“Of course we need to do a better job, but all vaccination programs are starting somewhat slowly,” Giroir told CNN’s Jake Tapper, adding that he expects the spread to increase soon and that the U.S. is on track to distribute 20 million doses of vaccines. by the first week of January.
“I know we will distribute about 30 million more in January and potentially up to 50 million in February,” he said.
The federal government’s Warp Speed operation promised that 20 million doses would be administered before January 1, with Alex Azar, secretary of health and human services, on December 9 on CNN’s ‘New Day’ that ’20 million people in had to be vaccinated over the next few months. weeks. ‘
However, the numbers are not yet close. According to Dr. Nancy Messonnier, director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases at the CDC, said more than 2.6 million people received their first dose, and just over 14 million doses were distributed on Wednesday. Operation Warp Speed, chief operating officer Gustave Perna, also at a Wednesday briefing.
President Donald Trump largely transferred the money to the distribution of vaccines and blamed them on Wednesday for the slower-than-ideal pace.
Giroir said on Wednesday that as pharmacies begin to play a greater role in the administration of vaccines, he expects the rate of vaccinations to accelerate.
“We have a federal contract with 40,000 pharmacies – that’s 60% of all pharmacies in the US – to supply vaccines,” Giroir said. “The scale will rise very fast as things progress and develop.”
“Vaccines on the shelf are not good,” he added. “They must come into the arms of people and we leave no stone unturned to do so.”
The president-elect has outlined a plan to distribute 100 million vaccine shots, enough to cover 50 million people, in his first 100 days in office. He reiterated on Tuesday that Congress must provide the necessary funding to achieve the goal.
CNN’s Naomi Thomas, Kristen Holmes, Arlette Saenz, Betsy Klein and Kate Sullivan contributed to this report.