Demand for COVID-19 vaccines overwhelms state health providers

As eligibility for a COVID-19 vaccine widens to include many more subpopulations—despite a lack of adequate supply—chaos has ensued. A crush of anxious Americans are crashing online sign-up systems, inundating phone lines, and filling up wait lists. In one pharmacy in Hershey, PA, for example, an estimated 10,000 vaccine requests in the course of just 3 days essentially shut down all other business for the company. CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices had recommended limiting initial doses of vaccine to health care workers and residents of long-term care facilities, followed by adults aged 75 years and older and then essential workers. In mid-January, however, the Trump administration encouraged states to immediately open up eligibility to include anyone aged 65 years and older as well as adults with underlying medical conditions. Many governors and public health officials did so with the understanding that they would receive more supply to vaccinate the greater numbers of eligible residents—an expectation that has not been met in many cases.