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Coronavirus: Joe Biden details latest vaccine donations for world, delays June target
- US directs millions of Covid-19 shots to Latin America, Africa and Asia
- President Joe Biden drops AstraZeneca vaccine from latest donation
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US President Joe Biden is delaying a target date for overseas shipments of 80 million doses of coronavirus vaccines donated by the US, with logistical hurdles and millions of shots produced by AstraZeneca still in a safety review.
Biden’s White House on Monday announced a list of countries that would receive 55 million doses, after previously detailing the first tranche of 25 million. In total, three-quarters of the 80 million will be sent through COVAX, a World Health Organization-backed vaccine procurement effort.
The announcement, however, dials back the initial US commitment. Biden once said he’d “send” 80 million doses by the end of June, and is now pledging only to “allocate” them by then, suggesting shipments will stretch into July or beyond.
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“The Biden-Harris administration is committed to working with US vaccine manufacturers to produce more vaccine doses to share with the world,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki said.
She said the shipments have been delayed by a host of logistical issues overseas, including making sure countries receiving the vaccines have sufficient supplies to administer them – like needles and alcohol pads – and can clear them through customs quickly and keep the shots in cold storage.
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