The federal government’s reserve of coronavirus vaccine has turned out to be nonexistent.
Governor Tony Evers addressed the issue, during a Friday media conference call. “Our ability to move more quickly is based upon getting vaccines from the federal government who owns those vaccines.”
Evers said governors were assured on a conference call with the vice president this week, that the feds would be releasing remaining doses.
“And that would’ve been good news. We would have more vaccines to distribute, we could get to 1B quicker. All the things that are necessitated in order to do a good job here. In any state, frankly,” Evers said, adding that media reports now indicate that “the cupboard’s bare in Washington, D.C.”
The Washington Post reports the Trump administration had already begun shipping out what was available beginning at the end of December, taking second doses directly off the manufacturing line.
Later on Friday, Evers and Governors Tim Walz of Minnesota and Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan sent a letter, to HHS Secretary Alex Azar.
It has become abundantly clear that not only has the Trump administration botched the rollout of the safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine, but also that the American people have been misled about these delays. Pfizer just announced that as of yesterday, they have millions of doses of the vaccine on hand and are waiting on addresses from the Trump administration so they can deliver the vaccine to states. If you are unable or unwilling to give us that supply, we urge you to grant permission for us to directly purchase vaccines so we may distribute them to the people of Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota as quickly as possible.
Republicans who control the Wisconsin legislature have been critical of the Evers’ administration coronavirus vaccination efforts.
