Biden announces milestone of 300 mil vaccine shots in 150 days

U.S. President Joe Biden took a cautious victory lap Friday in his quest to bring the COVID-19 pandemic in order, announcing that 300 million vaccine shots have already been administered in the 150 days since he took office.

Biden credited scientists, companies, the American persons and his whole-of-government effort. The president noted that the widespread vaccination campaign was setting the stage for some Americans to possess a relatively normal summer as businesses reopen and employers hire.

“We’re heading into a very different summer compared to this past year,” the president said. “A bright summer. Prayerfully, a summer of joy.”

But as Biden marks one milestone, he is in danger of failing woefully to meet another: his target to have 70% of American adults at least partially vaccinated by July Fourth, in a little over two weeks.

Overall, about 168 million American adults, or 65.1% of the total U.S. population 18 years and older, have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine as of Friday, in line with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The pace of new vaccinations in the U.S. has dropped considerably from a higher of practically 2 million each day about two months ago, jeopardizing Biden's ability to hit the 70% mark.

The White House said its whole-of-government approach to the vaccination effort has put the virus in retreat, which in turn has taken COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths with their lowest levels in greater than a year. But Biden noted in his remarks that some communities in states with lower vaccination rates are seeing cases and hospitalizations increase.

The administration is in the center of a monthlong blitz to combat vaccine hesitancy and having less urgency some persons feel to achieve the shots, particularly in the South and Midwest.

CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said Friday that she expects the delta variant of the coronavirus will become the dominant strain in the U.S. That strain has become dominant in Britain after it had been first detected in India.

During an appearance on ABC’s “HELLO America,” she told Americans who obtain shots that “you’ll be protected against this delta variant.”

As part of the administration's vaccination push, Vice President Kamala Harris traveled to Atlanta on Friday to tour a pop-up COVID-19 vaccination site at Ebenezer Baptist Church, where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was a pastor until his assassination in 1968. The existing senior pastor is U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock.

Harris also spoke at a COVID-19 vaccination mobilization event at Clark Atlanta University, a historically Black school.

The Biden administration insists that regardless if the 70% vaccination goal is unmet, it has little effect on the entire U.S. recovery, which has already been before where Biden said it will be months ago.

Biden wants to celebrate Independence Day as a “summer of freedom” from the virus.

Earlier this week, the White House announced plans to host first responders, essential personnel and service members and their families on the South Lawn for a cookout and watch the fireworks over the National Mall.

A lot more than 1,000 guests are expected for exactly what will be among the major events of Biden's presidency.