Joe Biden has eclipsed his original target of administering 100 million COVID-19 vaccine doses in the first 100 days of his presidency.
The White House announced the landmark victory on Friday. “Today, 100 million Americans are fully vaccinated—almost double the 55 million who were fully vaccinated just a month ago,” the White House COVID-19 Response Team tweeted. “Now, nearly 40% of all adults in this country are protected and, as the CDC outlined this week, are able to safely do outdoor activities without a mask.”
White House COVID-19 response coordinator Jeff Zients echoed the same sentiment at a news briefing, per The Hill. “Today we reached a major milestone in the number of Americans who are fully vaccinated,” he said. “That’s a hundred million Americans with a sense of relief and peace of mind, knowing that after a long and hard year, they’re protected from the virus.” He continued, “Knowing their decision to get vaccinated protects not just themselves but also protects their families, their friends and their communities.”
He also added that more than 300 million shots have been sent out, and 220 million people have been inoculated: “This represents significant progress and cause for hope.”
Now, the Biden administration is readying itself for the next stage, which is getting to the people who haven’t yet been vaccinated, increasing access, and debunking myths about the vaccine. Around 55 percent of adults in the U.S. have at least one dose, and 40 percent have received both doses.
