Georgia preparing for COVID-19 vaccine distribution after federal request
Gov. Brian Kemp and other Georgia leaders have begun working on a COVID-19 vaccine plan following a request from the federal government to fast-track the licenses and permits that would allow distribution facilities to operate by Nov. 1.
In a letter sent to state governments, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Robert Redfield asked them to prepare for the large-scale distribution of a COVID-19 vaccine this fall.
The CDC has contracted with the McKesson Corporation to send the vaccine to medical facilities, doctor’s offices, state and local health departments as well as other medical providers. Redfield said the normal time to obtain the permits and licenses needed “presents a significant barrier to the success of this urgent public health program,” according to the letter.
“CDC urgently requests your assistance in expediting applications for these distribution facilities,” Redfield wrote, “and, if necessary, asks that you consider waiving requirements that would prevent these facilities from becoming fully operational by November 1, 2020.”
“The requirements you may be asked to waive in order to expedite vaccine distribution will not compromise the safety or integrity of the products being distributed,” he continued.
In Georgia, insurance commissioner John King is leading a group of state officials involved in economic development, community and public health, community affairs, the Georgia National Guard and emergency management to work on a distribution plan alongside local governments and private sector partners, a Kemp spokesperson said.
The New York Times reports that some, including federal scientists, are concerned “Operation Warp Speed,” the federal program accelerating vaccine development, is motivated by politics over science. McClatchy also reports that supply chain experts are concerned the federal government has not adequately communicated the distribution responsibilities state and local governments will take on.
“At this point, we should know much more about what the intended distribution system looks like, and what the plan is,” Dr. Julie Swann, head of the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering at North Carolina State University and an adviser to the CDC during its response to the H1N1 pandemic in 2009, told McClatchy.
As of Sept. 2, 274,613 coronavirus cases and 5,795 deaths had been confirmed in Georgia.
“In our battle against COVID-19, Georgia stands ready to continue our partnership with the Trump administration and prepare for vaccine distribution to every region,” said Kemp spokesperson Candice Broce. “State officials will leverage the Peach State’s world-renowned logistics network and collaborate with private-sector partners to deliver the COVID vaccination to vulnerable populations as soon as it becomes available.”
This story was originally published September 3, 2020 at 11:38 AM with the headline "Georgia preparing for COVID-19 vaccine distribution after federal request."