President Joe Biden made some major remarks in the state dining room on March 2 in regards to the progress of the country’s battle with COVID-19.

Biden and his team have been closely collaborating with Big Pharma. Biden noted that Johnson & Johnson, a medical device company that manufactures pharmaceutical products, made a huge effort to contribute to the vaccines.

Their manufacturing is behind, but Biden has been able to begin work with his team to help accelerate the processes, and the company has committed to operating its facilities 24/7.

Biden also announced that the company will be partnering with Merck and Co., an American multinational pharmaceutical company that is among one of the largest of its kind in the world. This will help develop a third, highly effective vaccine.

In terms of vaccine rollout, Biden said just a few weeks ago that we can expect enough vaccine supply for every adult in America by the end of July. Currently, Biden has voiced that we can expect that supply even sooner.

“I’m pleased to announce today, as a consequence of the stepped-up process that I’ve ordered and just outlined, that this country will have enough vaccine supply for every adult in America by the end of May,” Biden said. “That’s progress – important progress.”

Biden does not ignore that the virus is still fighting back in many ways. With the increased amounts of vaccines and the aggressive plans to get every essential worker vaccinated, and then every adult vaccinated, there is an increased need for vaccinators.

To combat this part of the problem, there have been thousands of retired nurses and doctors brought back to service and more than 1,500 federal medical personnel have been deployed.

As vaccine production ramps up, with an increased and growing amount of medical personnel, the next issue lies in finding locations to administer the vaccines. To date, millions of doses have been sent to over 7,000 pharmacies.

Biden and his team have been working hard alongside each individual state to set up thousands of additional places for vaccines to be given. These centers will utilize large infrastructures like stadiums, or even smaller places like community centers or parking lots, allowing the capacity to administer thousands of vaccines per day.

Biden has also begun to point out a connection between schools being closed and the large strain the pandemic has put on our economy. As distance learning presents struggles for many students, many parents have been exiting the workforce more rapidly than in recent history, to tend to the changes online learning brings for their children. With so many parents not working, the economy is struggling even more.

Biden claims that issues within the economy grow worse with each day that schools remain closed. Not only are families and the economy struggling, thousands of school districts are facing budget crises. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) has since issued new guidelines advising how to reopen schools safely.

“I have given schools a roadmap. I’ve asked Congress to give them the tools,” Biden said. “And today, to add one more tool to school reopening- a vaccinated workforce.”

Biden and his team have promised to work hard to treat in person learning like an essential service so that educators are prioritized, however he emphasized that he could not do this alone.

“My challenge to all states, territories, and The District of Columbia is this: We want every educator, school staff member, childcare worker to receive at least one shot by the end of the month of March,” Biden said.

To provide incentives, throughout the month of March, federal pharmacy programs will prioritize vaccinations for educators and staff that teach pre-K through grade 12, allowing them to book appointments.

Biden has made it a point to state the importance of continuing to wash hands, practicing social distancing, wearing masks where they are needed and getting vaccinated when it is time.

As of March 6, 515,013 American lives have been lost to COVID-19. Biden and his administration promise to continue to combat this global pandemic.