WASHINGTON — The White House says the U.S. has shipped more than 110 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines to more than 60 countries, ranging from Afghanistan to Zambia.
President Joe Biden was expected to discuss that milestone and more Tuesday in remarks about the U.S. strategy to slow the spread of the coronavirus abroad.
The president’s announcement will come amid a rise in infections in the U.S., fueled by the highly contagious delta variant of the virus.
Biden has promised the U.S. will be the “arsenal of vaccines” for the world. But the 110 million doses donated largely through a vaccine program known as COVAX represent a fraction of what is needed globally.
The White House says in a statement the U.S. will begin shipping at the end of August the half a billion doses of Pfizer vaccine it has pledged to 100 low-income countries.