Administration aims to open COVID-19 vaccination eligibility to all U.S. adults by May 1

Mar 12, 2021 - 02:41 PM
A clinician delivers a flu vaccine into a female patient's right arm.

President Biden yesterday directed states, tribes and territories to make all adults eligible for COVID-19 vaccination by May 1. 

“That doesn’t mean everyone’s going to have that shot immediately, but it means you’ll be able to get in line beginning May 1,” he said.

To help enable more vaccinations, the administration yesterday amended its declaration providing liability protection under the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act to include additional health care professionals and trainees authorized to administer COVID-19 vaccines. It also invited an additional 700 federally qualified health centers to join the vaccine program, and plans to double the number of mass vaccination centers and pharmacies administering vaccines, and deploy more active duty troops to support vaccination efforts, the president said.

Before the July Fourth holiday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will issue updated guidance for vaccinated people on travel and other activities, he said.

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