December 31 (Reuters) – Only about 2.6 million Americans received the COVID-19 vaccine on the last day of December, leaving the United States well behind the government’s goal of vaccinating 20 million people this month.
About 14 million doses of Pfizer and Moderna vaccines have been distributed to states so far, federal officials told reporters on Wednesday, ahead of their goal of sending 20 million doses this month.
In early December, authorities said they would have 40 million doses available this month, enough to vaccinate 20 million Americans on a two-dose regimen. On December 4, FDA commissioner Stephen Hahn told Reuters that vaccinating 20 million Americans by the end of the year was realistic, depending on the vaccination campaign.
Since then, officials have said they are committed to making enough doses available, without commenting on the targets for actual vaccinations, as it became clear that vaccinations are below the number of doses distributed.
“The rapid availability and distribution of so many doses – with 20 million first doses allocated for distribution just 18 days after the first vaccine was granted emergency use authorization – is a testament to the success of Operation Warp Speed,” a Department of Health and Human Services spokesman said in a statement. The doses that were allocated, but not distributed, will be sent in January.
The government says that for each dose sent, it keeps a second dose in reserve and a safety stock, which would bring the total number of vaccine doses to 40 million.
Even with the number of doses distributed approaching the goal of reaching 20 million people, the pace of actual vaccinations has been much slower than expected, according to data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“The Federal Government distributed the vaccines to the states. Now it is up to the states to manage. Move! “US President Donald Trump tweeted.
Local public health officials told Reuters that the lack of federal funding for vaccine distribution prevented them from hiring the necessary staff.
“We know it should be better and we are working hard to make it better,” Operation Warp Speed chief adviser Dr. Moncef Slaoui told a news conference.
The American vaccination of the country’s 21 million health workers began on December 14. Vaccinations for the country’s 3 million nursing home residents, who are also in the first priority group, followed soon.
About 51 million essential frontline workers in the U.S., such as firefighters, police and teachers, as well as people over 75, should be the next to receive a vaccine, a CDC advisory panel recommended. (Reporting by Rebecca Spalding; Editing by David Gregorio)