President Joe Biden on Friday celebrated the U.S.'s accomplishment in distributing 300 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine in his first 150 days in office, calling it a "truly American accomplishment."
In remarks from the White House, Biden celebrated the fact that the mass vaccination program has delivered real-world results — COVID-19 infections and deaths are at their lowest points since the virus arrived in America in March 2020.
"Folks, we're heading into a very different summer from last year. A bright summer, one filled with hope," Biden said.
In a statement released Friday, the White House noted that the rate of vaccination has exploded since Biden took office on Jan. 20. As of Friday, 87% of seniors and 74% of adults over 40 have received at least one shot, and 15 states have partially vaccinated 70% of their adult population.
However, time is running short on Biden's current vaccination goal. He has said he hopes to have 70% of U.S. adults partially vaccinated by July 4 — with 16 days remaining, the CDC says 65% of adults have gotten at least one shot.
According to Bloomberg, the daily rate of distributed doses fell steadily between mid-April and early June. However, the daily vaccination rate has been on the rise in recent weeks.
The recent rise in vaccinations comes as the Biden administration has partnered with several large businesses to incentivize Americans to get a shot. The White House has partnered with chain retailers to offer sweepstakes to those who get vaccinated in-store, sports teams to offer free tickets to fans who present proof of vaccination and brewers to offer free beers when the U.S. reaches the 70% goal.
Several states have launched their own incentive programs, like Ohio's vaccine lottery that offers grand prizes of $1 million or free college scholarships.
In addition to offering incentives, the Biden White House has partnered with pharmacy chains to extend their hours of operation to make vaccinations more convenient, partnered with childcare centers to offer free drop-in care for those who are getting the vaccine and offered tax credits to small and medium-sized businesses that allow employees to take a day off work to get vaccinated.
