WASHINGTON — Even as President Biden announced on Friday morning that some Americans are now eligible to receive a coronavirus booster shot, he blamed the unvaccinated for prolonging the pandemic, since they account for the overwhelming majority of new hospitalizations and deaths.

That made for a challenging message, one that comes amid confusion about who needs a booster shot, and when. In his remarks, the president seemed less concerned with those looking for a third shot than those who have yet to get their first.

President Biden at the White House on Friday. (Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

“We still have over 70 million Americans who’ve failed to get a single shot,”