Health officials request $8.4B in funding for COVID-19 vaccine distribution, administration

Public health leaders from the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) and the Association of Immunization Managers (AIM) wrote Congress last week to request emergency funding to benefit COVID-19 vaccine distribution and administration.

The supplemental funding request came from ASHTO CEO Michael Fraser and AIM executive director Claire Hannan, specifically. As one, the pair requested a minimum of $8.4 billion to aid COVID-19 vaccine distribution, along with another $500 million for seasonal influenza operations in the midst of the COVID-19 response. They argued such measures are necessary to boost public confidence in a COVID-19 vaccination campaign and come from emerging information on vaccine clinical trials and current public health agency priorities.

“Recently, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provided $200 million to jurisdictions for preparedness for a COVID-19 vaccine, including the development of distribution and administration plans for a safe and effective vaccine,” the pair wrote. “While our organizations appreciate this funding, it is merely a down payment, and it is too early to predict the additional cost burden and supplemental needs of a COVID-19 vaccination distribution of this magnitude.”

Separately, Hannan pointed out that this $200 million equals approximately 60 cents per person — a woefully inadequate figure to expect to be able to vaccinate every American with a two-dose course of vaccine.

Any funding granted for these purposes should go directly to the CDC to guarantee the rapid allocation of resources to existing public health systems. Under no circumstances, in their view, should Congress attempt to create new formulas or approaches for allocating these funds in the midst of an ongoing public health crisis.

“These funds are urgently needed to expand and strengthen federal, state, local, territorial, and tribal capacity for a timely, comprehensive, and equitable vaccine distribution and administration campaign,” Fraser said. “Importantly, the planning, staffing, training, operational, and logistical demands for this effort are unlike any ever endeavored in this country. Our members are working to meet the challenge but need more resources to achieve optimal success to protect the health of all Americans.”

What exists currently is, quite simply, not enough.

“State and local public health agencies are deep into the planning process to distribute any COVID-19 vaccine as soon as it is determined to be safe and effective. State plans are due to CDC on Oct. 16. But without adequate resources for implementation, the best plans are doomed to fail,” says Hannan. “We want to be absolutely clear – states and local partners cannot conduct an unprecedented and incredibly complex national vaccine distribution program without adequate resources.”