A spokesman for Maryland Governor Larry Hogan rejected Amazon’s claim that it offered help with vaccine distribution to all 50 states, saying that Maryland “was not aware” of an offer from Amazon to provide that type of aid. .
The comment came after Amazon said on Thursday that it had contacted the Trump administration to help with the logistics of putting vaccines in the arms of Americans, but was told by the Trump government to contact the states. Amazon this week sent a letter to the Biden government offering help with vaccine distribution.
“We don’t know about any letters, but Amazon contacted us this week about vaccinating its frontline employees in Maryland,” Mike Ricci, director of communications for Hogan, told Fox News when asked if the governor received an offer from Amazon to help vaccinate the Marylanders.
Ricci added that “[w]and we are not aware of such a letter, “from Amazon offering assistance with Maryland’s vaccination efforts.
President Joe Biden talks about coronavirus in the White House State Dining Room, Thursday, January 21, 2021, in Washington. Amazon offered help to the new government to distribute coronavirus vaccines. (AP Photo / Alex Brandon)
DISPUTES AMAZON CLAIMS NEVER OFFERED TRUMP ADMINISTRATION CORONAVIRUS ASSISTANCE TO VACCINE DISTRIBUTION
The comments cast doubt on Amazon’s statement on Thursday that it had offered aid to “all governors”.
“We met with Trump’s Operation Warp Speed to offer assistance with vaccine logistics and were redirected to the states. Then we write to all the governors offering help with the distribution of the vaccine, ”an Amazon spokesman told Fox News.
The Amazon spokesman continued: “[T]Throughout 2020, we partnered extensively with the Trump administration to respond to Covid-19: we worked with the State Department to collect personal protective equipment from China when American doctors had none, we built new tools for researchers and health officials. public health, we advise the US government on testing and more … To suggest that we hope to offer assistance for political reasons is simply wrong. “
Fox News obtained the letter that Amazon sent to Hogan dated December 21, 2020, but that letter addressed the vaccination of Amazon employees rather than helping with Maryland’s broader vaccination plan.
“Amazon is ready to help you ensure that our essential workers who are unable to work from home receive the COVID-19 vaccine at the appropriate time,” the letter said.
He continued: “We are proud of the role that our essential workers played during this pandemic in helping customers stay safe and receive important products at home, which is critical for people with underlying medical conditions and susceptible to complications from COVID-19. In Maryland, Amazon and Whole Foods Market have more than 25,000 essential full-time and part-time employees who cannot work from home … “
President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump board Air Force One at Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland, Wednesday, January 20, 2021. Amazon has communicated with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Trump with other administration officials about vaccine distribution, Fox News was informed, but sources said no formal letter or offer had been made. (AP Photo / Manuel Balce Ceneta)
Hogan’s office did not immediately respond to Fox News’ when asked to clarify when it received a letter from Amazon asking for help vaccinating its employees.
Meanwhile, Amazon’s letter to the Biden government was entitled “Amazon congratulates President Biden and Vice President Harris; supports vaccination of Americans.” It states that “we are prepared to leverage our operations, information technology and communication skills and experience to assist your administration’s vaccination efforts. Our scale allows us to have a significant impact immediately in the fight against COVID-19, and we are ready to help you in this effort. “
However, a similar line is not included in the letter that Amazon wrote to Hogan.
After news broke that Amazon was offering aid to the new Biden government, several senior Trump administration officials told Fox News that Amazon never offered aid to the Trump administration with the distribution of vaccines.
WHY AMAZON WAITED UNTIL BIDEN TO OPEN TO OFFER ASSISTANCE IN THE DISTRIBUTION OF VACCINES?
Amazon has communicated with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other government officials, Fox News was informed, but sources said no formal letter or offer had been made.
Meanwhile, former Operation Warp Speed officials told Fox News that an offer from Amazon would not necessarily have applied because the Trump administration was not making a federal distribution of vaccines, but leaving the distribution to the states.
In addition to Maryland, Fox News contacted North Carolina, Texas, Florida, New York, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Georgia, Michigan, California and Ohio to find out whether or not Amazon offered help with vaccines.
The Ohio Department of Health (ODH) told Fox News that it received a copy of the letter that Amazon sent to President Biden this week, but did not say whether or not it received an offer of help from Amazon during the Trump administration.
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“ODH received a copy of a letter this week that Amazon sent to President Biden,” the document said. “The ODH team is following up to see what kind of assistance they could provide with regards to vaccine distribution. We have no other details to provide at this time.”
Vaccination will be a major challenge for the Biden government, with pressure on the government to increase its goal of 100 million vaccines in the first 100 days.
Biden in public appearance on Thursday night was asked if he would, given the current trajectory of vaccines in the US
“When I announced it, you all said it was not possible,” said Biden. “Come on, give me a break, man.”
Griff Jenkins, John Roberts, Gillian Turner, Susan Li, Edward Lawrence and Yael Halon of Fox News contributed to this report.