Biden expected to announce all U.S. adults will be eligible for COVID-19 vaccine by May 1

(Image credit: Getty Images)

published 12 March 2021

In his prime-time address on Thursday night, President Biden will deliver hopeful news, sharing that he is directing states to make all adult Americans eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine by May 1, White House officials said.

Following this timetable, people should be able to hold small gatherings by July 4. "The fight is far from over," Biden will say. "We still have a lot of work to do. But together, unified, we can defeat this pandemic and we can all celebrate a more normal Fourth of July with families and friends."

Biden's prime-time address, the first of his presidency, comes on the anniversary of the World Health Organization officially declaring the coronavirus was a global pandemic. He is also expected to announce the deployment of additional National Guard troops to help with inoculation efforts, as well as the expansion of eligible vaccinators to include medical school students, dentists, veterinarians, and physician assistants.

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Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.