Maine legislators seek COVID-19 vaccine distribution transparency

A delegation of Maine lawmakers said they are seeking insight from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) regarding transparency and communication with state partners on COVID-19 vaccine distribution.

Sens. Susan Collins (R-ME) and Angus King (I-ME) recently joined Reps. Chellie Pingree (D-ME) and Jared Golden (D-ME) in forwarding correspondence to HHS Secretary Alex Azar in the wake of Maine’s reported federal allocation of vaccines falling short of initial projections – which the legislators maintained contributed to public confusion.

“The development and fair distribution of a safe and effective vaccine are critical to successfully containing the COVID-19 pandemic,” the lawmakers wrote. “It is imperative that states have accurate and transparent information about vaccine allocations. In recent weeks, Operation Warp Speed significantly changed its projections on the number of vaccine doses that states should expect to receive through the Tiberius portal without an accompanying explanation for the change.”

The legislators said that states need immediate clarity when major changes are made to refine distribution plans better and avoid a misunderstanding of what may be driving the projected changes.

“Without clear and timely communication, public confidence in the distribution process could waver,” the lawmakers concluded. “We also encourage HHS to provide greater public transparency on state-by-state allocations, allocation methodologies, as well as distributions. These types of public disclosures will help ensure greater accountability and ensure equitable access.”