Biden sets new goal of 200 million COVID-19 shots

On Thursday, U.S. President Joe Biden challenged the COVID-19 pandemic, setting a new goal of administering 200 million vaccination doses by the end of his first 100 days in office.

"I believe we can do it," Biden told reporters at the White House.

In his first news conference as US president, Biden stated that “There are still too many Americans out of work, too many families hurting and still a lot of work to do.” Nonetheless, he affirmed that they can do it.

“But I can say to the American people: Help is here and hope is on the way."

Furthermore, he asserted that the US supply of vaccines is going to increase over the next month and they are lifting eligibility requirements for people to get the shots.

"I know it's ambitious, twice our original goal, but no other country in the world has even come close," he added.

In addition, the President noted that $10bn (£7.2bn) is going to be allocated expanding access to vaccines for the "highest-risk communities."

As a matter of fact, more than 545,000 Americans died since the start of the pandemic while more than 30m people have caught the disease, making it easily the worst-hit country in the world.