he said, adding that his administration will also add 12 more federally run mass vaccination sites meant to give shots to minorities.

Biden reiterated his pledge of 200 million vaccine doses administered by the end of his first 100 days in office.

The first 100 million mark was reached on his 60th day in office and the second mark, he said, will be reached in "40 days."

"Our work is far from over," said Biden. "The war against COVID-19 is far from won."

So far, more than 145.8 million people have gotten shots, including the previous administration's efforts, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data.

The US is the worst-hit country by the pandemic with nearly 30.3 million cases and about 550,000 fatalities, according to a running tally by Johns Hopkins University.