MADISON (WKOW) – Democratic Governor Tony Evers (D – WI) teamed up with other Democratic governors in Michigan and Minnesota to write a letter accusing US Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar of misleading states about a reserve of vaccine doses.
The letter is based on a Friday report from the Washington Post. The report found that the reserve, which upset state leaders thought was being maintained for a second dose, actually ended in late December.
“It was quite clear that not only did the Trump administration spoil the launch of the safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine,” said the letter, signed by Evers, Governor Gretchen Whitmer (D – MI) and Governor Tim Walz (D -MN) . “But also that the American people were deceived about these delays.”
The letter referred to a letter last week from governors in nine states asking HHS about the millions of reserve doses.
According to the letter, Azar agreed to release the reserved doses last week, even though they were already gone.
Governors referred to Pzifer’s announcement on Thursday that he has millions of doses waiting in storage, but have not obtained guidance from the federal government on where to go.
“If you are unable or unwilling to provide us with this supply, we recommend that you grant
permission to buy vaccines directly, so that we can distribute them to the people of Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota as soon as possible, “the letter said.
Governors also wrote that they understood that the federal government has not yet paid for all doses reserved for the United States.
“We strongly urge the Trump administration to
buy the maximum doses of the safe and effective vaccine as soon as possible, “the letter said.” So that we can work together to get more vaccines in the coming weeks. “
The full letter is available here.