The US will reach the target of distributing 100 million coronavirus vaccinations weeks ahead of schedule, the White House said.
The country added it was now in position to help supply Canada and Mexico with millions of lifesaving jabs.
The Biden administration revealed the outlines of a plan to “loan” a limited number of vaccines their neighbours as the president announced the US is on the cusp of meeting his 100-day injection goal “way ahead of schedule”.
He said: “I’m proud to announce that tomorrow, 58 days into our administration, we will have met our goal.”
Tomorrow, we’re going to hit a big milestone: 100 million shots in people’s arms. pic.twitter.com/Cj65chMhJJ
Advertisement— President Biden (@POTUS) March 19, 2021
Mr Biden promised to unveil a new vaccination target next week, as the US is on pace to have enough of the three currently authorised vaccines to cover the entire adult population just 10 weeks from now.
Ahead of Mr Biden’s remarks, the White House said it was finalising plans to send a combined four million doses of the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine to Mexico and Canada in its first export of jabs.
Press secretary Jen Psaki said the details of the “loan” were still being worked on, but 2.5 million doses would go to Mexico and 1.5 million would be sent to Canada.
She said “ensuring our neighbours can contain the virus is a mission critical step, is mission critical to ending the pandemic”.
Big News: President Biden announced that tomorrow, our Administration will hit 100 million COVID-19 shots administered.
That’s after just 58 days in office — and 42 days ahead of schedule.— The White House (@WhiteHouse) March 19, 2021
The AstraZeneca vaccine has not yet been authorised for use in the US but has been by the World Health Organisation.
Tens of millions of doses have been stockpiled in the US, waiting for emergency use authorisation, and that has sparked an international outcry that lifesaving vaccine is being withheld when it could be used elsewhere.
The White House said just seven million of the AstraZeneca doses are ready for shipment.
The initial run of doses manufactured in the US are owned by the federal government under the terms of agreements reached with drugmakers, and the Biden administration has faced calls from allies across the globe to release the AstraZeneca vaccinations for immediate use.
Mr Biden has also fielded direct requests from Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador to buy vaccines produced in the United States.
