Biden Administration Announces Direct Vaccine Shipments to Pharmacies

(CNN)The Biden administration announced Tuesday it will begin direct shipments of coronavirus vaccines to retail pharmacies next week, expanding points of access for Americans to receive shots as concerns about variants of the virus expand.

"Millions of Americans turn to their local pharmacies every day for their medicines, flu shots, and much more. And pharmacies are readily accessible in most communities, with most Americans living within five miles of a pharmacy," White House Covid-19 response coordinator Jeff Zients said in a briefing.

The program, which will begin rolling out February 11, will start at about 6,500 stores that will receive a total of 1 million doses before eventually expanding, Zients said.

The administration also announced it is increasing the weekly allocation of vaccines going to states, tribes and territories by an additional 5%, bringing the weekly total of vaccines purchased per week a minimum of 10.5 million.

And Zients said the Federal Emergency Management Agency would fully reimburse states for the eligible services they have provided since the beginning of the pandemic in January 2020. The reimbursements will encompass personal protective equipment and the mobilization of the National Guard, Zients said, estimating the price tag will be between $3-5 billion.

In his briefing, Zients sought to manage expectations for the pharmacy rollout. He said both vaccine makers Pfizer and Moderna are stepping up production to provide the extra doses.

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