Only half of Covid-19 vaccines delivered in states were used, CDC data show. Here’s a reason why.

“Some of what the states currently have is stockpiles to do the very, very important second shot,” Zients said. “I think it’s important that when you look at the state’s inventories, you realize that some of the inventory is kept for the very important second survey.”

The Pfizer and Moderna Covid-19 vaccines currently available in the US for emergencies require two doses. A federal dashboard monitors the distribution of these vaccines across the country. The data show how many doses of vaccine were delivered in each state, but it does not distinguish between first and second doses.

Consider Florida, where federal data showed Wednesday that about 3.1 million doses were delivered and about 1.6 million were administered. This is about 50% of the doses used.

On Monday, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki used similar figures to indicate that Florida had a lot of vaccine, after Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis claimed that the state was not getting enough supplies from the federal government and more need.

“I would note, because our data is here first, facts-first, that they only distributed about 50% of the vaccines in Florida,” Psaki said. “Obviously they have a large portion of the vaccine.”

On Wednesday, DeSantis backed down against the White House’s comments, stating that federal data was not responsible for vaccines destined for second doses.

“If the person in the White House says Florida has all these doses, it’s second doses,” DeSantis said.

Other countries also say that part of their vaccine supply is intended for second shots.

“If there is a first dose, you can give it to someone. If there is a second dose, it should be 21 days later for Pfizer or 28 days later for Moderna,” said Kristen Ehresmann, director of Minnesota’s Infectious Disease. Division of Epidemiology, Prevention and Control, said in an email to CNN. “So yes, we get this vaccine and then give it at the right time and it may seem like we are ‘sitting on doses’ if that is not the case.”

In New York, Governor Andrew Cuomo began expressing the state’s vaccine distribution rates in terms of first and second doses, announcing Wednesday that 96% of the state’s first doses administered were excluded, excluding the federal long-term care vaccination program with CVS and Walgreens.

Cuomo said Tuesday that his state was “basically not vaccinated,” but on the same day, New York Mayor Bill de Blasio, who also complained about the lack of vaccination, said the city had doses for second shots in his had stock. .

“I have a hundred thousand doses,” de Blasio told MSNBC.

De Blasio further said that the doses “sit on a shelf” and “can not be used for weeks.” He said President Biden should order governments across the country to take the second doses in their stock and use them now for the first doses.

“Even a first dose gives people about 50% protection,” he said.

Cuomo said Tuesday that second doses are not being distributed as first doses because of uncertainty about how quickly additional doses of vaccine can be made.

“The fear is that, until you really know what the production schedule is, if you start using the second dose as the first dose, you have to have a dramatically increased supply, otherwise you will leave people without a second dose if they are theirs. owed, ”Cuomo said.

It is unclear how many states have an inventory of second doses, or how many states can handle the distribution of second doses differently. The White House and the Department of Health and Human Services did not immediately respond to CNN’s inquiries for additional details.

In Maryland, the state keeps no reserve doses in its warehouses other than doses to be administered that week, according to Charles Gischlar of the Department of Health. Gischalar says Maryland has requested that the federal government automatically distribute second doses to providers who are provided with first doses.