US could have enough Covid-19 vaccine doses for every American by March: senior health official

WASHINGTON: US Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said Thursday the United States could have enough Covid-19 vaccine doses for every American as early as March, reported Xinhua news agency.

The US government’s coronavirus vaccine programme Operation Warp Speed expects to have up to 100 million doses by the end of the year, Azar said during a keynote speech at the Goldman Sachs Healthcare virtual event on the coronavirus.

“We project having enough for every American who wants a vaccine by March to April 2021,“ he said.

Azar said the United States is currently manufacturing doses for all six potential vaccines backed by the US government across more than 23 manufacturing facilities.

Several vaccines of the United States are in late-stage trials including from Moderna, Pfizer, AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson. The country is also obtaining the needles, syringes, bottles and other supplies needed for immunisations, according to Azar.-Bernama