State health officials tell Congress they need $8.4B for COVID-19 vaccination effort

The Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) and the Association of Immunization Managers (AIM) are warning in a letter to Congressional leaders that states need at least $8.4 billion in emergency funding to administer COVID-19 vaccines. To date, CDC has allocated just $200 million to states for vaccination efforts. Claire Hannan, AIM’s executive director, notes: “This funding is a necessary first step but equals approximately 60 cents per person. It is not adequate to vaccinate every American with the expected two-dose course at this amount.” The letter estimates that state and local health departments will require $3 billion for workforce recruitment and training, $1.2 billion for transportation and cold storage, $500 million for outreach efforts, and $1 billion for setting up additional vaccination sites, among other needs. ASTHO CEO Michael Fraser, PhD says, “ASTHO and AIM urge Congress and the administration to come together to enact a swift, bipartisan agreement on a COVID-19 emergency supplemental package.” Meanwhile, states’ plans for distributing a vaccine must be submitted to the federal government by October 23. On Thursday, the National Governors Association wrote to President Trump to request a meeting, saying “additional guidance and clarification is needed on the roles and expectations of states in a successful COVID-19 vaccine distribution and implementation plan.”