19. I just had an opportunity to meet with both of these CEOs and with their senior operating officers and to hear about the work they're doing together to produce vaccine substitute [substance; White House correction.] and accelerate what they call to take it to full finish [fill finish; White House correction.].You know, what's clear is, this is a historic, nearly unprecedented collaboration. During World War II, one of the country's slogans was "We are all in this together." "We are all in this together." And companies took that slogan to heart. For example, one automaker didn't have the capacity to build enough jeeps; a competitor stepped in to help. Competing airline makers teamed up, and they produced parts for each other and gave the American pilots, as a consequence of that, control of the skies.

Today we're seeing the same type of collaboration when it comes to getting this virus under control. I said we ought to treat this like a war. So I want to thank the two companies for showing how we can come together to defeat this virus by putting patriotism and public health first. And I mean that literally, putting patriotism and public health first.

Your companies have been working closely with a man you've both privately, on the way over, bragged about: Jeff Zients. Jeff is in the front row here. I want to thank you, Jeff, and the entire COVID team you put together for the coordination of our COVIDâ19 response; and Dr. David Kessler and his team at the Department of Health and Human Services.

You know, when we came into office, we began working with the team at J&J to accelerate and add capacity to their manufacturing and production efforts. And it quickly became clear that Merckâone of the world's leading vaccine manufacturersâwas in a position to be the partner we needed in this effortâin this wartime effort.

I've not hesitated to use my power under the Defense Production Act to expedite critical materials in vaccine production, such as equipment, machinery, and supplies. And it's not just Johnson and Johnson and Merck; Pfizer, Moderna also worked closely with us to help speed up the delivery of millions of more doses.

The result is that we're now on track to have enough vaccine supply for every American adult by the end of May, months earlier than anyone expected. And today I am directing Jeff and my HHS team to produce another 100 million doses and purchase another 100 million doses of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine. I'm doing this because, in this wartime efforts, we need maximum flexibility. There is always a chance that we'll encounter unexpected challenges or we'llâthere will be a new need for a vaccine effortâor vaccination effort.

A lot can happen, a lot can change, and we need to be prepared. And of course, we need to match the miracle of science and the skill of manufacturing with the massive logistical undertaking of vaccinating over 300 million Americans. Already, we have gone from Johnson and Johnson vaccine authorization to shots in the arm in 3 days.

I was telling the gentlemen, we were at a facility yesterdayâa veterans outreachâand there were fourâor there were three members of the veterans community getting shots. One was gettingâof each of the three vaccines. And the guy in the middle, a veteran, was getting his. And I was standing about as far away as I am from you and standing up, and he was sitting down. And as the nurse put it in his arm, he went, "J&J, just one." [*Laughter*] Well, there's millions of people who are going to feel that way and be proud to haveâbe in a position that they haveâan ability to get the kind of help they need.

Seven weeks ago, only 8 percent of the seniorsâthose most vulnerable to COVIDâ19âhad received the vaccination. Today, 60 percent of the people over the age of 65 or older have received at least one shot. And that's because this is the population that represents 80 percent of the COVIDâ19 deaths.

We've opened support and openedâexcuse meâand supported more than 500 community vaccination sites. That's moreâand they're administrating hundreds of thousands of shots a day.

And for folks who aren't near a pharmacy or mass vaccination center, we're deploying mobile clinics, like vans, that go into places to meet the folks where they live. We're also supplying vaccines to community health centers to reach those who have been hit the hardest and suffered the most, especially Black, Latino, Native American, and rural communities. And this is important because we know we have more to do to ensure everyone is treated with equity and those most impacted get the care they deserve.

On Saturday, we hit a record of 2.9 million vaccinations in 1 day in America. And beyond the numbers are the stories: a father who says he no longer fears for his daughter when she leaves to go to work at the hospital; the children who are now able to hug their grandparents. The vaccines bring hope and healing in so many ways.

Again, a vaccinated American is the only way to beat the pandemic, get our economy back on track, and for us to get back our lives and our loved ones. You know, that's why the American Rescue Plan was so critical. I want to thank Speaker Pelosi and the House of Representatives today for passing the bill, and I will be signing it into law shortly. This bill represents a historicâ a historicâvictory for the American people. And I look forward to signing it later this week.

Everything in the American Rescue Plan addresses a real need, including investments to fund our entire vaccination effort: more vaccines, more vaccinators, and more vaccinations sites. Millions more Americans will get tested, including home testing. Schools will soon have the funding and resources to reopen safelyâa national imperative.

The American Rescue Plan, the partnership between Johnson and Johnson and Merck, proves we can do big things, important things in this country.

Now, I'llâlet me conclude with this: Tomorrow night I'm going on primetime to address the American people and talk about what we went through as a Nation this past year. But more importantly, I'm going to talk about what comes next. I'm going to launch the next phase of the COVID response and explain what we will do as a Government and what we will ask of the American people.

There is light at the end of this dark tunnel of the past year, but we cannot let our guard down now or assume that victory is inevitable. Together, we're going to get through this pandemic and usher in a healthier and more hopeful future. So there is real reason for hope, folks. There's real reason for hope, I promise you.

May God bless you all. May God protect our troops. And may God ease the pain in the heart of so many who have lost so many people in this pandemic.

Thank you, and I reallyâwe're going to do this. We're going to get it done. Thank you.

Q. Mr. President, what do you plan to do with the surplus? What will you do with the surplus?

National Supply of COVIDâ19 Vaccine Doses/International Cooperation Efforts

Q. Mr. President, when will you do a press conference?

The President. The surplus willâif we have a surplus, we're going to share it with the rest of the world. We've already decided we're going to work with the outfit COVAXâwe've committed

$4 billion to help get the funding for more vaccines around the world. This is not something that can be stopped by a fence, no matter how high you build a fence or a wall. So weâre not going to be ultimately safe until the world is safe. And so we're going to start making sure Americans are taken care of first, but we're then going to try and help the rest of the world. Thank you.

Q. Is there a price forâ[inaudible]?

Q. [Inaudible]âno Republicans voted for it?



NOTE: The President spoke at 3:43 p.m. in the South Court Auditorium of the Dwight D. Eisenhower Executive Office Building. In his remarks, he referred to Alex Gorsky, chairman, board of directors, chief executive officer, Johnson and Johnson Services, Inc.; White House COVIDâ19 Response Coordinator Jeffery D. Zients; and David Kessler, Chief Science Officer for COVID Response, Department of Human Services. He also referred to H.R. 1319.



Categories: Addresses and Remarks : COVIDâ19 vaccine production, Johnson & Johnson Services, Inc., and Merck & Co., collaboration agreement; Interviews With the News Media : Exchanges with reporters :: White House.

Locations: Washington, DC.

Names: Frazier, Kenneth C.; Gorsky, Alex; Kessler, David; Pelosi, Nancy; Zients, Jeffrey D.

Subjects: Congress : House of Representatives :: Speaker; Coronavirus pandemic, international cooperation efforts; Defense Production Act of 1950, executive authorities; Diseases : Coronavirus, domestic prevention efforts; Health and Human Services, Department of : COVID Response, Chief Science Officer for; Health and medical care : Research and development; Johnson & Johnson Services, Inc.; Merck & Co., Inc.; Veterans : Health and medical care; White House Office : Assistants to the President :: COVIDâ19 Response Coordinator.-

DCPD Number: DCPD202100218.