US Ramps Up Vaccine Availability

The federal government announced updates to COVID-19 vaccine recommendations Tuesday in an effort to expand access and availability nationwide. Federal health officials are encouraging states to widen vaccination availability to people age 65 or older, and those with chronic health conditions. States won't be required to follow the guidance. The required second doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines will also be released to states, effectively doubling capacity. President-elect Joe Biden, backed by numerous Democrat governors, requested similar changes last week. The news was covered widely, often framed in the context of rising coronavirus cases. In outlets throughout the spectrum, the new guidelines were reported far less prominently than coverage of the 2020 election and breach of the U.S. Capitol. Some reports from left-rated sources framed the Trump administration's vaccination plan as subpar and distribution as dangerously slow. Some coverage from right-rated outlets credited President Donald Trump for adopting the new guidelines.