NEW YORK – Pfizer has “ramped up production” of its Covid-19 vaccine and can deliver 10% more doses than expected to the United States by end-May, said CEO Albert Bourla yesterday.
This brings its delivery by the end of next month to 220 million doses, and Bourla tweeted that the pharmaceutical giant can also “supply the full 300 million agreed on for the end of July two weeks early”.
The news comes after US health authorities earlier in the day called for a pause on the use of Johnson & Johnson’s coronavirus vaccine after six women between 18 and 48 years old developed a rare type of blood clot that left one dead and another in critical condition.
The White House said it is confident there will be no “significant impact” on the vaccination plan in the world’s hardest-hit country, where almost half of all adults have now received at least one dose.
Jeff Zients, President Joe Biden’s Covid-19 response coordinator, said a huge surplus in the supply of two other vaccines – Pfizer and Moderna – means the country can easily take up the slack.
Biden has promised that doses will be available for all adults in the country by the end of next month, and in addition to the doses of the Pfizer vaccine developed with German firm BioNTech, Washington has also ordered 300 million doses of the Moderna jab.
The US has ordered 100 million doses from J&J. – AFP, April 14, 2021
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