The White House is renewing its push to increase the national COVID-19 vaccination rate with several new strategies, President Joe Biden said during a July 6 speech.
The U.S. will shift its focus from mass vaccination sites that inoculated thousands of people early in the vaccine rollout to a more community-based approach that includes door-to-door outreach.
Through the end of the summer, the U.S. will focus on boosting vaccine supplies at more than 42,000 local pharmacies nationwide, along with family physician and pediatrician's offices. The goal is to vaccinate more children ages 12-18 before school starts this fall, President Biden said.
To improve vaccine access outside of pharmacies and healthcare facilities, the White House will work with employers to make vaccines available in more workplaces. The U.S. will also roll out more mobile vaccine clinics at sporting events, places of worship and summer festivals, among other public events.
"Our fight against the virus is not over," President Biden said, underscoring the importance of getting vaccinated to protect against the delta variant.
"Please get vaccinated now," he said. "It works, it's free and it's never been easier."
President Biden's remarks come two days after the nation failed to reach his goal of vaccinating at least 70 percent of adults by July 4. About 67 percent of U.S. adults had received at least one vaccine dose as of July 6, according to the CDC.