05/04/2021

White House to Make Unordered Vaccine Supply Available to Other States

Unordered doses will go into a federal bank for states that want it

The White House on Tuesday told states the coronavirus vaccine supply they choose not to order will become available to other states — the most significant shift in domestic vaccine distribution since President Joe Biden took office, and part of an effort to account for flagging demand in parts of the country.

Each state’s share of the total U.S. adult population will still determine weekly allocations. But instead of allowing unordered doses to carry over week to week, the White House will steer untapped vaccine into a federal bank available to states where demand continues to outstrip supply. Those states will be able to order up to 50 percent above their weekly allocation.

The strategy could transform how vaccine flows across the country. In recent weeks, numerous states have begun leaving significant quantities of doses on the shelves. Last week, officials in Arkansas declined the state’s entire share, the state confirmed.

Please select this link to read the complete article from The Washington Post.