Exclusive: The Trump administration ‘urgently’ requested governors do everything in their power to ensure that COVID-19 vaccine distribution sites are ‘fully operational by November 1,’ two days before the presidential election. mcclatchydc.com/news/coronavir…
Their time frame appears detached from the progress of ongoing Phase III clinical trials, which are not expected to produce answers until late November or December, the lead scientist overseeing those trials said in an interview. mcclatchydc.com/news/coronavir…
In a letter, CDC Director Redfield asked governors to expedite permits and licenses for the distribution sites and, if necessary, "consider waiving requirements that would prevent these facilities from becoming fully operational by November 1.” mcclatchydc.com/news/coronavir…
Operation Warp Speed and the White House coronavirus task force also set the November deadline for the nation's largest delivery firms to be ready to load vaccines onto trucks. mcclatchydc.com/news/coronavir…
The rush has renewed concerns of political influence and put pressure on state health systems, already strapped for resources, now told to devise individualized distribution plans within the month. mcclatchydc.com/news/coronavir…
Five pilot programs on distribution that took place in Florida, California, Minnesota, North Dakota and Philadelphia are now complete, and a 100+-page planning guide will soon be out to states. mcclatchydc.com/news/coronavir…
Documents obtained by McClatchy show concern within the CDC over the distribution challenges posed by the leading vaccine candidates. “Diverse cold-chain or ultra-low temperature requirements can substantially affect implementation efforts.” mcclatchydc.com/news/coronavir…
“These will be almost hand-to-mouth shipments. So we'll be getting orders to ship overnight to a nursing home, or a senior living facility, or a vaccination center of some kind or hospital, or they'll have people lined up ready to be vaccinated.” mcclatchydc.com/news/coronavir…
How priority groups will be ranked remains a critical open question. “Nobody seems to know where and what order these people will be vaccinated.” mcclatchydc.com/news/coronavir…
“It’s incredibly important for our country and the world to know which vaccine works,” said the head of the clinical trials, questioning Warp Speed's time course. “What we need is to let science take over, because without that, we have no public policy.” mcclatchydc.com/news/coronavir…
Rural areas of the country that have struggled throughout the pandemic with financially strained health systems will face yet another test. "It will be a real challenge if we have to have things under dry ice." mcclatchydc.com/news/coronavir…
“I have not seen a plan that ensures vaccines can be delivered safely or in a transparent, equitable manner. I have not seen any plan that would indicate we are prepared to vaccinate millions of Americans virtually simultaneously.” mcclatchydc.com/news/coronavir…
The urgent request made of governors nationwide – to issue permits and waivers with exceptional speed – came the same day Trump accepted the Republican nomination. "We will produce a vaccine before the end of the year, or maybe even sooner," Trump said. mcclatchydc.com/news/coronavir…
“That’s the message over and over again – this is ‘warp speed.’ Well, that’s not necessarily a reassuring message when you’re talking about something that’s being injected into your body.” mcclatchydc.com/news/coronavir…
