President Joe Biden announced Monday that 90% of American adults will be eligible for the vaccine by April 19, as more states open up the shots to younger age groups ahead of the president’s goal of May 1.

President Biden also announced two new federal initiatives to boost access to the vaccine, including a doubling of the federal pharmacy program to nearly 40,000 locations, with the goal of making the shot available within five miles for 90% of Americans. 

Another effort will invest nearly $100 million in a program to schedule appointments for some of the most vulnerable Americans and bring them to vaccination sites.

As the president highlighted his administration’s progress on vaccine administration Monday, he also echoed a warning from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Rochelle Walensky earlier in the day, urging Americans not to let their guard down.

“The progress we’ve made on vaccinating this country is a great American story,” Biden said.

“There is nothing, nothing this country cannot do if we put our minds to it, and we do it together,” the president added, but noted that “our work is far from over. The war against COVID-19 is far from won. This is deadly serious.”

The president urged governors and local leaders to reinstate mask mandates that have been lifted in recent weeks, and he said that wearing a mask is a “patriotic duty.”

“Until this country's vaccinated, each of us has to do our part. We have an obligation,” the president said. “We can and will do this, but don't let up now. Don't let up.”

When asked by a reporter at the end of the event if states should pause reopening efforts, Biden responded with a definitive "yes."

By Monday, 31 states had said they plan to open the vaccine to all adults within three weeks, and more have said they’ll meet the president’s May 1 goal.

To date, 95 million Americans have gotten at least one shot of the vaccine, including nearly 75% of people over the age of 65.

This week, 33 million doses of vaccine will be sent out to states, tribes, territories and federal distribution channels, the president noted, including through the federal pharmacy program.

The number of pharmacies in that program will nearly double in the next few weeks to nearly 40,000 locations, the Biden administration announced Monday. The goal of the increase is to make the vaccine available at a pharmacy within five miles of 90% of Americans by April 19.

“We also need to make it easier for those who want shots but cannot access vaccination sites,” the president said. 

To increase access, President Biden also announced a grant program to schedule, transport, educate and offer in-home vaccination options to those most vulnerable to COVID-19, especially those with disabilities and older Americans. The program is a partnership between the CDC and the Administration for Community Living.

“It's a big country and as fast as we're going, we still have a long way to go to finish this vaccination effort,” President Biden warned Monday. “We still need everyone to do their part.”