(Eagle News) — US President Joe Biden said that the United States will be purchasing 500 million or half a billion doses of Pfizer vaccines which the US government will be donating to 100 low and lower-middle-income countries to defeat the COVID-19 pandemic.

This will be aside from the 80 million vaccine doses from the US’ current vaccine supplies  that it will be distributing to various countries this month.

This ambitious plan was announced by Biden on his first day of visit to the United Kingdom, ahead of the three-day G7 Summit from June 11 to 13.

-It’s in America’s self-interest to defeat COVID worldwide, says Biden-

Biden said that the US, which had the most number of cases and deaths due to COVID-19, realized that it is to America’s “self-interest” to defeat the COVID-19 virus elsewhere in the world. And because the US had experienced how vaccines have turned around their country and is now opening up more of the economy as vaccinations progressed, it saw the need to vaccinate more people around the world to defeat the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It’s also in America’s self-interest. As long as the virus rages elsewhere, there is a risk of new mutations that could threaten our people,” he said.

“We know that raging COVID-19 in other countries holds back global growth, raises instability, and weakens governments. And as we’ve seen in the United States, with the evidence clearer day by the day, the key to reopening and growing economies is to vaccinate your people.”

“Just as the American economy is recovering, it is in all of our interests to have the global economy begin to recover as well. And that won’t happen unless we can get the pandemic under control worldwide,” Biden stressed.

 

The US President said that since every American is now assured of a vaccine, the US will be donating 80 million doses of US vaccines – surplus in their supplies – to help in the vaccination efforts in other countries.

“Three weeks ago, with America’s vaccines — America’s vaccine supply secured and with confidence we have enough vaccines to cover every American who wants one, we announced that we would donate 80 million doses of our own vaccine — in house now — to supply the world by the end of June. Many of these doses are shipping to countries around the world as we speak,” Biden said.

-Biden says US to purchase half a billion Pfizer doses for donation-

“And today, we’re taking a major step that will supercharge the global fight against this pandemic. At my direction, the United States will purchase an additional half billion doses from Pfizer — the Pfizer vaccine — that we’ll donate nearly 100 low- and lower-middle-income countries. They will be the beneficiaries,” he announced.

 

 

Biden said that the Pfizer vaccines that he ordered to be manufactured will be shipped starting in August as soon as it is manufactured in the Pfizer’s US plant in Kalamazoo, Michigan. They will be donated to the 100 low and lower-middle income countries “with no strings attached.”

“These half a billion vaccines will start to be shipped in August as quickly as they roll off the manufacturing line.”

The US President sees the vaccine deliveries to extend until next year.

-Largest single purchase and donation of COVID vaccines-

“Let me say that again: The United States will purchase a half a billion doses of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to donate to nearly 100 nations that are in dire need in the fight against this pandemic. That’s a historic step. The largest single purchase and donation of COVID-19 vaccines by any single country ever,” he said.

“Importantly, this is an mRNA vaccine, which is proven to be extremely effective against COVID-19 and every known variant of that virus thus far.”

 

 

-“No strings attached” donations to start in August until next year-

Biden said that 200 million Pfizer doses will be delivered this year, while “300 million more (doses) will be delivered in the first half of 2022.”

“Let me be clear: Just as with the 80 million doses we previously announced, the United States is providing these half billion doses with no strings attached. Let me say it again: with no strings attached,” he said.

“Our vaccine donations don’t include pressure for favors or potential conce- — concessions. We’re doing this to save lives, to end this pandemic. That’s it. Period.”

The US President also recalled how his country managed to bounce back from being the country with the most number of COVID-19 cases and deaths, to now close to the path of economic recovery as more than 64 percent of Americans having been already vaccinated with at least one dose.

The US donations of COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer is part of “America’s leadership in the fight against COVID-19”, Biden said in his “historic announcement.”

-US COVID deaths surpass total US deaths in WW1,WW2, Vietnam war, and 9/11 combined-

“America knows firsthand the tragedies of this pandemic. We’ve had — we’ve had more people die in the United States than anywhere in the world: nearly 600,000 of our fellow Americans — moms, dads, sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, grandparents. More deaths from COVID-19 in the United States than from World War One, World War Two, the Vietnam War, and 9/11 combined — combined. We know the tragedy,” he said.

“But we also know the path to recovery. The United States has now vaccinated 64 percent of our adults with at least one shot. Just four and half months ago, we were at only 5 percent with one shot.”

-Path to recovery thru vaccines-

“It took a herculean effort on the part of our government to manage one of the biggest and, I would say, most complicated logistical challenges in our history. It took the ingenuity of scientists, building on decades of research, to develop a vaccine. It took the full capacity of American companies manufacturing and delivering the vaccines around the clock.”

Now, US President Biden said that as a result of this, the US has the “lowest number of daily deaths since the first day of this pandemic.”

“Our economy is rebounding. Our vaccination program has already saved tens of thousands of lives, with that count growing each day. And it has allowed millions — millions of Americans to get back to living their lives.”

Biden said the US is the biggest donor of vaccines to the COVAX Facility.

 

(Eagle News Service)