December 31 (Reuters) – Only about 2.6 million Americans received a COVID-19 vaccine by the last day of December, which puts the United States far from the government’s goal of vaccinating 20 million people this month.
About 14 million doses of Pfizer and Moderna vaccines have been distributed to states so far, federal officials told reporters on Wednesday, but shy away from the goal of sending 20 million doses this month.
Already in early December, officials maintained that they would have 40 million doses available this month, enough to vaccinate 20 million Americans with a two-dose regimen. On Dec. 4, FDA commissioner Stephen Hahn told Reuters that the vaccination of 20 million Americans was realistic by the end of the year, depending on the vaccination campaign.
Officials have since said they are committed to making enough doses available without commenting on the actual vaccination targets, as it has become clear that vaccinations are less than the number of doses distributed.
“The rapid availability and distribution of so many doses – with 20 million first doses being allocated for distribution just 18 days after the first vaccine gave permission for emergency use – is proof of the success of Operation Warp Speed,” a Department of Health and Spokesman for Human Services said in a statement. Doses given but not distributed will be shipped in January.
The government has said it will keep a second dose in reserve for every dose sent, as well as a safety supply, which will bring the total number of vaccine doses closer to 40 million.
Although the number of doses distributed reached the goal of reaching 20 million people, the rate of actual vaccinations was much slower than expected, according to information released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
‘The federal government has distributed the vaccines to the states. Now it’s up to the states to administer. Get started! “US President Donald Trump tweeted.
Local pagan officials told Reuters that the lack of federal funding for the distribution of vaccines had prevented them from hiring staff.
“We know it needs to get better and we’re working hard to make it better,” he said. Moncef Slaoui, chief adviser to Operation Warp Speed, told a news conference.
U.S. vaccinations of the country’s 21 million health workers began on December 14. Vaccination of the country’s 3 million residents of nursing homes, who are also in the first priority group, followed shortly thereafter.
About 51 million essential workers in the U.S., such as firefighters, police and teachers, as well as people over the age of 75 need a vaccine, a CDC advisory panel has recommended. (Reporting by Rebecca Spalding; Editing by David Gregorio)