BIDEN ADMINISTRATION TO SHIP 11 MILLION VACCINE DOSES ABROAD

The Biden administration is shipping 9 million COVID-19 vaccine doses to Africa and 2 million to other regions, the White House announced Friday.

White House COVID-19 response coordinator Jeff Zients announced plans to ship 11 million doses during a health briefing Friday.

“Just today, we are shipping 11 million doses. Eleven million doses in one day. That’s more doses shipped by the U.S. in a single day than what all but seven other countries have delivered in total since the start of this pandemic,” Zients said.

“Of the 11 million — 9 million are shipping to Africa — bringing our total doses donated to Africa to 100 million. That’s American leadership. And we are calling on the rest of the world to step up and join us,” he said.

Big picture: Biden has been under pressure from experts to do more. He has pledged to send some 1.2 billion COVID-19 vaccine doses abroad and has urged other wealthy countries to step up and make similar pledges.