President-elect Joe Biden will release most of the COVID-19 vaccine doses when he takes office Jan. 20, a change from the Trump administration's practice of holding about half the supply back to ensure people can get the second dose, The New York Times reported.
"The president-elect believes we must accelerate distribution of the vaccine while continuing to ensure the Americans who need it most get it as soon as possible," T.J. Ducklo, a spokesman for the Biden transition team, told the Times Jan. 8.
The Trump administration has been stockpiling roughly half of the available COVID-19 vaccine supply to make sure there will be enough supply that everyone who received the first dose gets the second dose on time.
Releasing the majority of the vaccine doses goes against the FDA's recommendation, the Times reported. But a transition official said Mr. Biden would use the Defense Production Act to make sure enough vaccine doses are available.
Mr. Biden will share more details of his plan to release the vaccine doses next week, the Times reported.
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