White House says 27 million COVID-19 vaccine doses to ship out this week

Vials of Johnson & Johnson's Janssen coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine candidate are seen during the Phase 3 ENSEMBLE trial in an undated photograph. Johnson & Johnson/Handout via REUTERS.

The White House on Tuesday said 27 million COVID-19 vaccine doses will be distributed to U.S. states and other localities this week, including 4 million doses from Johnson & Johnson.

White House coronavirus response coordinator Jeff Zients updated the nation's governors on the vaccine supply in a call earlier Tuesday, White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki told reporters on board Air Force One.

(Reporting by Nandita Bose and Doina Chiacu; writing by Susan Heavey; editing by Chris Reese)