States Say They Lack Funds to Distribute Coronavirus Vaccine as CDC Tells Them to Be Ready by Nov. 15

According to the Washington Post , the CDC has instructed state health officials to be ready to receive and distribute the first doses of a COVID-19 vaccine by Nov. 15, even though the federal government likely will not approve one until later this year. State officials say they lack sufficient funds to pay for such a complex initiative. Trump administration officials want to move quickly once FDA authorizes a vaccine and a CDC advisory panel provides recommendations on how to prioritize different populations, according to a letter CDC sent Monday to various state officials. CDC wants states to provide information on their plans by Tuesday, including a list of each jurisdiction's top five locations with the ability to receive and administer a vaccine that must be stored at ultra-cold temperatures. The letter refers to the COVID-19 vaccine as Vaccine A, but health and industry leaders have identified it as Pfizer's candidate. Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla says his company has already manufactured "hundreds of thousands" of doses and will make an initial examination of the data soon.