Biden to Order 100 Million More J&J Doses, Boosting Stockpilehttps://www.newsmax.com/politics/biden-johnson-andjohnson-vaccine-stockpile/2021/03/10/id/1013243/President Joe Biden will double the U.S. order of Johnson & Johnson’s one-shot vaccine — seeking another 100 million doses — bringing the country’s supply to enough for 500 million people, officials familiar with the plan say.
Biden will make the announcement Wednesday during an event with the chief executives of J&J and Merck & Co., who struck a collaboration to boost production of the J&J vaccine. The U.S. had previously ordered 100 million doses, which the company has said will be delivered before the end of June. J&J and the government will finalize the new order in the coming weeks, one official said.
At present, counting only what is on order excluding this option exercise:
* Enough Moderna vaccine to vaccinate 150 million people;
* Enough Pfizer vaccine to vaccinate 150 million people;
* Enough J & J vaccine to vaccinate 100 million people.
So, before this option exercise enough vaccines are on order to vaccinate 400 million people. The population of the US is ~330 million, 30%-35% of whom are not allowed to be vaccinated due to their age. Further, as soon as Dynavax receives EUA for their vaccine a 100M dose purchase contract goes into effect. So, other than as an empty symbol, I don't see a purpose for this option exercise.
