US Unveils Plan to Provide Free Covid-19 Vaccines to Citizens

What Happened:

• Wednesday, the Department of Defense and several Federal Health Agencies outlined a plan to provide free Covid-19 Vaccines to all Americans.

• The agencies have a target of January, 2021 as a start date for the plan, although it is still possible that it could start later this year.

• Said Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, “We are working closely with our state and local public health partners ... to ensure that Americans can receive the vaccine as soon as possible and vaccinate with confidence.”

• Despite the initiative, there is concern whether enough people would take the vaccine to reach "herd immunity." In a poll held by the AP in May, only about 50% of Americans said they would be willing to take the vaccine. To reach herd immunity, at least 70% of the population would have to be vaccinated.

• Of those who said they would not take the vaccine, the main concern cited was safety.

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