President Biden on Tuesday said that ramped-up coronavirus vaccine production will provide enough doses for 300 million Americans by the end May.
Why it matters: That's two months sooner than Biden's previous promise of enough vaccines for all American adults by the end of July.
- The accelerated timeline also comes on the heels of pharmaceutical manufacturer Merck teaming up with Johnson & Johnson to quickly produce its one-shot COVID-19 vaccine.
- J&J's vaccine received its emergency use authorization last Saturday, joining Pfizer and Moderna on the vaccine market.
The big picture: Coronavirus cases and deaths have ticked down since the holiday season but public health officials continue to urge Americans not to let their guards down.
- Yet on Tuesday, both Mississippi and Texas' governors lifted all mask distancing restrictions in their states. Local ordinances may still apply.