So far, the United States has distributed more than 31 million Covid-19 vaccines to states, but the CDC says that only about 40% have actually been administered to people, according to the latest data.
But the evidence shows that the percentage of people vaccinated is probably much better than the numbers suggest.
But even with this caveat, the country not only failed the Trump administration’s stated goal of vaccinating 20 million people by the end of December, it still hasn’t reached 20 million three weeks later.
At a press conference last Tuesday, Governor Brian Kemp said his office had received reports that some major suppliers were withholding supplies. He warned them to deliver doses “quickly”, or he would apprehend they.
“If I need to start my truck and do it myself, so be it,” said Kemp.
Georgia residents called his office frustrated with the deployment and supply.
“Yes, the phone lines will be busy. Yes, the sites will certainly crash,” said Kemp. “This is certainly frustrating. I would prefer that we have an ample supply and we could vaccinate everyone immediately.”
Tennessee Department of Health Commissioner Dr. Lisa Piercey told the federal government that sites in her state were capable of vaccinating five times more people than now.
“We are doing great,” Piercey told CNN. “The only thing missing is the supply.”
Piercey said she made it clear to her clinics that they shouldn’t hide anything. Her only goal, she said, should be to “run out of vaccine”.
“It is totally unethical for us to sit on this,” said Piercey.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz on Monday called on the federal government to release more doses of the Covid-19 vaccine, saying his state currently has “a very limited supply”.
Michigan is using the National Guard to increase the work of local clinics and the state is vaccinating people more quickly, according to Tricia Foster, Michigan’s chief of operations for Covid-19 response.
“We have advanced considerably in our dose of weapons,” said Foster.
Foster said the CDC figures do not fully capture Michigan’s effort. As in other states, part of the state allocation was reserved for a long-term care vaccination program that the federal government administers in Michigan. This program obtains about 245,000 of the state’s total doses. The federal government only reports its numbers twice a week.
Michigan, she said, wants a much larger supply and is “ready, willing and able” to vaccinate more. Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer asked to buy doses of the vaccine directly manufacturers, in addition to what the federal government hired, to meet state demand.
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo blamed the federal government for the delays. Cuomo said on Monday that he wrote to the president of Pfizer asking to buy the doses directly.
“After me and seven other governors asked the Trump administration to release more doses, HHS Secretary Alex Azar said relief was on its way. So far, however, the federal government has not kept that promise – in fact, New York will receive just 250,000 doses this week, 50,000 less than the week before, “the letter said.
Pfizer responded that it was open to collaborating with the federal government on a distribution model that “gives as many Americans as possible access to our vaccine as quickly as possible. However, before we can sell directly to state governments, HHS would need to approve that US-based proposal granted to Pfizer by the FDA. “
Vaccines may not arrive soon. CDC’s new director, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, said on Sunday that the country could see “some gloomy weeks ahead”, predicting half a million deaths in the United States in mid-February.
CNN’s Keri Enriquez, Diedre McPhillips, Amanda Watts, Amanda Sealy and Jacqueline Howard contributed to this report