WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House says President Joe Biden is taking a series of new steps to combat the coronavirus, hoping to get the country closer to normal by July 4. The administration will:
— Direct states to make all American adults eligible for vaccinations by May 1.
— Deliver vaccines directly to up to an additional 700 community health centers that reach underserved communities, increasing the total number of participating centers to 950.
— Double the number of pharmacies in the federal pharmacy program to more than 20,000.
— Expand mobile operations in hard-hit communities.
— More than double the number of federally run mass vaccination centers.
— Deploy an additional 4,000 active-duty troops to support vaccination efforts, bringing the total to over 6,000.
— Expand the pool of people able to administer shots to include dentists, certain emergency medical technicians, midwives, optometrists, paramedics, physician assistants and others.
— Launch a new federally supported Find a Vaccination website by May 1.
— Launch a call center by May 1 to help people find vaccinations.
— Deploy technology teams to states that need help improving their websites.
— Direct the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to issue additional guidance on what people can do after being fully vaccinated, addressing travel, gatherings, work and houses of worship.
— Supply federal financing to help expand testing in schools.
— Have the Department of Education host a national Safe School Reopening Summit this month.
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