Feds Plan To Release 2nd COVID-19 Vaccine Doses

The Trump administration sought to speed up distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine by recommending states expand eligibility and release all doses that have been held back to ensure a second dose.

The Trump administration is going to release all second COVID-19 vaccine doses immediately and expand eligibility for people 65 years old and over to help speed up the rollout of doses that have been delayed.

Officials with Operation Warp Speed, the joint Health and Human Services and Department of Defense initiative, laid out the major changes on Tuesday and adopted a plan that has been reportedly floated by President-elect Joe Biden.

HHS Secretary Alex Azar laid blame on states for the slow rollout of the vaccine doses, even though the federal government left the distribution plans up to states.

“We are telling states they should open vaccinations to all of their most vulnerable people. That is the most effective way to save lives now,” Azar said during the briefing.