The White House announced Tuesday new measures to increase the rate of vaccinations against COVID-19, including distributing vaccines to select pharmacies across the country. “Building on last week’s announcement, the Biden-Harris Administration will increase overall, weekly vaccine supply to states, Tribes, and territories to 10.5-million doses nationwide beginning this week,” a statement from the White House said, noting that this constitutes a 22% increase in vaccine supply since President Joe Biden took office January 20. The statement also said the federal government would reimburse states and territories for supplies like masks and gloves as the U.S. continues to battle record numbers of virus infections and deaths. People wait in their vehicles after receiving a shot at the Dodger Stadium COVID-19 vaccination site, in Los Angeles, California, Feb. 1, 2021.The statement included a list of pharmacies which are expected to carry the vaccine as soon as next week, noting that much of the U.S. population relies on local pharmacies to receive their flu shot every year. The announcement comes as many states have complained that they do not have enough vaccines to inoculate vulnerable populations. In cities like New Orleans, many Americans have reported that their scheduled vaccination appointments were canceled because of a lack of doses.Frustrations Mount Over Vaccine Shortages in New OrleansAmid tight supplies, one of America’s most diverse cities works to ensure vaccine equity across racial linesStudies by The Associated Press and The New York Times found that Black and Latinx populations were being vaccinated at lower rates than white populations across the country. Still, data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that more Americans had been vaccinated against the disease than had contracted it. According to the CDC, 32 million doses of the vaccine have been administered in the United States. As of Tuesday afternoon, the U.S. had confirmed 26.4 million cases of the virus.
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