WASHINGTON D.C.—President Biden addressed the nation last night on the one-year anniversary of the WHO declaration of the coronavirus pandemic and detailed plans to continue to escalate vaccinations for all Americans, characterizing it as a "war-time effort to vaccinate the U.S. population with the goal of getting the nation closer to normal by July 4th." Just afterward, The White House issued its fact sheet that called for more health care professionals to get directly involved with the efforts and contribute to the administration, including, specifically, optometrists.

Biden said he would be directing states, tribes and territories to make all adults eligible for a vaccine by May 1. In addition to significantly increasing the number of places that Americans can get vaccinated, the White House said it would look to increase the number of people providing and supporting vaccinations.

Today, the Administration said it will "expand the pool of qualified professionals able to administer shots to include: Dentists, advanced and intermediate Emergency Medical Technicians, Midwives, Optometrists, Paramedics, Physician Assistants, Podiatrists, Respiratory Therapists, and Veterinarians, as well as medical students, nursing students, and other health care students in the previously listed professions under the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act."

Reached by VMAIL, William T. Reynolds, OD, president of the American Optometric Association said, "The Biden administration’s action is an important recognition of optometry’s essential and expanding role in health care. Since the pandemic’s earliest days, doctors of optometry have been providing urgent and emergent care and helping to ease the burden on hospital emergency departments. Now, by gaining the nationwide authority to administer vaccines that the AOA and AOSA were seeking, optometry will help our communities and our country recover and return as quickly as possible to health and safety.”

VMAIL reported that as of March 8, there were eight states that had authorized optometrists to administer covid vaccines. Those included Colorado, California, Kentucky, New Jersey, Ohio, South Carolina, Utah and Virginia. Other states and the AOA had been continuing to advocate for optometrists to play a direct role in vaccine administration.

The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services will launch a new website to help individuals determine whether they are eligible to sign up to volunteer to administer shots.

To also help in the administration of vaccines, President Biden announced the deployment of more than 4,000 active duty troops to support vaccination efforts, bringing the total to over 6,000 in all. The Administration will more than double the number of federally-run mass vaccination centers, run by FEMA, the U.S. military, and other federal agencies in partnership with states, to ensure that we reach the hardest-hit communities in this effort.

President Biden said the Administration will double the number of pharmacies participating in the federal pharmacy program, making the vaccine available at more than 20,000 pharmacies in locations convenient to all Americans. The Administration is directing pharmacies to expand mobile operations into the hardest hit communities to reach more people.

Over the next six weeks, the Administration will deliver vaccines directly to up to an additional 700 community health centers that reach underserved communities, increasing the total number of participating community health centers across the country to 950.