The US government has purchased 105 million doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine before the fall. It was announced on Wednesday. The $3.2 billion contract (more than 3 billion euros) also includes modified doses for infants and young children.
According to Pfizer CEO Albert Borla, the order also includes vaccines specifically developed to protect against the omikron variant of the virus, as recommended by an expert panel to the government on Tuesday.
Both companies said deliveries are expected to begin by the end of the summer. The contract signed with the US Department of Defense and Health also includes an option to purchase up to 300 million doses.
“The Biden-Harris administration is committed to doing everything in its power to make vaccines free and widely available to Americans, and this is an important step in preparing for the downfall,” Health Minister Xavier Becerra said in a statement.
President Joe Biden has asked Congress to approve a new $23.5 billion funding package to fight the pandemic. This has not happened yet. The White House previously indicated that it would not continue to provide free vaccines to people most at risk if there were no additional resources.
