States were left scrambling after finding out they d get 20-40% less vaccine than they expected. Here s why. Elizabeth Weise, USA TODAY
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In the first major hiccup of the rollout of the coronavirus vaccine, states this week found themselves scrambling to adjust as they received word they would get between 20% and 40% less vaccine next week than they had been told as late as Dec. 9.
States were given estimates that turned out to be based on vaccine doses produced, not those that had completed quality control and were releasable. Only on Wednesday and later were states informed of the actual numbers.
In the first major hiccup of the rollout of the coronavirus vaccine, states this week found themselves scrambling to adjust as they received word they would get between 20% and 40% less vaccine next week than they had been told as late as Dec. 9.
States were given estimates that turned out to be based on vaccine doses produced, not those that had completed quality control and were releasable.
Only on Wednesday and later were states informed of the actual numbers. The ripple effect is huge, said Claire Hannan, executive director of the Association of Immunization Managers. The planning piece is critical. We cannot roll this vaccine out on the fly.
Pfizer began distributing its COVID-19 vaccine this week but the so-called light at the end of the tunnel already appears to have somewhat of a short circuit. In just the first round of vaccine distribution, several states are already reporting that the federal government has drastically decreased its vaccine allocations. Now health experts are raising questions about the mysterious decrease in vaccine doses.
According to Talking Points Memo, states across the country have reported declines in vaccine allocation while Pfizer reportedly has millions more doses sitting in our warehouse but, as of now, we have not received any shipment instructions for additional doses.
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Vaccine acceptance may prove a significant obstacle to ending the COVID-19 pandemic, said public health experts and advocates during a webinar hosted by the Alliance for Health Policy on Wednesday afternoon.
The Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine received emergency use authorization from the FDA on Dec. 11. This is such an amazing development, said Hemi Tewarson, MPH, JD, visiting senior policy fellow for the Duke-Margolis Center for Health Policy. But unless we can actually be successful in convincing people to get the vaccine, we will not be where we need to be on this pandemic, she said, calling vaccine acceptance the biggest challenge at the state and local level.