The Army General in charge of dispensing Coronavirus vaccines in the United States on December 19 failed to deliver the original number of doses promised to the states. Gen. Gustave Perna, Chief Operating Officer for Operation Warp Speed, apologized after several states last week received fewer doses of the vaccine than planned. In a phone call, he said he took “personal responsibility” for the miscommunication to state regulators.
“I have failed. I am changing. I’m repairing and we’ll move on from there, ”he told reporters. The Army General said he issued the number of doses based on what he believed would be ready. He stated that he was the one who agreed preview pages and the one who agreed to allowances.
“There is no problem with the process. There is no problem with the Pfizer vaccine. There is no problem with the Moderna vaccine, ”said Gen Perna.
He said, “Please accept my personal apologies if this would interfere with your decisions”.
HOT: COVID-19 vaccine update: CDC Case Management following reports of allergic reactions
The General’s comments come a day after he added a second COVID vaccine in the fight against the deadly virus. According to the BBC, Governors ’in more than a dozen states have said the federal government has told them that the next week of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccination will be less than originally expected. While taking to Twitter, Washington State Governor Jay Inslee called for “planning accurate, predictable numbers and ensuring success on the ground”. Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer also said the White House was “slowly slowing down the process”.
General Perna said he did not know how “precise” all available vaccines would be released. However, he said shipping for the recently approved Moderna vaccine will begin on Sunday. He also said he was on track to get about 20 million doses of the vaccines to states by the first week of January.
TOP: PM PM Benjamin Netanyahu gets Pfizer Covid vaccine, says ‘excited and proud’
US vaccination program
Meanwhile, both vaccines are said to be about 95 percent effective. The vaccine, which was registered in the United States, aims to reach 100 million people by April. Millions of doses are expected to be reached by Monday after the Food and Drug Administration approved the emergency distribution of the vaccine by Moderna Inc. and the National Institutes of Health, according to AP reports. Once delivered, the vaccine will be given to citizens at no cost and the costs for private sector administrative partners will be covered by health care payers: private insurance, Medicare or Medicaid, and HHS ‘s program to reduce COVID-19 costs for the uninsured, HHS reported in the U.S. The Moderna vaccine is similar to Pfizer Inc. And BioNTech in Germany which is now giving it to millions of health care workers and nursing home residents.
(By submission from AP)
LEARN: ‘What is the vaccine? ‘: Netizens give Hiptious Dig at skeptics with rib-tickling memes
TOP: Ian McKellen posts a photo of receiving the COVID-19 vaccine, saying it’s a ‘very special day’