WASHINGTON — The White House says the United States on Tuesday will reach 50% of American adults fully vaccinated for COVID-19.
President Joe Biden previously set a goal of having 70% of all adults receiving at least one dose of the vaccine by July 4th.
The White House has ramped up its vaccine distribution, and coronavirus case and deaths have dramatically fallen across the nation.
There are currently three vaccines in use in the United States. The Biden administration has increased the number of inoculations it is exporting to other nations.
Moderna said Tuesday its COVID-19 vaccine strongly protects kids as young as 12, a step that could put the shot on track to become the second option for that age group in the U.S.
With global vaccine supplies still tight, much of the world is struggling to vaccinate adults in the quest to end the pandemic. But earlier this month, the U.S. and Canada authorized another vaccine — the shot made by Pfizer and BioNTech — to be used starting at age 12.
Moderna aims to be next in line, saying it will submit its teen data to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and other global regulators early next month.
With plenty of vaccine supply in the U.S., younger teens flocked to get Pfizer's shot in the days after FDA opened it to them, part of a push to get as many kids vaccinated as possible before the next school year.
Both Pfizer and Moderna have begun testing in even younger children, from age 11 down to 6-month-old babies. This testing is more complex: Teens receive the same dose as adults, but researchers are testing smaller doses in younger children. Experts hope to see some results in the fall.