PLYMOUTH, UK — (WKZO AM/FM) — President Joe Biden is calling Kalamazoo the “arsenal of world healthcare” after announcing a purchase of COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer to be distributed worldwide. Meeting with world leaders in Great Britain, Biden said 500-million doses of the Pfizer vaccine will be given to over 100 nations.
“That’s a historic step. The largest single purchase of COVID-19 vaccines by any single country ever.”
He cited his visit to Pfizer’s Portage manufacturing plant in February during the news event.
“You could see the looks on their faces. They were proud. They were proud of what they were doing and they knew what they were doing (would mean for the world).”
Biden compared the new deal to the one the U.S. Government struck with Detroit during World War II to build tanks and planes…
“They build what we became the arsenal of democracy. Now, a new generation of American men and women is going to build a new arsenal to defeat the current enemy of world peace… COVID-19.”
It’s premature to speculate what the impact of the purchase will mean to the local economy, but it will keep a number of local workers busy well into next year. President Biden says it’s essential to end the pandemic worldwide to prevent the spread of new variants and to open world markets.
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