Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said Tuesday the pharmaceutical company has “ramped up production” of its COVID-19 vaccine, announcing on Twitter a sped-up timeline for when the United States should expect to receive its complete shipment of doses. 

What You Need To Know

  • Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said Tuesday the pharmaceutical company has “ramped up production” of its COVID-19 vaccine

  • The company is now on track to deliver “10% more doses to the US by the end of May than previously agreed,” Bourla said 

  • Pfizer will also be able to supply the full 300 million doses, originally scheduled for the end of July, two weeks early

  • Both Pfizer and Moderna had separately pledged to each ship 300 million vaccine doses across the country by the end of July 

 

The company is now on track to deliver “10% more doses to the US by the end of May than previously agreed,” a 20 million dose increase from the company’s originally promised 200 million doses by the end of the month. 

Pfizer will also be able to “supply the full 300M agreed on for the end of July two weeks early,” Bourla wrote, adding: “In the fight against COVID-19, we’re in this together.” 

Both Pfizer and Moderna, two of the three COVID-19 vaccines in the United States to receive emergency use authorization from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), had separately pledged to each ship 300 million vaccine doses across the country by the end of July. 

Since both Pfizer and Moderna’s coronavirus vaccines require a two-dose regimen, the total 600 million doses will be enough to vaccinate every adult American who wants one. 

The news will likely be a welcome update for those still awaiting their shots, as a growing number of states have advised doctors and pharmacies to stop administering the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine until an investigation into rare, yet severe, side effects is completed. 

Some locations with an excess of Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are administering those vaccines to people with appointments for a Johnson & Johnson jab, while other states with less of a stockpile have been forced to cancel or postpone appointments in the wake of the investigation. 

Per the CDC, nearly 192 million coronavirus vaccine doses have been administered nationwide. A little under 7 million of the shots already given were from Johnson & Johnson, meaning the vast majority of the U.S. population has received at least one shot from either Pfizer or Moderna. 

Even before Pfizer’s announcement, federal officials did not appear to be concerned about the impact the Johnson & Johnson pause will have on the pace of vaccinations nationwide. 

“We believe there’s enough vaccine in the system — Moderna and Pfizer — for all Americans who want to get vaccinated by May 31 to do so,” Jeff Zients, White House COVID-19 response coordinator, said earlier Friday.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.