Biden Publishes COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Fact Sheet
President Biden released high-level details of his COVID-19 vaccination plan on January 15, following public remarks (written) that came a day after the release of his coronavirus relief plan. Biden’s vaccination plan proposes to overhaul eligibility rules for coronavirus vaccines and open more sites for distribution, but his plan to increase vaccination rates largely mirrors the Trump administration’s system.
The plan does not make hard commitments to a timeline, reinforcing Biden’s warnings that there will not be a quick fix to the spread of COVID-19. Biden will encourage states to abandon a complex series of priority groups used to triage vaccinations, to instead focus on giving shots to essential frontline workers and anyone 65 and older.
He plans to set up community vaccination centers and mobile clinics and “jump-start” an effort to make shots available at pharmacies. Biden also said he would use the Defense Production Act (DPA) to boost the manufacture of vaccines and the supplies required to administer them.
A previously announced change, releasing more first doses of vaccines and holding fewer in reserve for second doses, was also included in the plan. Biden said his administration would not change recommended dosing schedules that call for people to receive a booster shot three or four weeks after their first dose and would work to ensure second-dose availability. Of note, the Trump administration also announced it was making this change last week.
Biden has also pledged to increase the number of health care personnel involved in supporting the vaccination effort. This would be accomplished by amending the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness (PREP) Act to allow additional qualified personnel to administer vaccines and by urging states to expand scope of practice laws and waive licensing requirements as appropriate.
Impact on General Dentistry: AGD appreciates the Biden Administration’s commitment to efficiently vaccinating the U.S. population to combat the spread of COVID-19. AGD strongly believes that further considerations and plans should be made to ensure that second doses are available as prescribed by the FDA’s recommended dosing schedule. Many general dentists and other essential frontline health care providers have already received a first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and will need a second dose in the coming weeks. Additionally, AGD supports efforts by Biden Administration to amend the PREP Act to allow qualified dentists to administer vaccines and leverage its authority to encourage states to provide flexibility to facilitate vaccination efforts.
For more information related to COVID-19 vaccines, visit AGD’s COVID-19 Vaccine Webpage.
The plan does not make hard commitments to a timeline, reinforcing Biden’s warnings that there will not be a quick fix to the spread of COVID-19. Biden will encourage states to abandon a complex series of priority groups used to triage vaccinations, to instead focus on giving shots to essential frontline workers and anyone 65 and older.
He plans to set up community vaccination centers and mobile clinics and “jump-start” an effort to make shots available at pharmacies. Biden also said he would use the Defense Production Act (DPA) to boost the manufacture of vaccines and the supplies required to administer them.
A previously announced change, releasing more first doses of vaccines and holding fewer in reserve for second doses, was also included in the plan. Biden said his administration would not change recommended dosing schedules that call for people to receive a booster shot three or four weeks after their first dose and would work to ensure second-dose availability. Of note, the Trump administration also announced it was making this change last week.
Biden has also pledged to increase the number of health care personnel involved in supporting the vaccination effort. This would be accomplished by amending the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness (PREP) Act to allow additional qualified personnel to administer vaccines and by urging states to expand scope of practice laws and waive licensing requirements as appropriate.
Impact on General Dentistry: AGD appreciates the Biden Administration’s commitment to efficiently vaccinating the U.S. population to combat the spread of COVID-19. AGD strongly believes that further considerations and plans should be made to ensure that second doses are available as prescribed by the FDA’s recommended dosing schedule. Many general dentists and other essential frontline health care providers have already received a first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and will need a second dose in the coming weeks. Additionally, AGD supports efforts by Biden Administration to amend the PREP Act to allow qualified dentists to administer vaccines and leverage its authority to encourage states to provide flexibility to facilitate vaccination efforts.
For more information related to COVID-19 vaccines, visit AGD’s COVID-19 Vaccine Webpage.