US to lift Defense Production Act ratings on AstraZeneca, Novavax and Sanofi vaccines: White House

As the Biden administration announced it will share 80 million vaccine doses with the world community, the White House said it will lift the Defense Production Act ratings on the AstraZeneca, Novavax and Sanofi COVID-19 vaccines.

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"It's fair to say that we're far ahead of where anyone thought we would be in our fight against the virus," Jeff Zients, White House coordinator on COVID response Jeff Zients said, adding, "We have secured enough vaccine supply for all Americans."

Zients said due to the consistent supply of authorised vaccines, the US government will be removing the "DPA priority ratings" for AstraZeneca, Novavax and Sanofi. 

"This is a direct result of the president taking aggressive action, including through the use of the Defense Production Act to mobilise the full force of the US vaccine manufacturing," Biden's Covid 'Czar' asserted.

"While the manufacturers will continue to make these three vaccines, this action will allow the US-based companies that supply these vaccine manufacturers to make their own decisions on which orders to fulfil first," Zients stated.

The White House coordinator said 63 per cent of American adults have received at least one dose of the vaccine and 52 per cent of adult Americans are fully vaccinated and 12 states have 70 per cent of adults with at least one shot. 

"28 states and the District of Columbia have fully vaccinated 50 per cent or more of their adult population. As a result, in communities and states across the country, the pandemic is in retreat," the White House coordinator said.

Zients added that the US government is now targeting July 4 to vaccinate as many people as possible with many pharmacies open 24 hours every Friday starting next week.

(With inputs from Agencies)