U.S. to donate 500 mln vaccine doses globally -sources
Under pressure for not doing enough to share vaccines with the world, the Biden administration plans to donate 500 million Pfizer coronavirus vaccine doses to about 100 countries over the next two years, three sources told Reuters, adding that the U.S. is likely to distribute 200 million shots this year and 300 million in the first half of next year.
UPSOT REPORTER: "What's your vaccine strategy for the world?"
Asked on Wednesday - before departing to Europe - whether he had a global vaccine strategy, Biden teased the deal: "I have one and I’ll be announcing it. Thank you."
President Joe Biden is expected to make a formal announcement in Britain on Thursday at the G7 Summit.
The donations will go through the COVAX vaccine facility, which distributes COVID-19 shots to low- and middle-income countries.
They're a big jump from the Biden administration's previous goal of sharing at least 80 million vaccine doses with the world by the end of June.
The New York Times reported that the United States will buy the doses at a "not-for-profit" price, citing people familiar with the deal.
The agreement is in addition to the 300 million shots the United States has already purchased from Pfizer - bringing the total number of Pfizer/BioNTech shots purchased by the U.S to 800 million.
