The White House will likely miss its deadline to send 80 million vaccine doses abroad by the end of June


President Biden will likely miss his deadline to donate 80 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines abroad, Bloomberg and The Associated Press report.
The administration now appears to be pledging to merely "allocate," not "send" the doses by the end of June — Biden's initial deadline — suggesting shipments could "stretch into July or beyond," reports Bloomberg. As it stands, "fewer than 10 million doses have been shipped," AP writes. On Monday, the White House unveiled the recipients of the remaining 55 million shots, after having previously detailed that of the first 25 million.
The administration had recently said it expected 60 million of the 80 million doses to be AstraZeneca, but the Food and Drug Administration's ongoing review of the vaccine has thrown a wrench in the plan, Bloomberg reports. Press Secretary Jen Psaki also cited logistical issues, like ensuring swift customs clearance or that countries have sufficient vaccine administration supplies, as additional hurdles.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Shipments will begin once countries are "ready to receive the doses," and the White House has "worked through the complex logistics," Bloomberg writes.
Of the 55 million doses allocated on Monday, approximately 41 million will go to Covax, the global vaccine-sharing alliance, for distribution in countries across Latin America, Asia and Africa. The remaining 14 million "will be shipped bilaterally, including to some of the same countries," as well as to Ukraine, South Africa, Iraq, and the West Bank, among others.
Read more at Bloomberg.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brigid Kennedy worked at The Week from 2021 to 2023 as a staff writer, junior editor and then story editor, with an interest in U.S. politics, the economy and the music industry.
-
How will Trump's megabill affect you?
Today's Big Question Republicans have passed the 'big, beautiful bill' through Congress
-
Scientists are the latest 'refugees'
In the spotlight Brain drain to brain gain
-
5 dreamy books to dive into this July
The Week Recommends A 'politically charged' collection of essays, historical fiction goes sci-fi and more
-
Judge blocks Trump's asylum ban at US border
Speed Read The president violated federal law by shutting down the US-Mexico border to asylum seekers, said the ruling
-
Thai court suspends prime minister over leaked call
Speed Read Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has been suspended, pending an ethics investigation
-
Senate passes GOP megabill after Alaska side deal
The pivotal yes vote came from Sen. Lisa Murkowski, whose support was secured following negotiated side deals for her home state Alaska
-
Trump sues LA over immigration policies
Speed Read He is suing over the city's sanctuary law, claiming it prevents local law enforcement from cooperating with federal immigration authorities
-
Obama, Bush and Bono eulogize USAID on final day
Speed Read The US Agency for International Development, a humanitarian organization, has been gutted by the Trump administration
-
The last words and final moments of 40 presidents
The Explainer Some are eloquent quotes worthy of the holders of the highest office in the nation, and others... aren't
-
Senate advances GOP bill that costs more, cuts more
Speed Read The bill would make giant cuts to Medicaid and food stamps, leaving 11.8 million fewer people with health coverage
-
Canadian man dies in ICE custody
Speed Read A Canadian citizen with permanent US residency died at a federal detention center in Miami