Senate Democrats demand Trump address COVID-19 vaccine distribution

A group of Senate Democrats is demanding that the Trump administration provide states with a plan of action that includes new resources and guidance “to fix the significant failures of the COVID-19 vaccine distribution” rollout.

In a letter sent to Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, the Democrats said the country’s vaccination effort is moving too slowly and blamed the administration’s failure to develop and implement a comprehensive national vaccine plan.

“With our health system and economy in crisis, and millions of lives at stake, we cannot afford for this vaccination campaign to continue to be hindered by the lack of planning, communication, and leadership we have seen so far,” the letter said.

The letter was led by Senate Democratic Leader Charles Schumer (N.Y.) and Health Committee ranking member Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and signed by 43 other Democrats.

Refresher: The administration pledged to vaccinate 20 million people by the end of 2020, but efforts have fallen far short of that goal. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, only about 9 million people have received their first dose, and nearly 25.5 million doses have been distributed.

Reality: There are nine days left in the Trump administration, so it’s not likely a massive, comprehensive plan is coming. The Democrats said they hope recently announced efforts to scale up vaccinations in pharmacies will help, but much more resources are needed.