The Trump Administration has purchased an additional 100 million doses of Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccine, the drugmaker announced Wednesday.
The new agreement means that Pfizer will supply 200 million doses to the United States, according to the company’s statement, which will be distributed through July 2021. Also included in the deal is the option to purchase an additional 400 million doses.
“With these 100 million additional doses, the United States will be able to protect more individuals and hopefully end this devastating pandemic more quickly,” said Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla. “We look forward to continuing our work with the U.S. government and health care providers around the country.”
Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar also touted the agreement, saying that it will “give Americans even more confidence that we will have enough supply to vaccinate every American who wants it by June 2021.”
“Securing more doses from Pfizer and BioNTech for delivery in the second quarter of 2021 further expands our supply of doses across the Operation Warp Speed portfolio,” he added.
The development will likely help the federal government mitigate any shortage in vaccine supply. Though Pfizer and Moderna’s vaccines have already begun to be administered, demand nationwide remains extremely high amid the surge in coronavirus cases and deaths. (RELATED: Moderna’s Vaccine Begins Distribution Just Hours After Approval)
Pfizer’s vaccine was granted emergency use authorization from the FDA on Dec. 11, followed by Moderna’s vaccine one week later.
The country is on track to issue approximately 20 million vaccine doses before the end of the year, according to the Associated Press, though both shots require two doses to be effective.
