US

Biden Admin Didn’t Commit To Date For Full Vaccination Because Of Outside Factors, Psaki Says

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White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said Friday that President Joe Biden’s administration didn’t commit to a date for “when everybody will be fully vaccinated” due to outside factors.

Psaki said there will be enough vaccines by the end of May but that distribution will vary depending on the state.

“We did not want to give a conclusion of when everybody will be fully vaccinated because it really depends on a couple of factors, some which are out of our control, right; people who have concerns about the safety and efficacy of vaccines, we need to continue to redouble our efforts to address that,” Psaki said.

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President Joe Biden said Thursday in his COVID-19 address that there’s a “good chance” Americans can gather in small groups on July 4th. The president advised the American people to get the vaccine and to listen to Dr. Anthony Fauci.

The president also announced on March 2 that the U.S. is scheduled to have vaccines available for all adults by the end of May 2021.

Regarding the possibility of gathering for July 4th, Psaki said “many of the factors are out of our control including individuals being willing to take the vaccine. And that’s why it was so important for the president to convey that it is safe, it is effective.”

Psaki said the administration believes people may be able to gather in small numbers on July 4th considering the May 1 deadline to have all Americans eligible for the vaccine and the May 31 deadline to have enough vaccines.

“So it’s certainly not a full return to concerts and soccer stadiums but it is a baby step toward that and our team felt confident we could get to that point,” Psaki said.

“Tell your friends and neighbors it’s safe and effective and that will be a factor here and it is going to require Americans continuing to wear masks, continuing to social distance, getting the vaccine,” Psaki said. “So that is a light at the end of the tunnel but there are a lot of steps that need to be taken to get there.”