Photo: BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/getty
PresidentJoe Bidenannounced Thursday that the U.S. will purchase 500 million doses ofPfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine to donateto around 100 countries in need, in an effort toget more of the world vaccinatedand end the pandemic.
“This is about our responsibility, our humanitarian obligation, to save as many lives as we can,” Biden saidin a speechin Englandahead of the Group of 7 world summit. “When we see people hurting and suffering anywhere around the world, we seek to help any way we can.”
“We’re going to help lead the world out of this pandemic working alongside our global partners,” he said.
Biden said that he will speak with the other G7 leaders — made up of the wealthiest nations — to work on a larger plan to fight the pandemic.
“America knows firsthand the tragedies of this pandemic,” he said. The U.S. surpassed 600,000 deaths from COVID-19 last week, “more deaths from COVID-19 in the United States than from World War I, World War II, the Vietnam War and 9/11, combined.”
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The 500 million Pfizer doses will cost the U.S. $3.5 billion, at a discounted price of $7 each, below the $20 price Pfizer is charging the country for doses given to Americans.
“The United States is providing these half billion doses with no strings attached,” Biden said. “We’re doing this to save lives, to end this pandemic. That’s it. Period.”
In the U.S., nearly 52% of the total population have received at least one dose of Pfizer, Moderna or Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccines, and 42.5% are fully vaccinated as of June 10,according to the Centers for Disease Control. Of the Americans who are eligible to receive a vaccine —those aged 12 and up— 61.3% have had at least one dose and 50.3% are fully vaccinated.
As information about thecoronavirus pandemicrapidly changes, PEOPLE is committed to providing the most recent data in our coverage. Some of the information in this story may have changed after publication. For the latest on COVID-19, readers are encouraged to use online resources from theCDC,WHOandlocal public health departments.PEOPLE has partnered with GoFundMeto raise money for the COVID-19 Relief Fund, a GoFundMe.org fundraiser to support everything from frontline responders to families in need, as well as organizations helping communities. For more information or to donate, clickhere.
source: people.com
