HHS has already promised up to $1.2 billion in support for a vaccine candidate developed by AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford. That agreement promises at least 300 million doses of the vaccine for the United States, with clinical studies beginning this summer with approximately 30,000 U.S. volunteers.
HHS also has given $456 million to Johnson & Johnson for its candidate, set to begin its first phase of clinical trials this summer, and $483 million for Moderna’s candidate vaccine, which began its first phase trail in mid March.
When asked about cost, administration officials said Tuesday that COVID-19 vaccine doses developed with taxpayer money would be given to the U.S. government and then distributed – either for free to vulnerable populations or through private insurance.
Officials say insurance companies have signaled a willingness to provide the vaccine shots at low cost. And the plan is a “tiered approach” for distribution – for example, providing the first doses to the elderly and people with pre-existing conditions.
“Which populations are able and should receive a vaccine that is developed will depend on the results of clinical trials,” the official said.
One major factor in picking a vaccine candidate will be in the ability to scale up production of that particular vaccine to 300 million doses. U.S. officials say they estimate some 20 million to 40 million Americans will already have antibodies to the virus and will be a lower priority for the first round of vaccines.
“For any American who is vulnerable, who cannot afford the vaccine and desires the vaccine, we will provide it for free,” an administration official told reporters.
Health officials have said they do not know how long immunity might last once a person has been exposed to the virus.
What to know about coronavirus:
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