U.S. to procure additional 100 million doses of J&J COVID-19 vaccine: official

[March 10, 2021]  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States plans to double its order of the single-shot Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccine, procuring an additional 100 million doses, a White House official said on Wednesday.

President Joe Biden will make the announcement at a meeting with the chief executives of J&J and Merck & Co later in the day, the official said. Merck has agreed to partner with J&J to produce its vaccine.

J&J’s manufacturing has been slower than expected, and the company was not expected to be able to deliver any doses of its vaccine this week. It is expected to resume shipments later in March.

(Reporting by Steve Holland; Writing by Doina Chiacu;; editing by John Stonestreet)

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