White House says U.S. buys 200M Covid doses due to unknown future

WASHINGTON D.C.: The United States federal government is set to purchase an additional 200 million doses of the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine to prepare for future needs, including boosters and shots for children under 12.

Commenting on the purchases, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said the Biden administration wants to have "maximum flexibility" to address changing conditions, and it's "going to prepare for every contingency."

The newly purchased doses will be delivered between fall 2021 and spring 2022.

It remains unclear, however, whether booster shots will be needed for fully vaccinated people.

No decision has been made about whether coronavirus vaccines will be approved for vaccinating younger children.