US to send extra 20m vaccine doses abroad

WASHINGTON: The United States will release an additional 20 million doses of Covid vaccines abroad, bringing the total being shipped out to 80 million, the White House said Monday.

“The United States will send 20 million doses authorized for use in the United States to help countries battling the pandemic by the end of June,” Press Secretary Jen Psaki said.

Psaki said President Joe Biden would formally announce the move in a televised address later Monday.

The boost in shipments follows pressure on the Biden administration to use its large vaccine surplus to help other countries now that significant progress has been made in rolling out vaccinations at home.