 U.S. President Joe Biden delivers remarks on his administration's coronavirus disease (COVID-19) response, as Vice President Kamala Harris stands by in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building's South Court Auditorium at the White House in Washington, US, June 2, 2021. (Photo: Reuters) |
The shipments are the first of some 80 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines that Biden has pledged to provide internationally this month.
The United States will donate nearly 19 million doses through the COVAX international vaccine-sharing program, Biden said in a statement.
The White House is also removing special powers it granted through the Defense Production Act (DPA) to certain vaccine makers that received US funding but do not yet have US approvals, including AstraZeneca.
The DPA ratings give US producers priority access to supplies and equipment needed to manufacture the vaccines that are in short supply around the world. Lifting them could free up raw materials for major vaccine makers elsewhere.