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Amazon says it wants to help Biden reach 100M vaccination goal

The tech giant says it's "prepared to move quickly" to help administer vaccines.

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Shelby Brown (she/her/hers) is an editor for CNET's services team. She covers tips and tricks for apps, operating systems and devices, as well as mobile gaming and Apple Arcade news. Shelby also oversees Tech Tips coverage. Before joining CNET, she covered app news for Download.com and served as a freelancer for Louisville.com.
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Amazon reached out to the Biden administration offering aid with COVID-19 vaccines. 

 Andrew Hoyle/CNET

Amazon says it's ready to help President Joe Biden achieve his goal of vaccinating 100 million Americans against COVID-19 in the first 100 days of his presidency. In a Wednesday letter to the new administration, the tech giant's retail chief, Dave Clark, said the company and its Whole Foods subsidiary have an agreement in place with a licensed third-party occupational health care provider to administer vaccines onsite at Amazon facilities. 

"We're prepared to move quickly once vaccines are available," Clark said in the letter. "Additionally, we are prepared to leverage our operations, information technology, and communications capabilities and expertise to assist your administration's vaccination efforts." 

Last year Amazon's health and safety response to the virus came under fire from employees after the company's decision to roll back hazard pay as well as unlimited unpaid time off during the pandemic. That October, Amazon publicly reported that its total number of coronavirus cases in its front-line US workforce was close to 20,000. The report was released after urging from employees and 13 state attorneys general. 

Prior to his inauguration, Biden criticized the previous administration's efforts to distribute the coronavirus vaccine and said he plans to ask Congress for $400 billion -- part of a $1.9 trillion economic American Rescue Plan -- to stimulate the vaccination process. 

Biden also plans to activate the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the National Guard to help get COVID-19 vaccines to millions of Americans. 

Correction, Jan. 20: The original version of this story misstated Dave Clark's position. He's Amazon's retail chief.