The President touted his wins in the pandemic fight and says America now has enough vaccines for each state to offer them to all adults by May 1st

President Biden will direct US states to open vaccine eligibility to all adults by May 1 in his primetime address on Thursday, a step he’ll say could allow for small Independence Day gatherings on July 4.

The announcements, previewed by senior administration officials, amount to the most aggressive timeline toward reopening yet, one that comes as cases drop but as thousands of Americans continue to die from the virus per week.

Using his executive authority, Biden will say that all states, tribes and territories must make all adults eligible for the vaccine by the start of May. 

Many states are already speeding toward wide eligibility for vaccinations, with Alaska – for example – already there.

He’ll use the July 4 holiday as a target date by which all Americans can gather in small groups with family and friends, though will warn that doing so will require continued vigilance about wearing masks, socially distancing and getting a vaccine when eligible. 

He will lay out new steps the administration believes makes the May 1 timeline realistic, including expanding the types of professionals who are able to administer vaccine shots. Dentists, veterinarians and paramedics will all be included in the new approved list.

He will detail a national website launching at the start of May that provides information about locating a vaccine.

And he’ll unveil a doubling of the number of federal mass vaccination centers and will announce an additional 4,000 active duty troops will participate in the vaccination effort.

Officials said the target by which enough vaccine will be available for anyone who wants it — the end of May — hasn’t changed. And they cautioned that it would still take longer than that for every person who wants a shot to receive one.

In his speech, Biden will also address school reopening efforts, announcing a summit convened by the Department of Education and expanded testing capacity for K-8 facilities.