The US, Reluctant to Share Excess Vaccines... Awkward 'Vaccine Swap'

"Hard Now but Expected to Give"
State Department: "Vaccination of Americans Comes First"
Even If Given, Canada and Mexico First
Korea Vaccine Swap Plan Faces 'Dark Clouds'

U.S. President Joe Biden said at the White House on the 21st (local time) that "the goal of administering 200 million doses (single-dose vaccinations) of the COVID-19 vaccine within 100 days of inauguration is expected to be achieved ahead of schedule." This day marks the 92nd day since President Biden took office. [Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy New York=Correspondent Baek Jong-min] U.S. President Joe Biden has expressed that it is difficult to send COVID-19 vaccines overseas at this time. Although the U.S. has completed 200 million vaccine doses and surplus vaccines are expected to increase, it still maintains a vaccine distribution strategy focused on its own population. This has made the position of our government, which is negotiating a vaccine swap with the U.S., even more complicated.

On the 21st (local time), immediately after his COVID-19 speech at the White House, President Biden responded to reporters' questions about sharing vaccines overseas by saying, "We are looking into what to do with some of the vaccines we are not using," and added, "I am not confident that we can send vaccines overseas right now, but I expect that will happen in the future." This was a direct rebuttal to claims that vaccines should be supplied overseas now that U.S. vaccine demand has peaked.

However, President Biden mentioned, "There are countries in Central America and others where the U.S. thinks it can help supply vaccines," and said he spoke with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on the same day, indicating that more vaccines would be supplied. This suggests that vaccines may be supplied first to neighboring countries such as Canada and Mexico. The U.S. has already agreed to supply a total of 4 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine to Canada and Mexico.

President Biden announced that he had achieved his promise to administer 200 million COVID-19 vaccine doses within his first 100 days in office ahead of schedule.

Following President Biden's remarks, the State Department also stated, "We expect to be able to do more (to help other countries) when we reach a more comfortable and confident position regarding vaccinating our own people, but right now that (vaccinating Americans) is our focus."

Spokesperson Price, seemingly responding to criticism that the U.S. is neglecting vaccine diplomacy, also noted that the U.S. has contributed to COVAX, which was created to distribute COVID-19 vaccines to underdeveloped countries.

Earlier, Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong said, "We are negotiating a vaccine swap with the U.S., but they have expressed that there is no surplus."