‘Pixie Dust’: Why some vaccine sits on shelves while shortages intensify nationwide

While kinks in the national COVID-19 vaccination rollout have been blamed largely on limited supply, some doses are sitting unused in some states. Mixed signals over the amount of vaccine available from week to week, questions over how much is needed to immunize priority groups, confusion over vaccine eligibility, and some public reluctance to the vaccine have slowed ordering and distribution. At the same time, many providers lack the cold-storage capacity required for the Pfizer vaccine, and some states are setting aside product for long-term care facilities. As a result, while many locations are ordering less vaccine than what has been earmarked for them, others have depleted their stores and are desperate for additional doses. “We don’t have the visibility that we would hope to have into supply and allocations,” admits Jeff Zients, who is spearheading the Biden administration’s pandemic response. The confusion could deepen next week, when state allocations will be adjusted to account for a change from five vaccine doses per Pfizer vial to six.