Over the past few weeks, Dr. Ashish Jha, dean of the Brown University School of Public Health, has helped debunk the myths about the new vaccine, warned us that holiday meetings could overwhelm hospitals with COVID-19 patients and commented when he says they were told they would receive less doses of the vaccine than they initially did.
Now, Jha said he is “incredibly frustrated” at how slow the vaccine is being launched across the country.
Inside a topic on Twitter late Monday night, Jha noted that in October, the public was promised 100 million doses of vaccine by the end of this month by Alex Azar, secretary of the United States Department of Health and Human Services. That number dropped to 40 million last month.
This month, Azar said there would be 20 million doses administered by the end of the year, and 20 million reserved for the second dose, Jha noticed. That period will also be extended.
“Now, we are going to miss the 20 million term, but we can reach 20 million in early January”, Jha said. “But this is not really the worst part. The worst part is no real planning on what will happen when the vaccines arrive in the states. Without a plan, without money, I just hope that the states find out. “
Now, we will miss the 20 million term, but we could reach 20 million in early January.
But this is not the worst part
The worst part is real planning of what will happen when vaccines arrive in the states
No plan, no money, I just hope that the states find out
4 / n
– Ashish K. Jha, MD, MPH (@ashishkjha) December 29, 2020
At the state level, he said that vaccine administration is likely to fall to the state health departments, which also had to deal with testing, data analysis, as well as advising various sectors – schools, businesses, etc.
“So, DOHs adding vaccines to their plates,” he said. “Most are overwhelmed and trying to make a plan. They are trying to build a vaccination infrastructure. Congress did not give them money. States are broke. Many are moving to hospitals, nursing homes. “
“Didn’t we know that vaccines were coming?”, Jha asked.
Read his vaccine release topic:
So, a lot of talk going on about the slow implementation of the vaccine
Personally, I am extremely frustrated.
Didn’t we know that vaccines were coming? Is the vaccine administration a surprise?
Several complex problems, so let’s split things up a bit
Warning, this is kind of rant
Thread
– Ashish K. Jha, MD, MPH (@ashishkjha) December 29, 2020
Here’s Azar in @the hill saying 40 million by the end of the year
In December, Operation Warp Speed says that 20 million doses will be launched by the end of the year, they will keep the other 20M in reserve for the second dose. Good
3 / nhttps: //t.co/PWdz1soHLB
– Ashish K. Jha, MD, MPH (@ashishkjha) December 29, 2020
So, who manages the state level? Health departments mainly
These well-funded agencies (yes, I’m kidding) that manage all testing, data analysis and reporting, advising companies, schools, running public campaigns, etc.
Nonstop. For 9 months
They also get vaccines
5 / n
– Ashish K. Jha, MD, MPH (@ashishkjha) December 29, 2020
Any of these family members?
As our national testing disaster, being repeated
And now, hospitals and clinics are struggling to figure out how to implement
This article by @CNN it’s useful
There is a line in this piece that made me crazyhttps: //t.co/UZYojipuAr
– Ashish K. Jha, MD, MPH (@ashishkjha) December 29, 2020
To be sure, many states are taking on real responsibilities
MANY people overburdened with public health are still doing this work. Heroically
But now hospitals are trying to figure out where to establish vaccination sites. And people finding out who can vaccinate in health institutions
8 / n
– Ashish K. Jha, MD, MPH (@ashishkjha) December 29, 2020
There seems to be no investment or plan in the last mile
No federal government effort to help states launch a real vaccination infrastructure
Didn’t the feds know that vaccines were coming?
Planning around vaccination sites, etc. Shouldn’t it have happened in October or November?
10/11
– Ashish K. Jha, MD, MPH (@ashishkjha) December 29, 2020
Congress finally approved $ for vax distribution
States are now building infrastructure. It should have been built by the Feds months ago
After a slow acceleration, it will get better
We are learning again that we cannot fight the pandemic with each state on its own
An effective federal government helps
Fin
– Ashish K. Jha, MD, MPH (@ashishkjha) December 29, 2020
Addendum@SpoxHHS are pushing back on this topic
Your point?
In the past 9 months, on average, states / territories have received $ 6 million each, yes, millions, for vaccine preparation
True
So no “no money”, just trivial $
– Ashish K. Jha, MD, MPH (@ashishkjha) December 29, 2020
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