The Trump administration is changing how coronavirus vaccines are distributed to states, Alex Azar, secretary of health and human services, said Tuesday.
Instead of distributing vaccines based on population, the administration would rather allocate doses based on how quickly they can deliver the shots, as well as the size of the population older than 65, Azar said.
States have two weeks to prepare for the change, Azar said, which would give them time to improve their reporting to a federal database.
Azar has indicated that some of the current inertia is due to data reporting issues, and the change in the allocation method will encourage them to resolve the issues.
“This new system gives the states a strong incentive to ensure that all vaccinations are reported immediately, which is not currently the case,” Azar told reporters at a news conference.
“It gives states a strong incentive to ensure that doses work to protect people rather than sitting on shelves or in freezers,” he added.
The policy change will reward states that vaccinate people quickly and come because top officials have complained about the slow pace of vaccinations.
Azar said the rigid compliance with the criteria for states has led to a bottleneck. The government’s operation Warp Speed made nearly 25 million first doses available in the past month, but just over 9 million people have been vaccinated.
“We need doses where it is administered quickly, and where it will protect the most vulnerable,” Azar said.
To this end, the government also insists on giving shots to anyone 65 years of age or older, regardless of the underlying health conditions, as well as anyone under the age of 65 with an underlying condition. The administration will also release the second doses of the vaccines he has kept in their reserve, in an effort to double the number of available doses.
Center for Disease Control and Prevention Director Robert Redfield
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“It’s going to be a tough January and probably February, but with a vaccine and the new therapy we have, there’s really strong light at the end of the tunnel as we enter March,” Redfield said. “We really need to commit now to getting as many Americans vaccinated as possible, who are particularly vulnerable and who are at risk of hospitalization.”
But current Trump officials will no longer be at the helm in two weeks, and it is not clear whether the incoming Biden government will support such a change. Azar said Operation Wap Speed had not yet spoken to the transition team about the change.
“While we will certainly inform the Biden team about these changes, we are working, as you know, with one government at a time, and that is the approach that we believe is the mission and the current situation we face today. come, fulfill the best, “Azar said. said.
A spokesman for the Biden crossing did not respond to a request for comment.
If implemented, the policy change could cause even more pain for civil servants and local officials who are already struggling with what they say are insufficient resources and communications from the federal government.
It is ultimately up to governors, government officials and local officials to decide who is eligible to receive the vaccine in their state. Many states already like the initial CDC recommendations on prioritization, but the updated recommendations could make nationwide distribution into a free-for-all.