Biden administration commits $10 billion to fight COVID vaccine inequities

Washington — The Biden administration is committing $10 billion to efforts designed to ensure COVID-19 vaccines are being equitably distributed and boost confidence in the shots as the pace of vaccinations continues to accelerate, the White House announced Thursday.

The $10 billion in funding comes largely from the American Rescue Plan, the sweeping coronavirus aid package passed by Congress this month, and will be used by the Department of Health and Human Services to reach communities of color, rural areas, low-income populations and other underserved communities, according to the White House. Of the $10 billion investment, $6 billion will go toward community health centers to expand COVID-19 vaccinations, testing and treatment for vulnerable populations, deliver health care services to populations at higher risk of serious illness from the coronavirus and boost the centers' operational capacity. The money will begin flowing to nearly 1,400 centers nationwide in April. Community health centers participating in a federal vaccine program can also expand eligibility for the shots, including to front-line essential workers and people over the age of 16 with high-risk medical conditions.