President Joe Biden is expected on Thursday to lay out a new goal for US vaccinations against Covid-19 at his first formal White House news conference, where topics will likely include immigration, infrastructure, gun control and foreign relations, Reuters reports.

Biden, who has taken questions from reporters in other settings since taking office on Jan 20, may face sharp queries on a recent rise in asylum seekers at the US-Mexico border, plans to share coronavirus vaccines with other countries, and efforts to keep Americans safe from mass shootings.

Aides have been drafting potential questions and answers for the Democratic president in recent days to prepare for the Thursday event, slated to begin at 1:15pm.

Just a few dozen journalists from news outlets selected by the White House Correspondents’ Association will be on hand in the East Room, because of restrictions related to the pandemic.